Corner light in taillights - A lighting project

[e28Sean]

As far as I know, this outermost segment of our taillights don't actually do anything, be it on a US or Rest of Word -spec car. Correct?



Beer with me on this; There is a reason I am asking.

[gwb72tii]

beer sounds good

[Aldo525]

There is nothing in the euro headlights, not even any light. Just that small hole that was designed to allow dust and dirt to enter.

[e28Sean]

I thought as much. I've got a spare taillight lying around, and I had a bit of a fiddle with it last night.





Now, this isn't wired up to the car yet, as I'm just prototyping an idea, but given how woefully crap our taillights are, it might be a neat way to improve our visibility. It also, in my opinion, looks badass.

[Chimi-Changa]

The tails that came in my car had these lights installed in the side corners. Its a German market car that was federalized back in early 90's, and also had side marker lights installed in rear quarters.

[Aldo525]

I thought as much. I've got a spare taillight lying around, and I had a bit of a fiddle with it last night.





Now, this isn't wired up to the car yet, as I'm just prototyping an idea, but given how woefully crap our taillights are, it might be a neat way to improve our visibility. It also, in my opinion, looks badass.

Looks great, good idea. What socket do you use to fit there???

[stuartinmn]

The tails that came in my car had these lights installed in the side corners. Its a German market car that was federalized back in early 90's, and also had side marker lights installed in rear quarters.

That wasn't uncommon on grey market cars. My car had side marker lights inserted into the taillights and the front turn signals as well. The companies that did the federalization varied in quality, some of them (like mine) were cobbled in pretty crudely.

[e28Sean]

Looks great, good idea. What socket do you use to fit there???

Thanks! Unfortunately, there is really not room there to cleanly install a socket. I drilled some small holes and mounted some pigtailed LEDs. I'm still working on a cleaner way to do this, and a clean way to wire them in (in that photo, they are being powered by a small 12v battery pack, just for the photo).

[vinceg101]

The tails that came in my car had these lights installed in the side corners. Its a German market car that was federalized back in early 90's, and also had side marker lights installed in rear quarters.

That wasn't uncommon on grey market cars. My car had side marker lights inserted into the taillights and the front turn signals as well. The companies that did the federalization varied in quality, some of them (like mine) were cobbled in pretty crudely.

Dude, ALL of them were cobbled in crudely. There was a loose, very loose, checklist these clowns worked from. Most of them grabbed whatever they had lying around the shop and used them in a square-peg-round-hole fashion.

[Mike W.]

but given how woefully crap our taillights are, it might be a neat way to improve our visibility.

I ran 10 watt tail bulbs and that brighened things up nicely. 18 or 21 watt bulbs will apparently melt things, but 10s did not to mine at least. YMMV.

[Chimi-Changa]

The tails that came in my car had these lights installed in the side corners. Its a German market car that was federalized back in early 90's, and also had side marker lights installed in rear quarters.

That wasn't uncommon on grey market cars. My car had side marker lights inserted into the taillights and the front turn signals as well. The companies that did the federalization varied in quality, some of them (like mine) were cobbled in pretty crudely.

Oh I it still ended up with these side markers. Which I don't mind having extra piloting lights, and its part of the history of the car. This leads me to think my car had the above taillight jobbers installed before the federalization. They've never worked, and bulb is melted in the housing. If I didn't have them, extra bulb in that side lens is a smart idea.

[stuartinmn]

^ I've always wondered where they sourced those additional side marker lights. My guess is they were whatever the local trailer supply store had in stock.

[Fortunately my car didn't get the additional lights. On the other hand, the hunks of strap iron they installed in the bumpers looked like something salvaged from old farm implements.]

[jdb]

The quality of DOT work did vary dramatically, but some places, like Hardy & Beck, were doing factory or better quality conversions.
I have thought about adding a LED in that corner location for the rear side marker, but never started the project as yet.
I am interested in what you come up with for a solution, Sean.

My M635 had frikin holes drilled in the sides of the rear bumper with a light jammed in the hole..what a hack job!!

Jeff

[e28Sean]

I'll be sure to post pictures once I've got it all skookum as frig.
I have some multi-pin electrical connectors arriving today; expect updates later today or tomorrow.

[e28Sean]

Well, that was far more of a pain in the ass than it should have been, and it's hotter than Odin's jock strap in my garage.
I'll take some better pictures later, including of the grubby side. For now, enjoy.

I added a set of six pin deutsch connectors to the factory taillight wiring, and built an interceptor that allows the wiring for the corner lamps and my keyless lock light blink wiring to be added in as clean a manner as possible.

A quick video; Light test - all functions.

[1st 5er]

^ I've always wondered where they sourced those additional side marker lights. My guess is they were whatever the local trailer supply store had in stock.

Had an E12 with clearly marked "Toyota" side markers front and rear.

[e28Sean]

Had an E12 with clearly marked "Toyota" side markers front and rear.

When you put a Toyota side marker on a BMW, does the BMW become more or less reliable?

[1st 5er]

Had an E12 with clearly marked "Toyota" side markers front and rear.

When you put a Toyota side marker on a BMW, does the BMW become more or less reliable?

My guess would be the former.

[Mike W.]

Had an E12 with clearly marked "Toyota" side markers front and rear.

When you put a Toyota side marker on a BMW, does the BMW become more or less reliable?

I would guess more reliable, but less enjoyable to drive. A bad trade off.