MichaelH Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) Having discussed the finer details of tapping the gearbox for the reversing light switch: I would appreciate Forum ideas on what to use as a reversing light? Any ideas on the lights to use ie TR5 set up or the VC4 rear mounted spot - does that go with bumpers? Next are there any legal limits on height above ground /brightness ? Photos of attractive reversing lights in situ would help PS rust round the reversing lights was one of the reasons I started to rebuild the car Edited December 17, 2015 by MichaelH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Stick on the roof Two for one - see where you are going or see where you have been. http://www.mgexp.com/phile/71/278266/MG_Lucas_RM_576_Roof_Mount_Spot_Light_NOS.jpg Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Hi Michael, or you could have done what TRiumph should have done (IMHO) Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kob666e Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 I have a Lucas L661 tucked neatly under the bumper: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Check this tread http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/45258-reverse-led-light-experiment/?hl=%2Breverse+%2Blightand compare Roger's set up and my set up Many pics have been removed but you get the idea. cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark1965TR4aBRG Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Hi Michael, or you could have done what TRiumph should have done (IMHO) Roger P1030748a.jpg P1030749a.jpg I have never until now ever ever had number plate envy! That's simply superb - I want it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Harvey Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 I have a Lucas L661 tucked neatly under the bumper: So have I - factory correct and pretty useless. Gets dirty too easily, rusts like crazy and the glass breaks when you drop it changing the bulb. Nevertheless, I have just sourced another mint L661 off EBay and will dutifully persevere with the factory method. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 mine's not allowed out after dark. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MichaelH Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 (edited) About not letting cars out after dark: if you have an old soft top then reversing in the dark is a bit of risk even with a good rear light Separately I looked at the thread indicated and RogerH has three photos which I can't see . Any chance of repeating them? PS I like the idea if an LED strip in the middle of the rear light cluster... very clever and discrete. Is it bright enough to reverse in a dark pub car park? Thanks for your ideas Michael Edited December 18, 2015 by MichaelH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MRG1965 Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Hi Michael, or you could have done what TRiumph should have done (IMHO) Roger P1030748a.jpg P1030749a.jpg HI Roger, that's a very clever idea, might have to steal it. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Hi Michael the pictures in post #3 are similar to those missing. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MichaelH Posted December 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 (edited) Cheers: Managed to trace the lights that Geko used: they are described as front truck marker lights and I ordered them from Autobits UK £7 for 5 delivered after Christmas I will keep you posted Michael Edited December 18, 2015 by MichaelH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeF Posted December 20, 2015 Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 Modifying the light clusters is neat. Now on my list meanwhile I will continue using my indicators as a stop gap. Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeF Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 (edited) So some good ideas for the lights, but... I don't have reverse lights so I would need to fit a switch. That's a big issue, or is it? I do have overdrive and that has a set of inhibitor switches to stop the o/d coming on in 1st and reverse. So the o/d circuit "knows" when the car is in reverse/first/neutral. It occurs to me that it might be possible to make use of the o/d circuitry to work a reversing light. Some type of additional switching latching logic circuit. You would need a manual on reverse light switch, but the new circuit would make use of the o/d wiring/gearbox switches to turn it off. Trouble is I am not clever enough to figure it out. Anyone??? Mike Edited December 22, 2015 by MikeF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Mike, Doesn't work quite like that. The inhibitor switches don't "prevent" anything as such - they allow overdrive to work when 2nd/3rd/4th gears are engaged by earthing through the inhibitor switches. So, the overdrive circuit knows if 2nd/3rd/4th are engaged, it doesn't 'know' anything else. AlanR Edited December 23, 2015 by TR 2100 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chilliman Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 Mike it's a really easy fix and covered in some other threads, you just have to add another switch (the same as the existing o/d gearbox switches) to the top of the box, some boxes have plugs that you remove and replace, others need drilling and tapping, I've done a couple which work just as intended. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 Hi Mike, having re-read your post - you can't use the existing OD circuitry to sort out the reversing light - I have spent hours using logic daigrams and it can't happen. If you want it switching through the gearbox then you will need to fit a new 'inhibit' switch - although in prinicpal it is easy(ish) in practice it is a pain. You need to get the top cover off the GB, mark out where the hole should be and drill/tap it. Before I could get to my gearbox I fitted a finger operated timer circuit to the lights (20 seconds) so that they automatically cut out. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
North London Mike Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Out after dark LNK is often out after dark and, more importantly, needs head lamp style lighting when reversing. Living as she does in a garage at the bottom of the garden, accesses via a rear service road, unlit and pitch black As we're about ten houses down LNK has to reverse approx 500 feet down a narrow dark lane. Lucky Rally reps come with a Lucas 576 plenty of light Not on the gearbox, manual operated with a illuminated switch wired to a volvo truck reversing buzzer to keep it all legal'ish ! Wouldn't be without it.................although almost too much for the pub car park !! NB: Seen Roger's set up, really neat and my first choice if I was building a standard type road car Edited December 23, 2015 by North London Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4A1965 Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Thought this solution was interesting! Click the thumbnail image to see it bigger. This car is available on ebay at http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1965-TRIUMPH-TR4A-IRS-WITH-OVERDRIVE-FREE-UK-OR-NL-SHIPPING-INCLUDED-/252223333423?hash=item3ab9aea42f:g:TPgAAOSw5ZBWLMIE Best Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 DSCN9403.jpg Thought this solution was interesting! Click the thumbnail image to see it bigger. This car is available on ebay at http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1965-TRIUMPH-TR4A-IRS-WITH-OVERDRIVE-FREE-UK-OR-NL-SHIPPING-INCLUDED-/252223333423?hash=item3ab9aea42f:g:TPgAAOSw5ZBWLMIE Best Paul As per standard fitting on TR5. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 And on Eric but without the escutcheons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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