We talked about linking up in southern Springs this Saturday 25JUN22 in the late morning with an eye toward being there betw 1100-1200.
You still available?
I could use 2-3 of them.
Thanx
Only 20 minutes? For me it’s at least! an hour
Only 20 minutes? For me it’s more likely an hour!
Oops, thought my post hadn’t gone, just confirms seniliity has indeed set set in
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In the process of installing assemblies that connect to the wire harnesses, I started in on the brake lamps.
The chrome-like/reflective silver coating on the hemispherical plastic “cups” the bulbs sit in is either all gone or flaking badly.
I do NOT want to the purcha$e the entire a$$embly to replace this one small component.
I e-shopped around and wonder if this stuff will
- apply smoothly/easily to the plastic cup
- stay applied for the long run
- reflect the light like a new brake/tail light assembly
or has someone discovered a better solution (archives are not real helpful on the area unless I used a less than helpful search phrase). I seem to recall someone doing this in the distant past (@Erica_Moss ??) but couldn’t/didn’t find the thread
It’s better than nothing, but generally, not as reflective as the OE surface.
Demon tweak: to make red lens work better, install red LEDs… ditto amber.
I also had flaking paint on my light reflectors. They’re now all painted with Krylon chrome paint. It does the job very well.
I don’t think I’ve ever shot chrome paint, no. I bought those parts new.
For 5 bucks you can try a can on another piece of plastic and see what it buys you. Reflect your phone light off it in the dark and see what you get back. The other option if you are able to disassemble it is to get it rechromed. I’ve never had plastic chromed but I think regular shops can do it. I believe they shoot a copper substrate on it then electro-plate chrome on top.
edit: another thing you could consider is just skipping the hassle, binning the bulbs, and installing LED panels. That renders the reflectors moot, and buys you instant on, with greatly increased light intensity. I installed them years ago and never looked back.
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I had a similar experience on my car. I broke off the rear view mirror and never looked back… 
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I found these on Welsh Ent – are these the panels to which you refer?
https://www.welshent.com/Electrical/Exterior-Lamps-Switches-Motors/Jaguar-E-Type-Series-II-III-LED-Taillight-Pair
Mine are S1 and I purchased from XKs but yes likely the same manufacturer. They just install in the original housings with double sided tape. If memory serves they simply cover over the original reflectors. It makes a huge difference.
I think we are using the same term and applying it to two different elements of the lens
From your comment above, I think referring to the part on this photo that is lit up orangish from my flash
while I am referring to these circular (actually hemispherical) reflectors on the lamp body
LEFT SIDE - devoid of any reflective
RIGHT SIDE - with vague remnants showing
see above photo
Regardless – I have decided to get the panels that are absolutely riddled with LED bulbs. That – along with the Miata third brake light I am adding – ought to give me the best odds of the idiot behind me actually seeing my brake lights
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A major success today was finding a quickly diminishing expertise: small motor repair.
I needed to replace the bushings in my wiper motor (try and find those from any of the usual’s).
I started the day with all 3, but managed to lose one along the way (no loss - they were just shadows of their former selves):
It was at my 2nd or 3rd stop that I came to an Alternator Rebuild shop, hoping his stock included some bushes that I could adapt (will need to simply remove the straps - don’t need them - and maybe work a shallow groove in the sides like the originals).
I think these will work – they are so long, if I work them correctly, I think I’ll have be able to make/use the three I need and have three fragments left over for next time.
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Correct I was speaking of the reflector cones behind the bulbs that gather the light. On the S1 I believe there was enough room for the LED panel to install in front of those and the plastic lens still fits on.
I’ve never seen the inside of a S3 housing before. It appears that the reflectors stick out pretty far so it’s possible that the instructions will say you have to remove them to fit the panels. I’d still do it though. It’s a legit upgrade that you’ll never want to remove.
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I didn’t put any premade panel – – nobody makes them for a Rover! – – but just the addition of the red LEDs behind the red lenses and amber LEDs behind the amber lenses made a huge difference.
That is no problem - each is held onto the lamp body with a pair of stilt-like plastic extensions that snap through a small hole on the assembly body. If these were available (with the reflective coating) I may not have explored this whole topic and missed out on LED-ing the brake lights.
Quite frankly, I have had to press one or two back into place or risk losing them – now that I have decided to go with LEDs, they’ll fight me every step of the way.
That was my Plan B until I was led the the LED Panel option (see what I did there?)
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Don’t forget to replace the hydraulic brake light switch with a mechanical one for even faster operation.
If memory serves, doesn’t a VW one fit – – or is that for Series I / II??