Reversing light

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Hi all need fit a new reversing light to the rear of my car, my question is is there a minimum height it needs to be, thanks for your time!
 
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Pretty sure you have a free reign here, but no more than 2 lamps, maximum 24w each.....and if they are not operated by the gearbox switch, the switch needs a tell tale light.
John :)
 
Back in the day, it would be common knowledge, the first DIY job for a budding mechanic .............
 
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I remember when it first became compulsory to have two rear lights and they had to be fitted a certain distance apart and from the ground. At about the same time flashing indicator kits became available - Lucas must have made a fortune. :)

Peter
 
He sure did, Peter......the quality of the products was so low you always had to buy twice.
Joe Lucas - Prince of Darkness :p
John :D
 
Then, that Bosch fella (Joseph I believe) came along and spoiled the party .............. :cool:
 
I worked in a car accessory shop in the very early 70s. We used to sell no end of reversing lights and telltale switches along with the rest of the stuff to fit them. In fact I think we had some Wipac (IIRC) sets with cable and switch etc packed on a card. We also used to get the flashing indicator sets to retrofit indicators on earlier cars. Four surface mounted dome type lights, flasher unit , switch etc.
Didn't they change the law on reversing lights around that time to limit the wattage etc. to stop people fitting spot / fog ights as reversing lights?
 
He sure did, Peter......the quality of the products was so low you always had to buy twice.
Joe Lucas - Prince of Darkness :p
John :D

Could be worse, You could have had an Iti. car with Magneti Marelli electrics. :cry:

I had a new Fiat Strada in 1981.....in holes 4 years later with electrics to match :eek: Never Italian again!
John :)
 
I worked in a car accessory shop in the very early 70s. We used to sell no end of reversing lights and telltale switches along with the rest of the stuff to fit them. In fact I think we had some Wipac (IIRC) sets with cable and switch etc packed on a card. We also used to get the flashing indicator sets to retrofit indicators on earlier cars. Four surface mounted dome type lights, flasher unit , switch etc.
Didn't they change the law on reversing lights around that time to limit the wattage etc. to stop people fitting spot / fog ights as reversing lights?

I seem to remember something about that, but reversing lamps could never have clear lenses.....
I remember Roger Clarks works Escort had a Cibie Oscar as a reversing light - in those days I could hardly afford the bulb for one :p
John :)
 
I knew someone around that time who had a "proper" Cooper S. He had a couple of Cibie Oscars on the front. (and more money than me, like you John I'd have been pushed to buy a bulb for them!) He reckoned that if you switched them on it used to nearly stop the car AND flatten the battery! Joking of course, but whatever did the charging (one of those Lucas separate control box alternators?) wasn't up to the load. :)
 
I, like countless others, fell into the trap of turning my 1960 mk 1 mini into a Cooper lookalike.....1100cc engine and box but for some reason that escapes me we had to keep the original mini diff so the crankshaft had a hard time. Actually, the engine and box were probably knackered when they were bought.....
Was that to do with the 1100 12" wheels or driveshafts? I cant remember.
That plus a fibreglass bolt on front, ensured a certain departure from this life should I crash :p
I didn't, but shares in Isopon rocketed :p
John :)
 
And you knackered the bearings on an electric drill cutting the headlight holes?
:)
You had to swap the transfer gears to the diff from the mini lump to the 1100. They lurk somewhere in the lump on the rear of the gearbox IIRC.
Still have the 1/2 X 9/16 inch ratchet ring for the inner coupling u_bolts.:)
ETA They're not called the transfer gears as I remember it now after some thought, the "transfer gears" are the ones in there behind the clutch. Memories going! :)
 
Had a mate with a mini couldn't get the horn to keep working ................
So after a good few failed attempts scrapped it and as he passed instead of beeping, he would drop the clutch and go into the revs, then proceed as normal.
Yes those Isopon boys were cowboys, the license got lifted and the stuff just halved in price. Great stuff though, especially the chopped fiber-glass. Another mate was a bit tight and asked if he could mix wet paper (paper mache) with the Isopon to stretch it. You think he was making a train set on Blue Peter, lucky I didn't roll over beside him when I heard what he was going to do.
All big spenders round these parts ............
 
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