Anyone got any broken Ferrari tail lights? Or interested in LED tail lights?

That sounds like a great idea. But, how much are we talking? Will you be making the red and amber lights? I ask because there is a 4 light set on most Ferraris, kind of a trademark. I am sure you know it would look wierd if only the red set were availible and not the amber. So, you have to realize you would be making a set of 4 and not the standard 2 like on most cars. I know I would be interested in them, to make my 78 308 look a little newer and hopefully keeping someone for running into me. If you would have had these a couple months ago, I probably would have just bought them. I had hell trying to get a single amber taillight for my car because the painshop misplaced it. I got lucky to find one on Ebay after 6 months of searching for one without an outrageous price. Do you guys also make Xenon headlights? I was thinking of doing a conversion on those as well. Since all of my windows are heavily tinted to include the front window, I need the extra power.

BTW, I know some of the cars are the same when it comes to interchangeable parts, but I will wait for an expert to let you know for sure. Sorry, I don't have a spare to get to you, but I can check around with some of my sources if no one here offers one, just pm me.

 

Thanks for the info on the Xenon light and HID conversion. I am just checking into it and need to read up. I have to admit, I know nothing of the conversion.

As far as the tail lights, I have only worked on my 308. I cannot speak for other models. Mine is a US edition with the clear lense inside the amber that you spoke of. You are correct, for my model. These are 4 seperate lights, they do not attach behind the frame work. I have one amber one sitting in my hands at the moment. I haven't dropped it at the shop yet. I will try to snap some shots of it and post them in a few minutes if you hang around. It appears to be glued with installtion screw ejecting from the housing. Hard to explain, better if I take pictures.

 

Ok, here are a few I snapped for you. Sorry the cat got in the way, hahah. This should at least give you a rough idea of what you are dealing with. The red one is almost the same if I remember correctly just a different lense.
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One more, it wouldn't let me add it for some reason.
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cool thread. i have a 308 and i have gone through the trouble to add the Euro front turn signal lenses on my last 2 308's. i would be interested in alternative choices for the tail lights as well. i would be more inlined to buy quality replacement lenses for a better price than oem, while adding the LED features. clear rear tail lights on a 308 dont really apeal to me, but i may change my mind after i see them. i have them in my Desert Runner truck.
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You might also examine the possibility of offering a retrofit kit for OEM tail light assemblies, that way you could manufacture one set of internals for a broad range of lamps.

This of course would depend on the ease of disassembly of the stock units.

 

Mike -

This is a great initiative, and one that I would be highly interested in. I love the "instant on / instant off" look of the LED and recognize it as a much better alternative to a conventional bulb. I have a 355B, and believe that the 355 does indeed share the same tail lights as a number of the Ferrari family. In terms of experimenting, this would probably be a good light to start with.

I wish I had an extra light to give you but I don't. I'll keep an eye out on eBay for one, as well as check with a few people who occassionaly have some spares.

But I look forward to your progress reports, and appreciate you bringing this to the interest of the FerrariChat community. Let's make this happen!

 

I have some......I've replaced a set and used a couple for ashtrays...


I'll see if I can find the ones I didn't cut up......

It occurred to me to rework them with the LEDs so they's make the "snowflake' pattern when they lit up.....

Is that what you'd do?????

The back up lights would need a circle of white LEDs to be effective. I think I paid about $175.oo each for the new ones, there's your budget.

 

308s are glued pretty tight........I had to hacksaw it open, to hold my Macanudo............

 

We are already working on LED tail lights (on the back of the Mondial Z project).

The light units that you refer are fitted to the 512M, 355, 360, 550 and 575 (the 456 is a one piece unit).

The lamp housings are two separate units, i.e., four are required in total for each car. They are not physically connected inside the car, but read on for other differences.

The centre lens is white on both types of lamp unit, however the turn indicator is fitted with an inner amber lens that is mounted about halfway along the chromed plastic tube that separates the centre part of the lamp (indicator/reverse light) from the outer annulus. This amber lens gives an amber tint on the indicator centre without needing to use a full amber plastic on the outer shell.

The whole assembly appears to be “welded” together and cannot be disassembled without destroying at least some of the unit. It is not hot glued.

The new cost in the UK is slightly over GBP80+VAT each, however as the reflector is integrated into only one of the lenses (cleverly designed into the diffuser annulus) you would need two, i.e., one side of the car, to be able to replicate the two different red lenses. The reflector back assembly is common to both units.

........

We are in the process of developing a common PCB for both types that will allow us to simply replace amber (turn) LEDs with white (reverse) LEDs on the separate units.

BTW the Mondial Z will also have bixenon headlamps (the same units as the F430) from Hella (Hella treat us as OEM).

 

The 3x8 series style lights were used on several cars including the 288 GTO, F40, 400/412, Mondial and Boxer. I believe there was a small difference on some models between European and US cars, but I can't recall exactly (elimination of the reverse light perhaps?).

I forgot in my earlier post that the F50 also has the 355 style tail lights.

BTW the Mondial Z tail lights will be based on the 355 style, not the earlier 3x8 type.

 

The red one has a reflector in the centre.

 

Mike any updates? Still interested.

 

Updates?

 

Status Update on LED plug and play conversions??

 

I believe if this thread were posted in the various individual-model areas of FChat, you'd find a lot more interest. I, for one, would be interested if these were made available. Mine are a bit faded, and I really like the idea of upgrading to LED lights.........

 

Slow down! You could be on to something here: There was a thread not long ago that would interest you. It ‘s called Melted / mis-shapen taillights, and was started by Manettino the Modern section.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76572&highlight=360+tail+light

Not knowing how to move a quote from another thread, here’s a sample:

Dave Handa: ”The challenge grill will make no difference....they all melt, and replacements I would assume will eventually melt as well. I agree with Willis, the bulb is too close to the lens. I think it is the back up light that causes the damage, as it seems to always be the inboard lights that melt. Replacements are not terribly expensive...I think Ferrari of Seattle charges $137 each, plus labor to install (you can easily do it yourself).”

If you could produce something that is warp free a whole pile of folks will be beating a track to your door, after all, how many thousand 360s are there in the U.S.?

Good luck

 

I would be interested in a set for a 328. I have been tinkering with the idea of replacing my rear amber lights with red ones. The only problem is there would be no reverse lights, if I used the standard red light on the rear. I already bought a set of front turn signal lenses (red) to replace the amber ones. Not fond of the amber.

 

any possible shots of the lights at night?

 

Over Christmas break I replaced the 308's OEM incandescent lamp bulbs for the following with replacement LED's:

four side marker lights (type 194)
two license plate lights (type 67)
two front parking lights (type 67)
two front turn signal lights (type 1156)

Only reason why I did not replace any of the rear lamps is simply down to the fact that some of the LED lamps are larger in diameter and would not fit into the rear housings from the back.

Overall, the effect is well worth doing, as the LED's are nice and bright, run cold to the touch, and do not consume much amperage - I figure that, with my parking lights lit, the total amperage draw on the car has been cut at least in half.

If any interest, I can post the specific details of my conversion.

Cheers - DM
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Dave,
I'd like more details....!

Greg
77 308