Taillight Options

[Kirbert]

FFR provides original style taillights for the Type '65 Coupe, and that's presumably just what some customers are looking for. For me, though, I'm looking for a nice car, couldn't care less about originality in a car that isn't really original anyway. IMHO, the four little button taillights are not optimal, not the least of which because they are mounted on a sloped panel and hence look like they'll shine downward at the road.

Here's my idea: I'd like to buy a pair of these cheap generic taillight assemblies for a VW Beetle:

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC-133-945-096

...and mount them upside down on the rear of the Type '65 Coupe, basically centered within the arc of the vent openings on each side. By mounting them upside down, the slope of the taillight assemblies themselves -- intended to be mounted on VW fenders -- will bring the lenses back to nearly level and pointing rearward as they should. I think this would make the rear of the car look *better*.

I think it would also impact the side profile of the Type '65 Coupe, as I expect the taillights would be visible from the side. Offhand, I think the side view would be improved, as it would moderate the effect of the chopped-angle rear end. Of course, I would mount the license plate directly in the center between these two taillights.

Note that *most* taillights for VW Beetles come in a left or right, the left and right being slightly different somehow. This particular cheap version is the same left or right, and therefore doesn't really match the original Beetle taillights and should be replaced in pairs. I chose it because, on the Type '65 Coupe, I was really looking for two taillights that were the same. That's not to say, though, that the original style taillights in which the left and right are different wouldn't work and look good.

Note also that this set is what's called "European style", meaning the turn signal lens is amber. VW taillight assemblies are also available in "American style" in which the entire lens is red. Some here might prefer that option, I dunno. It might enable you to swap the bulbs around and put the turn signals back on top, if that's important to anyone.

Anybody any good with photoshop? Put together a mockup of what this might look like?

Thoughts?

[John Dol]

Your better of with taillights of a Chevy HHR. More modern and also have the slope on them to invert the back cove.
I mocked them up with paper circles thought they where too big, but of you are ok with those beetle lights then that should not be an issue.

John

[edwardb]

The rear lights Factory Five is providing with the Gen 3 Coupe are different than their previous Coupes. They're LED's and larger than before. They are a high quality setup made up of United Pacific Industries ’37 Ford taillights (that’s right!), trim rings, gaskets, and a mounting bracket held in with an internal snap ring. They are very bright. These and the rest of what I'm planning to do with lighting on my Coupe build are discussed and pictured here: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?26630-Edwardb%92s-Gen-3-Type-65-Coyote-Coupe-59-Build-Instrument-Panel-and-Interior&p=311486&viewfull=1#post311486.

Those VW lights would be... well... butt ugly in my opinion. You asked. I get it that you aren't concerned with it looking original. But there has to be something better than that. The HHR ones maybe a little better. But with the new, larger LED fixtures, this isn't a problem that needs to be fixed in my opinion and messes with one of the cool styling aspects of the Coupe. Again, you asked. :rolleyes:

[Kirbert]

Actually, I thought some more about those, and decided that the VW taillight assembly appears to have too much angle to it; the lights would end up facing upwards rather than straight rearward. So, instead I looked at these VW taillight assemblies:

http://www.jbugs.com/product/111945095N.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjfyP7IjH2gIVE4vI Ch1fGAK3EAQYASABEgK1yfD_BwE

...and noticed that part of the angle was in the base and part was in the lens. So the plan became to use *just* the lens:

http://www.jbugs.com/product/111945241D.html

...along with the little trim piece around the edge of the lens:

http://www.jbugs.com/product/111-116-L-R.html

...and mount these directly to the car. Of course, that means it's just a lens, no actual light fixture behind it, so it'd have to have some lights installed underneath it -- perhaps those button things that come with the FFR kit. Perhaps one turn signal and two brake light buttons would fit.

[Kirbert]

OK, I looked at the HHR taillights. Yeah, those look like good options, too! One could go with only installing two, or a complete set of four. For me, I'd probably line up a set of four in a line across the back, with the license tag in the center.

BTW, I'm pretty sure I'd also opt to mount the license tag so that it hung vertically rather than at the angle of the rear. That's easy, though, I could fab a couple of brackets from SS to do that.

[Kirbert]

Wow, that's a really excellent writeup on lighting. It hadn't yet occurred to me to go with LED headlights, and if it had, I know I'd be lost trying to figure out which ones were any good. I kinda like your idea of a 3rd brake light on the spoiler, too.

[Kirbert]

It appears that another viable option might be the taillights from a 2005-2010 Chevy Cobalt 2dr:

http://www.xtralights.com/05-07chevycobalt2drledtaillights-redpair?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpIKvqbXU2gIVzbztCh2gZwQI EAkYDyABEgIq1fD_BwE

There are many variations of this taillight, LED, regular bulb, smoked, you name it. If any one of them would work, I suspect they all would.

I really like this idea. Just a pair of simple, circular taillights, located within the arc of the vents on the Type '65 Coupe.

At this point, I have no idea what's *behind* that panel on the back end of the Coupe. Hence, I dunno if any taillights for which a hole must be cut and them installed protruding into the bodywork will interfere with anything.

[John Dol]

Just remember the cove on the tail is not a big area. Many lights will overtake the focus of the rear end . As mentioned earlier even the lights of the HHR where too big in my opinion. When you see them on the HHR they don't seem big at all.
If you have access to photobucket you can peruse my sig line. There's should be pics of it in there.

John

[Kirbert]

I think I'm *looking* for taillights that will overtake the focus of the rear end! I understand your point, though. Trying to visualize the end result involves scaling the parts correctly so taillights from one car appear correctly proportioned on an image of another car.

[jkrueger]

This is what I changed mine to:

http://www.closertowholesale.com/2-1937-1942-willys-22-led-brake-stop-turn-tail-lights-1938-1939-1940-1941/

This is what they look like:
85005

They are much brighter and easier for others to see compared to the stock lights.

JC

[Kirbert]

Interesting. Different lights, but in the stock location.

Apparently you also left the vent openings sealed. I've begun thinking of going that way one better and having the paint shop go ahead and fill all the depressions for vent openings, taillights, tag and light, making the entire rear panel plain and flat. Then installing all four of the taillights from the 2005-2010 Chevy Cobalt 2dr, with the larger outboard lights centered within the curvature of the side of the car. The smaller lights, which include back-up lights, directly inboard of there, and the license tag centered in the rear in line with the taillights.

Can someone tell me what those vent openings vent? Is it the rear wheel wells?

[edwardb]

Can someone tell me what those vent openings vent? Is it the rear wheel wells?

On the Factory Five glass body, they're just depressions that can optionally be filled with the provided grilles. They're not open or venting anything. On the originals, there were intended to reduce drag by venting the rear wheel wells. There were found to be ineffective, and not all of the six originals even had them. Example CSX2601: https://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/748972,9466/1965-Shelby-Cobra-Daytona_photo.aspx. Peter Brock talks about this in videos and articles about his design.

[Kirbert]

Example CSX2601: https://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/748972,9466/1965-Shelby-Cobra-Daytona_photo.aspx.

Wow! That button with a grid in it to the right on this page brings up a *lot* of photos of Daytona Coupes, and I didn't see vent openings on the rear of *any* of them! And the taillight arrangements were all over the map, like each car had its own arrangement. And what's up with that #65 that looks like a response to the Ferrari Breadvan?

From the few photos I've seen of the engine compartments of these things, I'd conclude that either the original Daytona Coupes had the engine located farther forward than the FFR component cars or the footwells are much shorter. The exhaust pipes come out of all four ports on each bank and go straight toward the side of the car; they don't need to turn forward to clear the footwell. And one set there angles upward to loop over the steering shaft!

[Kirbert]

Are the vent openings on the *side* of the FFR body, between the door and the front wheel, also fake? Because that one arguably should really be open to allow airflow out of the engine compartment.

[edwardb]

Are the vent openings on the *side* of the FFR body, between the door and the front wheel, also fake? Because that one arguably should really be open to allow airflow out of the engine compartment.

They're open and real vents. This is when my Coupe was delivered and the side vents are clearly visible. I had the body openings pre-cut (an option). A template is provided in case you don't have them cut at the factory. The slot next to it is for the nose latches.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Daytona%20Coupe/Delivery/IMG_0073_zpsfadexova.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%20Daytona%20Coupe/Delivery/IMG_0073_zpsfadexova.jpg.html)

BTW, since I'm posting pics, the is the back as delivered. The non-functional rear vent areas show here.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Daytona%20Coupe/Delivery/IMG_0075_zpsc5p0hazi.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%20Daytona%20Coupe/Delivery/IMG_0075_zpsc5p0hazi.jpg.html)

[MPTech]

This is what I changed mine to:

http://www.closertowholesale.com/2-1937-1942-willys-22-led-brake-stop-turn-tail-lights-1938-1939-1940-1941/

This is what they look like:
85005

They are much brighter and easier for others to see compared to the stock lights.

JC

A friend in our club used these on his Coupe and they looked great, gave off improved lighting, and looked closer to original. Also, have you considered a third-brake light in the rear spoiler? I've seen many with this and it is a great addition, in fact, I added a stealth third led-brake light in my roadster last year and had several positive compliments from club members that have followed me.
(Please don't add those VW lights to the beautiful rear fascia of the Daytona Coupe, that would just be blasphemy)