High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

for those with Series MM sidevalve cars produced between September 1948 and February 1953
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horologiumwatches
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High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

Post by horologiumwatches »

Hi all,
I know this has already been done, so if I can piggy back on others experience to save me the R and D that would be great!
I'm wanting to fit an LED light in place of the reflectors on my MM and Series II and use it as a high level brake light.
I did a search on this forum and found this broken link:
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... evel+brake
Does anyone know more about doing this?
Thanks in advance,
All the best
Tommy
1951 Series MM Lowlight
1954 Series II Four Door De Lux 'The Bomb'
unclealec
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Re: High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

Post by unclealec »

To remain legal, you would have to have reflectors somewhere. When I say somewhere, the location of rear reflectors is laid down somewhere in the appropriate legislation.
It may be that there are high-intensity brake lights with inbuilt reflectors; I don't have any experience of the new-fangled lighting scene.
Alec Gatherer
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horologiumwatches
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Re: High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

Post by horologiumwatches »

I already have extra reflectors on the back end as do a lot of MMs.
Also, nothing to stop the plastic lense still acting as a reflector.
1951 Series MM Lowlight
1954 Series II Four Door De Lux 'The Bomb'
Rhodrich
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Re: High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

Post by Rhodrich »

Good question. I was looking at these lights, which would probably do the job (well, just one of them). You can get a chrome bezel for them too...

https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/28mm-led- ... light-pair

Remove existing reflector, drill suitable hole, and fit the above. That's all there is to it! Seems like a worthwhile modification.
1952 MM Tourer
1964 VW Split Microbus
1965 Mercedes 230SL
Err... 2008 Honda FR-V
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geoberni
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Re: High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

Post by geoberni »

horologiumwatches wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 10:27 am Hi all,
I know this has already been done, .....
Hi Tommy
Here's a link to a post that mentions it.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=70665&p=642606&hil ... ht#p642606

As you've said, many MM/early SII already have additional reflectors, and latter SII like my own, have the plastic rear lights with the reflectors, thus the miniscule, and I believe too small to be of much use, central reflector is redundant.
The earliest Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations available online are 1971 which required 1.5" reflectors, I see no reason for that not to have been in the earlier 1964 Regulations. A lot was changing in the 1950s.
Vehicle Lighting has always had regulations, many of them relating to 'standards'; these days it is CE Marking (which will no doubt continue since they won't mark lights just for the UK post Brexit) in the 'old days' it was a mark specified in earlier Regulations, perhaps the BSI Kite mark.
So fitting an LED to replace the Central Reflector wouldn't be Legal, but I doubt anyone would notice.

Whether a solitary Light that small is worth the effort, only you can decide.

Such lights are sold as 'Marker Lamps' i.e. no brighter than rear lights, I personally doubt their effectiveness as High Level Brake Lights.
I doubt many drivers would notice such a thing in the middle of the boot lid, particularly in daylight.
Basil the 1955 series II

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horologiumwatches
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Re: High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

Post by horologiumwatches »

Thanks, that’s the type of thing.
I know what you are saying with regard to effectiveness, but my logic is something will be far more noticeable than nothing so it’s worth doing. My reflectors are missing and knackered in the two cars.
1951 Series MM Lowlight
1954 Series II Four Door De Lux 'The Bomb'
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geoberni
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Re: High level LED brake light instead of reflector.

Post by geoberni »

horologiumwatches wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 11:24 am Thanks, that’s the type of thing.
I know what you are saying with regard to effectiveness, but my logic is something will be far more noticeable than nothing so it’s worth doing. My reflectors are missing and knackered in the two cars.
If you search the Spec of those lamps Rhodrich linked to, 'SAE DOT P2PC', the same items are £14:15 a pair on Amazon, inc Shipping.
But I note there is no mention of the Lumens they output, which is what I was searching for.
It's worth looking around if that's the route you wish to go.
Basil the 1955 series II

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