Thinking of changing up my factory tail lights for some round ones. My car is already bastardized so it's damaged beyond the extraordinary figure it would command at auction as stock.
If you've already done a similar conversion, I'd like to see pictures and know the size of the lights that were installed and how you handled the white backup light.
For comparison, here are ones I am interested in.....
Hopefully, my tail lights will be safe at all speeds.
Exactly. What size are they (diameter)? Thanks much!
what made you decide on a single light for each side rather than two (or three)? was it difficulty in aligning the ones that would be closer to the center line with the ones installed because of the curved rear middle section?
If that's your '81, you also swapped out the bumpers, which was done on my '75 as well.
Light units are approx 4 3/4" diameter. I've only fitted one pair because I was trying to clean up the look of the rear panel. I'm not very keen on the look of the stock late rear lights with backdated bumpers. Less is more I feel.......
Fiat Spider CS0 1981
Fiat Spider CS1 1977 (Sold)
Maxda MX5 1991 1.8VVt
MG BGT 1971
BMW 320 E21 1983
Liege Type F
Lotus Elise (Sold)
I'm with you on the stock tail lights. Not sure if the 81's are different then the 75's but mine seem a jumbled mess that simply don't go aesthetically with the rear of the car. In fact, other than the tail lights, the only other perfect rectangles I can find anywhere on my car are the license plates.
I've already changed the interior to what I think it should have looked like out of the factory....
and the bumpers / side marker lights were already done (earlier stock version was close to perfect in my opinion), so it's only the rear that needs some improving now (at least that's the story I tell my wife).
They're the original taillights for the Series 1 Fiat 850 Sedan & 850 Coupe, & IMHO don't suit the rear of a 124 Spider well at all (disproportionate in both size & shape).
If you consider the early 1960s corvette was part of the design inspiration for the 124 Spider, it would follow that round tail lights should/could be aesthetically "right". I'm not a fan of the '79-up lights but have no objection to the earlier ones & the '68/'69 look the nicest to me.
Chris Granju
Knoxville, TN
'71 FIAT 124BS (pretty), '72 FIAT 124BC,'76 FIAT 128 Wagon(ratbeast), '85 Bertone X 1/9, '70 124BC (project), 79 X1/9 (hot rod in rehab), '73 124BS (2L, mean), '74 124 Special TC, '73 124CS, '73 124 Familiare
Those lights would get you killed in the USA. Drivers of ubiquitous SUVs would never see your stop lamps, angled towards the ground. This is what we're up against:
