Lights - General 

Lights are a potential minefield. To start with they must be standards approved with the respective ‘E’ standards numbers for the use they will be put to. What this means is that you can’t use an indicator designated as a repeater as a main indicator on the back of the car. Light placement is pretty heavily regulated as well so check the regulations. Make sure the lamps you use are the correct wattage - too high and you can melt plastic lens covers with the excess heat.

I find that I go through a lot of tail light, license number plate and dash switch bulbs - they seem to just shake to death!

Headlights 

As far as I’m aware headlights must be halogen. I like to be able to see in the dark so I have 100 watt main bulbs and 90 watt dips, plus 2 x 100 watt driving lights. Properly aimed 90 watt dip beams will not dazzle oncoming drivers. In total I have 400 Watts on main beam. Most cars have 60 watt mains and 55 watt dips. The Fraser has been wired for 130 watt mains and 90 watt dips. This is some big current - 400 Watts draws almost 30 Amps, which is half an average alternator’s output.

The heat from big bulbs is considerable and actually melted the low quality lamp terminal connectors supplied with my head lamp bowls. Spend a few dollars and buy quality lamps connectors like Utilux. It is also hot enough to melt insulation so make sure the wires are kept clear otherwise you will have problems. You can either incorporate front park lamps in the headlight bowls, which certainly makes them visible, or use separate units.

If you want to use fog/spot/driving lights you may as well incorporate them into the loom. I had my driving lights connected so that they always came on with main beam. The relay for them had an external waterproof switch located close to the driving lights so that when I removed the covers I just flicked the switch and they would operate with the headlights - saved on wire and reduced the need for an additional switch on the dash.

With a small car it may not be a silly idea to have the headlights on low beam turn on whenever the engine is running (park lights aren’t really visible enough). This is easily done via a relay that turns the lights on whenever the ignition is on. It is wise to have the headlights (but not the park lights) cut out on the start position or else you may find that there is insufficient power available to the starter motor. You will also need to manually over-ride the park lights.

Tail and Stop Lights 

Excessively bright tail lamps are not a good idea. If you have ever driven behind one of those morons who drive European ego inflators with their tail fog lights on when there is no fog you will know what I mean. Most cars use 6 watt tail and 25 watt brake lamps. Don’t forget your hi stop light, which can be very challenging to mount successfully and legally. I have never been a fan of hi stop lights on convertible roll bars, as if you are driving at night with the roof up every time you use the brakes the inside of the car lights up and destroys you night vision and concentration. Additionally, have you ever tried backing down a hill at night with a bright red light reflecting off the inside of the back window? It makes it rather hard seeing what is behind you...

Hazard and Indicator System 

You may not believe it when you first read this, but an easy way to do this is to get a three terminal flasher unit. These are very common and have power (via a fuse) and earth permanently connected. The other lead has power on it from within the flasher unit and should be connected to earth via the hazard/indicator switches and indicator lights. The flasher activates in one of three ways - the hazard switch is turned on (all indicators flash) or else left or right indicators only are earthed. Trouble is this system will result in there permanently being power available to the indicator system - how to prevent the indicators remaining on if you don’t centre the stalk when you take the key out?

The answer is to hook in a normally open (open when power is off) relay so that only when the ignition is turned on (which also closes the relay) is the circuit between the flasher unit and earth via the lights made. This way if you take the keys out with the indicator still on nothing will happen yet the hazard switch will still work. If you use only one indicator dash light you will need some diodes too, to prevent one set of indicators back feeding the others via the common connection to the dash light - just put the diodes in the lines between each indicator feed to the warning light. If you get them in the wrong way around the opposite indicators will flash when you turn the indicators on! If you run two warning lights this is not a problem.

Indicators must also flash at the correct rate. Generally, if they flash too fast put bigger wattage lamps in (without melting lenses). Flasher units come in a variety of configurations and are designed to work with varying loads. Think about where you will place the lights and whether or not to use repeaters. If your indicators rely on a non self-canceling switch for operation a warning buzzer which sounds whenever the indicators are going may also be a good idea, especially in a convertible where sunlight may make the warning light difficult to notice.

Of course, if you have warning buzzers for oil pressure, headlights, indicators and reverse you may find yourself going mad trying to work out what you have left on!

Reverse Lights 

Reverse lights are a really good idea for two reasons - they let you see what is behind you, and let other people know you are reversing. In NZ you do not have to have reverse lights, but if you decide to fit them they must have compliance. If you have a convertible, a really bright reverse lights (ie 25 watt) are a good idea, especially once the hood gets a little old and the plastic windows loose a little clarity, or when they fog up a little! Fitting a 55 watt halogen light may not be silly, if you can do it legally.

If your gearbox does not have a connection for a reverse lamp switch then you will have to attach a micro-switch to the gear lever that is made in the reverse position. In some cars, especially where reverse is above first gear, with a dogleg change to second gear (like Italian exotica and 1970s Datsuns), a warning buzzer that activates whenever you are in reverse may prevent the driver from running into the car behind when doing drag race starts in the wrong gear...! Obviously wire the reverse lights so they operate only when the key is on, otherwise if you leave the car in reverse the battery will go flat...