LocostUSA.com

The small, thin stainless veneer is too small for the final version, but it will work well for this mock up.. The plan is to have no exposed screw heads.. Now it's starting to take shape..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

So here's one side in place.. I think I like it.. not really sure yet.. The oval shape and reflective metal surface tie in nicely to many visual elements on the interior..

Don't know.. I need to stare at it for a while..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

I told you there would be 16 pictures of a taillight

I really like the deep red/ glass color... Here are the last few..

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Now the recessed license plate and exhaust outlets..

This is getting a little more serious, as it requires a bit of panel surgery..

The plate recess is from a C2 Corvette, and it doesn't quite work because it's got a bit of a peak in the center.. It's very soft, think aluminum however, so I'm pretty sure I can massage it into the shape I need..

The stainless exhaust trim rings are sourced from a 65/66 Mustang, and here again I think I can morph them in.. I'm a bit worried that they'll look too big, but I won't know until I mock in cardboard outlines of them once the new rear bumpers are formed and are in place.. Sort of a domino effect once I deal with the rear bumpers I think..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

But where is the Sharpie now???


JDK

I agree, the passenger side tail light catches my eye, the drivers side - just doesn't.

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle

The updated (backdated?) tail light looks nice, but isn't the area between the lights on the original the reflector?
I damn near hit a parked tow truck on a back road the other night because he had no reflectors on his truck. He would have won, but your P1800 would have lost bad.

_________________
Planning a Duratec powered, Miata suspended 442

ccrunner

Since you have not used any screw on the tail light housing, what holds the plate and lights to that housing?

Could you wrap the plate with reflective tape giving it the same look and adding the safety concern?

Looks great. Red

I love the beehive tail lights. One of the nicer things I added to my old Sprite and MGA.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

I too like the beehive lights, but wonder about not having reflectors.

I used the sister to the Lucas Beehive lights for backup lights on my Locost. They are the same except for having a flat glass lens. My lenses were clear. I modified the lights to use an LED array in place of the bulb.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Thanks for the feedback guys.. I too think I like the beehive style better.. Reddragon; to eliminate the screw heads, I'm planning to get some 16/14 gauge stainless and make that my flat oval 'base' that will seat down into the Volvo OEM taillight housing.. on the back of this base plate I'll weld in 4 small studs that will go through the back of the Volvo housing (it will be ok to get distortion and discoloring on this part from welding on it).. Then I'll use automotive adhesive to glue the textured stainless veneers onto this custom oval base plate.. The Beehive lights will use 3 hidden screws each to attach to the now-pretty base plate.. I'll then make an oval gasket, and the loaded, studded base plate will bolt into the Volvo housing, and the 1800 housing will bolt to the car as was designed by Volvo-- (I really don't want any screw heads on the assembly ..)

Until you guys brought it up, I didn't even think about the rear reflectors .. I imagine I could source some small rectangle or thin oval reflectors and have them live in between the beehive lights in the void (pic).. just need to find some 'not ugly' reflectors that could go there and not look like a sloppy afterthought... (maybe something small from a bicycle or motorcycle.. maybe trimmed to shape as needed..)

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

...A quick google search and I came across these.. marketed as old-skool motorcycle bits.. 1" diameter and made of glass.. could work..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Reflectors in between the Beehives takes the style too far back to the original taillights IMO. You loose the visual effect of the stainless Are you planning on customizing the bumpers to get to the P1800 prototype look? You could French in some long, narrow reflectors in the horizontal sections without taking away the look I think.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Yes- the plan is to marry a set of early front cow horn bumpers with a set of early (long) rear bumpers.. I like your idea on Frenching into the horizontal sections- clean and unobtrusive...

I do like that uncluttered chunk of textured stainless in the lights... it's a theme that's repeated all over this car- right down to door sills.. I might be ok to get my rear reflector in a different way.. If I recess the license plate as they did on the prototype (my C2 piece morphed into the rear panel), I'll very likely work in a 3rd brake light (red reflector).. Although not at all period correct, I think it's important for safely, and it will be tucked up so deep into the license plate recess that you really won't see it unless you're behind the car at driver level.. (incidentally, right now I'm running a 3rd brake light where my Volvo OEM reverse light belongs, but I will lose that as I plan to eliminate the Volvo chrome piece that protrudes and houses it...

She's a work in progress.. always fun to sit around and think too much about such 'little' things.. I love to see where the muse takes me

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Just a few more things to consider.

I had thought of incorporating the reflectors into the license plate area too. It would be relatively easy to do,. My hesitation would be that the red reflector light might possibly be lost in the other glare of a reflective license plate. That, and a center reflector doesn't really help define the outer edges of the car, which is the intention of those reflectors.

I had a 3rd brakelight down low that I added to my MGA years back. It was ineffective IMO with all the larger vehicles on the road. Most drivers vision doesn't pick up that area. Like you, I will be adding a 3rd brakelight to my MGB GT project for obvious reasons. Most likely it will be up high, inside the rear window, where it will be unseen until it lights up. There are plenty of those styles to choose from.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766