My new tail lights

[Danno]

So, I know many people have the goal of returning their fiats to their original glory in every sense, and there are those who want it to look original, but perform better than original, but I have a strong desire to change much about mine. I think the general design of the car is beautiful, but that there were limitations to it's design to make it more economical to produce and to make it something that was safe. I, however, don't have the same guidelines that Fiat had when they designed the car, so I'm taking liberties all over the place. I still want other Fiat owners to know its a fiat, and most of what I'm doing is molesting some minor trim details. I'm debadging (mainly as a cost measure because my badges were all bad and new ones are pricey), I've pulled off the big ole tube bumpers on the back and the front. and now, for the Pièce de résistance, I'm smoothing out my Fiats rear. The old lights there remind me of the HUGE glasses that my mom used to wear (sometime around the date of my Friat's birth actually). Very functional, but by today's standards, just too big and bulky.

So, I've got ahold of some new lights that are more flush, have a chrome trim ring (not round, actually they are oval shaped) to correspond with the look of the headlights. The hope is that a blended rear of the fiat will be a little sportier.




Anyway, I'm a rambler today... I got some "bondo-glass," if you haven't seen it before, it's a weird substance like bondo, mixed with fiberglass strands and apparently some sort of fiberglass resin, you add a hardener, like bonds or like resin, and it hardens quite well, with much stiffer structure than bondo, and an applicator ability that you don't have with fiberglass. I combined this with a little cutout of fiberglass cloth and covered up my tailight hole. I was a little crazy with my application of this stuff, and I regret it now, it sands about as well as fiberglass resin (ie not well). Anyway, I sanded what i could, luckily nothing stuck out over the surface I am trying to match. The structure appears to be pretty solid at this point, so I apply a LOT of bondo. Try to follow the flow of the car's tail, There is a seam in the middle of this hole, it follows the trunk lid edge down all the way to the "rear skirt" and has a soft "weld" in it. Some kind of rubber that allows for body movement. I'm not sure at this point what to do with this seam where I am bondo-ing, I'd hate to have this seam totally crack right through all of my work, so I might be taking a dremel with a cutting wheel and making a seam when I'm mostly done.

So, after one application of bondo (I figure it will take about 3 or so coats to get it as perfect as I want) this is what it looks like:



I started to cover up the trunk lock, but realized that if I accidentally shut the trunk then I'd have a heck of a time opening it again until I have this installed:

[Mark_vaughn]

I like your idea. When my lights start giving me trouble I will probably do something similar.

Here is an idea, how about puting lights in the roll pan like on sporty pickup trucks? If you get the back where the lights were really smooth it would look great. Only problem may be legality of the lights that close to the ground, I don't know what the rules are there.

Just a thought.

[Danno]

I like your idea. When my lights start giving me trouble I will probably do something similar.

Here is an idea, how about puting lights in the roll pan like on sporty pickup trucks? If you get the back where the lights were really smooth it would look great. Only problem may be legality of the lights that close to the ground, I don't know what the rules are there.

Just a thought.

I just think that it would look really weird having a big flat spot where the lights originally were, and then trying to cram lights in the tiny "roll pan" of the car. I think, though, that I'm going to use the bumper shock holes for some round reverse lights.

[So Cal Mark]

Calif has height requirements for lights, and I would bet every other state does too. How large are the lights you're installing?

[Danno]

Calif has height requirements for lights, and I would bet every other state does too. How large are the lights you're installing?

4" wide and although it's against my better judgment they are NOT DOT approved. But, I touched the leads to my battery to see how they looked, and they certainly are bright!

[manoa matt]

Where did you get that trunk solenoid/release? It looks like a good little kit.

Matt

[Danno]

Where did you get that trunk solenoid/release? It looks like a good little kit.

Matt

ebay, it was super duper cheap, and seems like it will be VERY easy to install. cost me $19.49 to have it shipped to my door. button will go in glovebox, i imagine.

here's the link to the one I bought:

[mbouse]

dang, sold out.

What are your plans for license plate and reverse lights?

i cannot wait to see your set up installed and painted.


by the way, don't worry about what the 'purists' have to say about your Fiat. as long as it is safe, it is your phat ride, so modify it as you see fit!!

Right, Dave?

[Danno]

What are your plans for license plate and reverse lights?

Reverse lights I think will be something like a 2" round LED set that goes in those bumper shock holes.

License plate illumination is open still, but they make little LED things that are the size of (for the lack of a better comparison) washer nozzles. I figure a couple of those located in the right spot would be wayyy less intrusive than those big old tag light things.

[mbouse]

nice! maybe something that is mounted to the license plate on the bolt you gotta use to keep the plate on the car.....

[Danno]

nice! maybe something that is mounted to the license plate on the bolt you gotta use to keep the plate on the car.....

ahhh, so simple, don't know why I didn't think of that. I like it.

[racydave]

Dan, thoes rear lamps appear to have only two wires, Where is the park lamp? Also i would suspect that a 194 bulb would not be bright enough. Looks to me like a MIG welder and some weldin classes should be in your future! My MIG is the bestus new toy I have!!!

[manoa matt]

Dave,

I second that about the mig. My new favorite tool also. I no longer have to worry about a stripped mounting stud, or a mounting stud in the wrong location. A custom exhaust was an easy project. Now my next project is replacing floor pans. I now look for things and projects to weld.

And if I ever get to do some body work it will shure cut down on the bondo and all that sanding.

Matt

[Danno]

HA, you guys crack me up. Just yesterday I was telling my wife that what I really want for Christmas is a welder!

and to answer the question about the two leads to the red lights i quote the auction:

--These lights are able to light at 2 different levels of brightness with included special wiring adapters.
--16 LEDs in each light with 3 wire leads for ground, tail lights and brake/turn lights.
--Overall dimensions are 6 1/2" Long by 2 1/4" Wide by 3/4" Thick. The (2) mounting holes are 4 3/4" apart.

[So Cal Mark]

along with that solenoid release I hope you make provisions for an emergency release in case the solenoid fails.