Tail Light Reflectors (cheap but effective!)

[Sam Buchanan]

My P15 had a mixed set of tail light lenses so I purchased a pair of NOS LynxEye lenses (originality isn't my highest priority). I don't know how the tail lights were assembled originally since my car was repainted 30+ years ago but when I removed the lenses and bezels there was no reflector in the lights. I used some scrap roof flashing to make a couple of quick-and-dirty reflectors. I bent the ends to form a psuedo parabela to focus the light into the lenses.

 

The difference in the apparent brightness of the lights is significant....well worth the few minutes needed to hack out the reflectors.

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by Sam Buchanan

[Booger]

24 minutes ago, Sam Buchanan said:

My P15 had a mixed set of tail light lenses so I purchased a pair of NOS LynxEye lenses (originality isn't my highest priority). I don't know how the tail lights were assembled originally since my car was repainted 30+ years ago but when I removed the lenses and bezels there was no reflector in the lights. I used some scrap roof flashing to make a couple of quick-and-dirty reflectors. I bent the ends to form a psuedo parabela to focus the light into the lenses.

 

The difference in the apparent brightness of the lights is significant....well worth the few minutes needed to hack out the reflectors.

 

sure why not, or tin foil?

[desoto1939]

On my 39 Desoto i sprayed the inside of the taillight bucket with chrome paint. taped over the sockets and it helps.

 

I went to my local dollar store and in the auto section I found that they sell in a packet of two plastic refelctors that runners would use at night time. Thes automatically wrap around you arm, wrist, ankle.

 

I place several of these on my rear bumper in an alternating orange and the lime green.  At night time they are very bright and the car can bee seen very easily.  The nice thing is that they can come off for a car show.

 

I also have two sets in all of my cars just incase the cars break down at night this way I can put them on me and anyone else standing around the car so they will be seen from a distance.

 

Great protection at a very cheap price. If you email me directly I can take some pictures to show everyone.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[YukonJack]

You could also use self adhesive chrome tape or I've seen adhesive backed silver tape at part stores for covering rust hoses. 

[Eneto-55]

My "parts car" 49 P15 is black, and was last tagged for 1960.  I bought it out of a salvage in 81, and it didn't have nay reflectors.  If you want to stick something on, that aluminum foil tape that heating & cooling guys use to seal duct-work is also pretty reflective. 

I may eventually make molds and get some custom tail-light housings cast in aluminum, to make room for a convex reflector, and also add a backup light.  Been searching for a round clear lens that is no more than 3" in diameter.  (There is an Amish owned business here in my area that does casting for what seems to me to be a very reasonable price.  But getting it chromed might break the bank.)  I would want it to look close enough to original that only the real P15 guys would see the difference. (But then I reckon I'd get carried away & want to put in a separate lens for turn signals, and that would be too different.)

[Sam Buchanan]

My first thought was the aluminum tape but I didn’t have any in the shop. I really think bending the reflector into the parabolic shape improves its performance….but I didn’t do any comparisons.

 

Anyway, it’s a simple mod if you happen to have the lights apart.