Euro style taillights

OK, so I bought a pair of Euro style tail lights on ebay for a fair price. When the headlights are on, the yellows are on. Turn signals are the yellows also. Brake lights are the red. Is that right? Given the modern day yellows, the reds should be on with the headlights, correct? I just plugged them as before with the stock ones that came with the Vintage, but maybe they were wrong. Any ideas or comments? It just seems the tail lights should be red not yellow while just running.

F. Adler
San Diego

On original 356s the European tail-lights operate like this: the outer lens (amber) is the brake-light and turn-signal; the inner lens (red) is the running light.
I put the European teardrops on my second JPS Speedster, but I wired them so the red lens was the running light AND the brake light and the amber lens was the turn signal only.
When I bought my '62 Coupe, it had European lenses which I swapped for the US versions - all red lenses.
I just didn't feel comfortable with the brake lights being amber.
Sounds like on your VS they just reversed the stock wiring. You're going to have to do a minor "rewire" to switch the running lights back to the red.

Fred, I run mine like yours are now. Never had a problem with the amber rear running lights as far as the law goes here. One thing I know, the ambers are "seen" better at night than the red IMHO. Really, you can wire them the way you seem fit and are comfortable with. I've seen them done in different combinations(even on "real" ones).

~WB

Fred -

FWIW, I also put the Euro lens on my car with the same issue. I removed the tail-light assembly and switched the bulb sockets (?). I moved the outer socket for the dual filament (running/brake light) to the inside position and moved the single filament (turn signal) to the outside position. Very easy to do.

Now the red running/brake light is in the inside and the amber turn signal is on the outside.
Here's a picture of my car after the switch-out (and new illuminated billet license frame).
BTW - the (inner) red running lights are on. in the picture they look amber...

Not sure if this'll help guys but I live in the UK and drive a chesil with the european tail lights. The running and brake lights are red , the amber just for the turn signals.

One thing: Don't use any Lucas products when doing anything electrical.Your car may get possessed.

~WB

Thanks guys. Sounds like anything goes...............I think the amber should be the turn signal as it is on most cars out there now. Also, the red is brake. That seems right also. The bother is that the amber is running and in my messed up mind (too much exhaust drifting over the the top back at stop lights I guess), it would be a huge problem to figure out how to keep what I have except to make the amber running into red running since the same wire has the turn signals correct and flashing amber.

Lord LUCAS! Boy are you right. I got rid of my second MGB just because it worked when it felt like working. My usual comment was that more spitfires fell into the Channel due to Lucas than due to the Luftwaffe. I shuddered when I saw "Lucas" on the front turn signal assemblies.

Thanks again guys. You convinced me that these "custom" cars are really custom. That new back brake light has saved me from collisions more times than I care to admit.

Fred Adler
San Diego

Ya know, I've thought of putting a clear red bulb behind the amber lens, but never tried it.

~WB

But I wanted a yellow to catch their eye on the turn............

Fred Adler
San Diego

Wasn't it Lucas that was refered to as the "Prince of Darkness"?

Oh man, now you started it . . . . .

Yep. He was Vince's cousin.

Lucas developed the first intermittent wipers....

angela (former jag owner)

"Lucas developed the first intermittent wipers..."
However, at the time they THOUGHT they had invented an electric window switch.

Years earlier Lucas had gained worldwide fame by developing the first "intermittent headlights," which became so popular nearly all British sports cars had them.

When visiting the UK I learned that they believe Lucas originated warm beer with his version of refrigerators.

I have had many British cars and quickly became familiar with the hidden smoke capsule in each Lucas component. I was particularly fond of the blinking ceiling courtesy light in my Mark V.

I guess I will try to stay with my Italian and German cars. (the Italian cars run on wine and the German cars run on beer!)

Happy Trails,
Dusty

John - THAT was a good one!!

...oooops?

Lucas. I knew an engineer in the 1980's that bought a new Jaguar and totally rewired it after Lucas kept turning off the lights.

King of the Road

Lucas marketed its early headlights under the brand name "King of the Road".[9] Joseph Lucas, the founder of Lucas Industries was humorously known as the Prince of Darkness in North America because of the electrical problems common in Lucas-equipped cars, especially British Leyland products. Whether the fault lay with Lucas or British Leyland cost-cutting is disputed. As Joseph Lucas died in 1902 and British Leyland was only formed in 1968, some 66 years later, this title is undeserved. This perception also could be connected with early supply problems of the 'King of the Road' lighting products within the North American Markets during the late 1890s and early 1900s or this could also be attributed to the reputation that the company used small gauge wiring vehicles which tend to wear out or corrode quickly.

My Bonneville 650 Twin had Lucas carbs. I now know why the English drink warm beer.
Turns out the Prince of Darkness also makes refrigerators.