Front beehives

I am not very happy with the blinkers installed in my CMC and I have decided to change them for the white beehives that shoud be there for a start.

Can anyone tell me the overall diameter of the right beehives like the ones in the other picture (1958 Speedster)?

I have only been able to find the original$$$$$ and these other ones in page 4 of the following web page :
www.hoffmann-speedster.de/us/products.htm

The problem is that apparently these are for mini and have an external diameter of 8 cm whereas the ones fitted to my CMC measure 7,2 cm

Any ideas?

Thanks for the help

Oh sorry in order to see the mini blinkers you are suppossed to go to the page 4 of the electrical section, once in that web page and they are almost at the end under the name TURN INDICATOR "MINI"

Thanks again

Ignacio,

I ended up using the front blinker assemblies meant for Triumph TR4's. They are a vintage beehive style, clear glass lens and chrome rim is held in place by the rubber gasket . The bulb holder itself is used to secure the assembly to the body with four screws. It fits really nicely up against the horn grills and is available for short to reasonable money from all of the British parts suppliers or ebay.

They look SO much better than the newer amber and/or cheezy white plastic units.

Luck,

TC

Ignacio; from what I've seen in my friend JJR's CMC; the horn grilles are identical to those in my VS and they are a whole different part altogether from the turn signal assemblies. The turn signal assemblies with the white beehive lenses that VS sells should fit your car; I'm not sure if you want to swap the whole assembly though.

TC that looks like a great idea, those are cheap and easy to get here in europe as well. Can you give me the overall diameter (in cm if possible please) of the whole assembly just to make sure before ordering it.

Thanks Ricardo I looked at that as an option, but VS has them listed in the web page as $65 each whereas the "original part" can be bought at $67,25 each in Stoddard so for that difference I would order the "original".

TC, Can you post a pix of those lenses you used? Nothing wrong with the grilles here but the "blinkers" look like kind of ordinary "trucker" style... also any web addresses?

Hola, JJ:

Funny you should think that your CMC blinker lenses are "trucker style"....they are, in fact, truck lights. They are made by an American company named "Signal Stat" and are usually sold through trucker supply stores around the world.

The base can be used with 356 bee hive lenses (I bought mine from Tweeks, but they are standard 356 white beehive lenses) but you will find that the lens is a bit smaller than the CMC base and lens bezel. What I did was to make up a couple of washer gaskets from foam spacer material found at a stationary supply store (Staples, here in America). This stuff is gray in colour and about 1/8 inch thick (3mm) but something slightly thicker would work OK, too. It is easily cut with scissors.

Make two or more washer gaskets per light - each should have an outer diameter equal to the size of the lamp base chrome bezel, and the inside diameter should fit closely over the bee hive lens for a snug fit. I used a pencil compass to get them to size and as centered as I could.

I stacked my lens up with one gasket under the lens, and the other on top of the lens, and then the chrome bezel. You may need more than one underneath to provide enough height to clear the light bulb inside. I also used amber light bulbs to be legal (and more visible) here in America.

Once they are assembled with these gaskets, they will be centered in the chrome bezel, they will be water proof, and they will give you the cool "original 356 look" that you're looking for.

Hope this helps, Gordon

BTW: I'll be in the garage today re-installing the engine I pulled out yesterday. If you wish to have some photos of the light/lens I have now. let me know and I'll take some and post them.

Don't listen to Gordon! He's probably got a stash of old British car parts in his garage and he's checking for lenses right now. Seeing how terrific they look and steering the rest of you towards another set of cheezy plastic El Crappo's . . .

Do yourselves a favor and follow my lead!
The lense/assemblies that I have can be gotten from here:

www.victoriabritish.com/

Or ebay or any British car forum that has a for sale section. They're pretty much the same assembly for TR-2's, TR-3's, Tr-4's, Healeys, and Heralds, although the later the car, the more apt that lens will be amber. I don't have digital camera, but I can take a pic and post later. You can check the lenses in Google by going under "images" and entering in Healey or TR-2 or TR-3 or TR4.

I just measured mine and they're 2 3/4 inches diameter to the edge of the chrome trim ring, just a tiny scootch more to the gasket, and the LOOK FABULOUS! Clear beautiful beehive glass ! ! Just don't let everyone know about this, 'cause the prices will go up as the builders and manufacturers start copying us.

Ssshhhhhhh . . . . ! ! ! ! ! Q U I E T . . .

Luck,

TC

Gordon, please if you could post those close-up pics would be great, also I have tweeeks catalogue and there are three clear lenses, 50-52 lens 400-915, 53-57 lens 400-911 and 60-65 lens 400-919. Which one did you use?

I also like the idea of TC I have seen the whole assembly is not very expensive but as you Gordon say I'd like it as close to the original 356 as possible but keeping the budget.

Thanks again

Hola Gord, TC - Thanks for the tips guys, great info! Following Ignacio's corncern with originality, Ive seen VS cars and others with white beehives... Id like the clear ones with amber lightbulbs better but guess Id go for the more original look... Were the original cars beehives white or clear?? - TNX - JJ

JJ Y Ignacio:

Bear with me, I'm still learning how to run my new MAC - this is my first picture download!!

If you go back and look at my previous post, the attached pictures show the beehive lens with the two washer/gaskets, and the lens assembled to the CMC base.

I have the clear lens (to look right) with amber bulbs (to be legal and visible) and they all look OK together.

Hope this is the look you want!

Gordon

Boy, the look with amber bulbs inside clear beehives is really elegant isn't it?!? Make them more "legal" for most states but also makes them appear as though they were a "city" option from Porsche, maybe offered for those who spent most time driving in foggy coastal cities, or some suvh thing. An alternative to full out fog lamps . . .

They just look so right, so faux vintage, so sharp!

TC

Ok, whatever.

If you guys want the British version, they are available in either clear, amber or red from MossMotors.com P/N 560-270 (clear) 560-272 (amber) or 164-900 (red) for $9.95 USD each.

Be aware, though, that this lens is a bit higher than the "stock" Porsche version; in other words, it sticks out from the body by about 1/2 inch more. this is not necessarily bad, as it will allow the bulb within to fit better, but it'll look a bit "British", rather than "Porsche", if you know what I mean.

I've had them on my wife's Healey, but I don't know for sure if they'll fit the CMC bezel...

gn

Yep! thats the look I wanted, guess I just have to find the right price now. I think 39.95 for each lens (just the lens) is a little bit high. I think that Kirk sells the whole assembly for about $60... Ill take a look at those british lenses, but if they look too british Ill spend my cash right on the ones at tweeks - thanks guys

Gordon,

I like the look you have with those lenses, better than the amber covers I have. Have you tried to source the same clear lenses in the US? The Mossmotors.com site lists them for several British cars - Healey, Sprite, Triumph - seems someone over here would sell the lenses. I'm not into paying alot for exact parts - more fun/dollar.

E.C. Bruce!

Well, I thought that the NE Sailing year was over, but there must have been thirty windsurfers out there in 50 MPH gales today!

Moss Motors is in California, with another distribution center in Trenton, NJ. They have given be the fastest parts delivery of ANY auto parts supplier I've dealt with.

The lenses I used on my CMC came from Tweeks, I believe. They are a bit shorter than the British version, thus, looking more appropriate for the Speedster. However, they tend to be a bit short for the bulbs I'm using, and I've been looking for a shorter bulb version with the same base but haven't found what I want yet. The longer, "standard" bulbs fit, but the lens pushes the bulb in 1/8" or so when it all fits together.

Other'n that, they work just fine once the proper gasketing is applied.

BTW: I pulled my engine to fix my oil leak and found that my engine assembly job was just fine, but that the input shaft seal in the transmission was leaking. Quick seal change, properly pressed in and the engine's now back in. Thought I would finish things today, but got busy with other things so it'll wait til tomorrow. That motorcycle floor jack for doing engine installs is the cat's pajamas!

gn

Gordon, that is exactly the look I am after. Thanks for the info

If you have not found the correct beehives.
Try Stoddards Import parts, they have the complete assemblies and they are first rate.
I asked for the larger T-2s or T-6 behive lenses, I forget which ones But they are not the B types,
The taller lens gives your bulbs more room . so far no sign of any lens melting. And they are solid brass Chrome plate units

I saw the CMC type blinker at Pep Boys. Sold as back up lights. Very same one.
BTW: For those with clear lenses who don't want the amber bulb to show through, APC sells amber bulbs with a mirror coating. You can't tell they are amber till they light up.

BD

Now THAT is a cool idea...

gn