| Author | Message | ||
| FAST FRED (209.26.87.41) Rating: |
In keeping with the spirit of the times , I bought a "present " for my coach.. A nice set of "Blue Dots" to install in the tail lights. With only 3 years for the coach to be 40 , I figgured she would like to look COOL, for a while. IS my old hot rod background showing? Anyhow while modifying the lense , I noticed the reflective surface that is behind the bulb , was pretty unreflective. Looks like it had alluminum paint in '64 and nothing since. Besides a re-spray with the aluminum paint again , is there any thing better in reflecting light in the past 4 decades? FAST FRED | ||
| DrivingMissLazy (65.207.109.148)
Rating: N/A |
Most definitely. Get a roll of shiny aluminum 2" tape. The kind that air conditioning installers use to tape their insulation. It goes on all krinkely because of the rounded surfaces inside the light, but that doesn't seem to matter. Just take out the bulb and tape all inside surfaces. It makes an unbelievable difference in the amount of light reflected. With a new set of lenses and with sunlight shining on them, it looks like the lights are turned on even when they are off. I coated every light inside, including the marker lights. Try it, you'll like it. Richard | ||
| Steve Fessenen (63.27.89.93) Rating: N/A |
Aluminum duct tape is available at Home Depot and other building supply outlets. I hadn't thought of using it to improve reflectors. It makes a good body repair or seal for damage. I Drove 3000 miles with aluminum tape holding a cracked taillight assembly when I bought my bus. Sealed rust holes on a 4905 with it. Might as well buy the big roll. | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.234.21) Rating: N/A |
Hey those are great ideas. Think I'll pick up a roll to keep on hand. Sounds like the next best thing to getting the very expensive LED lights. Scott | ||
| RJ Long (24.127.8.58)
Rating: N/A |
Fred - Awhile back I restored the taillights on my old Corvair Greenbrier. After attempting to buff out the reflectors with dismal results, I decided to paint them. A fellow Corvair nut suggested I use hi-gloss white paint rather than silver, said it would reflect the light better. I thought he'd tossed his fan belt. . . So we tried a little experiment: We took a scrap piece of sheet metal, primed it, painted half glossy silver and half glossy white. After it dried, we hung it off the paint tray on the ladder, and set up a 35mm SLR camera with flash on a tripod 10 feet away. We fiddled with different lenses until we found one that would fill the viewfinder with our "target" at that range. Flash unit was mounted on camera's hot shoe, and aimed directly at target also. Shooting at night in the garage, with the lights off and the camera set for full manual operation, we shot a 12 exposure roll of film, changing the f-stop for each shot, but leaving the shutter speed the same. This gave us various exposures to compare our target's light reflectivity. When the prints came back, I was really surprised to find that the white half of the target consistently was more visible than the silver half - especially on the under-exposed shots. Not very scientific, but it proved his point. So I gave my friend his fan belt back, and painted the reflectors brite white. . . YMMV, RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.234.21) Rating: N/A |
Hi RJ, Might be interesting to repeat experiment using a a mirror as a third test surface. Scott | ||
| Dan MCI5 (206.74.235.25)
Rating: N/A |
Fred, I did mine with standard white spray paint and the lights are plenty bright. It's easy enough to try a light or two and see if there's a difference before doing them all. You might even do one with the shiny tape to compare. | ||
| Henry Draper (146.129.147.36) Rating: N/A |
I did as Richard suggests two or three years ago. Simple and makes a big, big difference. Cheap, simple, effective. What could possibly be better!? Henry Draper '64 Eagle Edmonds, WA | ||
| R.C.Bishop (128.123.88.6)
Rating: N/A |
FF, Right on with the Foil tape. I use it for a bunch of things including what you talked about. Much better than duct tape, BUT,'m going to get some White Gloss Spray enamel, RJ, and have a "look see" Come to think of it, even a clear gloss would no doubt help the dull old aluminum reflection! Better than the $$$ new reflector assemblies, huh? BTW, who knows where to find MIRROR BRACKETS...I need both sides to spruce things up. I have heated mirrors and don't want to part with them!! They are typical 16 inch Commercial truck mirrors so Jr's won't do. I find mirrors on the net, but no brackets or complete sets. Prefer SS. Trust everyone had a great Christmas!! RCB | ||
| FAST FRED (209.26.87.32) Rating: N/A |
THANKS FOLKS, AS I'm in in a hurry right now , and the roll of alluminum tape is in a milk box in the bay , so stick it on I will. However this summer is the time for removing the entire Fiberglass assembly to smooth and re paint it , so I certainly will try the experiment. Either way its a fast , inexpensive way to upgrade the coach. I certainly will post the results , after the great experiment. FAST FRED | ||
| DrivingMissLazy (65.207.109.57)
Rating: N/A |
Several years ago, I did some experimenting to try and increase the reflecting qualty of Model A Ford head light reflectors. As many of you know the quality of Model A's headlights are poor at best. I tried having the reflectors chrome plated. Suprisingly, the chrome was significantly inferior to the nickle plating that Ford used initially 70 years ago. Somebody then started offering a reflectorized coating that made a significant improvement. Don't know how they did it, but the tiny reflectors were imbedded in a glass coating of some kind that was applied to the reflectors. Maybe a white paint with the reflector beads in it might work good. Something like they use for marking highway stripes. Be a good experiment for FF this summer. Richard | ||
| Mike Eades (Mike14905) (209.14.207.242)
Rating: N/A |
Fred I install trick lighting on motorcycles all summer. I do this with LED's and rope lights. I back almost the reflector areas with the chrome tape used for AC work. On my display for the public I used a bright white backdrop to make my display. It works great day or night. Mike | ||
| CoryDanes RTS NE/IL (198.29.191.148) Rating: N/A |
I can't help but wonder how silve or white reflective tape would respond as the reflector. It seems to collect the light well as a reflector itself so if it could collect light. just a thought - cd | ||
| DrivingMissLazy (65.207.109.103)
Rating: N/A |
Cory, I think it would work great as a reflector surface. The only problem I see is getting it installed. The interior surface of the reflector is very concave and the reflectorized tape is pretty stiff. It might be a problem getting it curved to fit the surface. The aluminum tape is very thin and it is difficult to install because it wrinkles up so bad trying to fit the concave surface, especially around the light bulb. Maybe heating it up with a hair dryer would make it easier to install the reflectorized type. Wish I had thought of that type tape when I did my reflectors!! Richard | ||
| Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (216.67.216.220)
Rating: N/A |
If the tape is very stiff, then possibly cut it into "pie" shapes, that should help it go on a concave reflector easier. If the aluminum tape wrinkles, all the better, will give a better light, a bit like the back of a refector being sorta diamond/pyramid shaped, to reflect the light in multiple directions. Headlight reflectors need to be smooth but not reflectors behind tail-lamp lenses or turn signals. Peter. | ||
| steve souza (Stevebnut) (24.91.90.28)
Rating: N/A |
hey busnuts --try this company. they have reflective paint for light sockets and many other usefull items for your bus/car restoration needs http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/cgi-bin/sgdynamo.exe?HTNAME=default2.htm Stevebnut | ||
| steve souza (Stevebnut) (24.91.90.28)
Rating: N/A |
try this link http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/cgi-bin/sgin0101.exe Stevebnut | ||
| steve souza (Stevebnut) (24.91.90.28)
Rating: N/A |
forget that last link and just search the eastwood site http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/cgi-bin/sgdynamo.exe?HTNAME=default2.htm using the keyword reflective paint --Stevebnut | ||
| FAST FRED (209.26.87.90) Rating: N/A |
Eastwood has some interesting items , but their "CHARGES" to "ship" and "handle" are soo expensive that it usually doubblels the price. To Heck with that style business practice. If the can't make a profit selling very expensive stuff , Why should I pay a Kings Ransom to get it out their door? FAST FRED | ||
| Jeffery L. Barbour (Jeff) (24.14.7.10)
Rating: N/A |
If you put those blue spots in your light lenses, rather they be tail lights or turn signals, don't come to Virginia. The State Police WILL ticket you. They are VERY MUCH illegal here. No flashing green lights either. The Coast Guard will get you here. My local fire department wanted to use a revolving green light to identify the 'Incident Command Post'. The USCG said No!!! We are on the coast. | ||
| DrivingMissLazy (65.207.109.154)
Rating: N/A |
The blue dots are illegal in California also, but I have seen a lot of hot rods with them installed. Do not know how strict the CHP is in enforcing this law. I run them on my Model As for several years and never got hasseled. Richard |
