Carello Tail lights

E-bay or some of the vendors like P.I. Motorsports, Panteras by Wilkinson, Hall Pantera, Precision Performance. These vendors are all in So California.

How are the lights damaged by heat.... Sorta strange as they are instaled inside a metal frame. Plastic can be rechromed, or you can use some as instaled on other models as they are the same as Fiat124 spyder and Miura. caution IIRC the euro type and USA type have different lenses and also have different interior separation.

Hi Mike,

Sorry, I intended to send you some pics last week. I was writing to you while having an argument with my girlfriend, she switched the computer off at the wall while I was writing so it got lost!

These Fiat Carello lamps where only ever painted silver when new never chrome. I use 3M aluminium tape to brighten them up, it makes a huge difference. I use a Dremel wire wheel on the bulb holders to clean them up. If they are really bad I replace the bulb holders. You can find various different ones on ebay, they are time consuming to fit. You can make new gaskets out of self adhesive neoprene.

I polish the lenses with a small air powered 3" orbital polisher and 3M Finesse-it compound. This is not intended to be an advert for 3M!

Johnny

Before and after. Both lenses have been polished at this stage however.

Gasket

4

Johnny,

Another great project...

I used a rattle can chrome paint on some GP4 light buckets and they turned out well too. I have also been using vinyl on a wrap project recently and thought the thicker reflective style vinyl might be good for the job too, the advantage being it conforms to shape with heat gun. I don't know how much heat the regular bulbs put out, but I'm switching to all LED anyway.

Julian

Thanks guys for the input. The deformation I spoke of is both lights appear slightly deformed upwards in the middle of the bottom edge of the frame plastic due to the heat from the light I assume. I am out of town for a week or so and have no reference shots to post. Johnny great work and I will look further into refurbishing the lights to the standard I require. I am aware that the lights are also used on Fiat 850 Spyder 1966-69 and the Miura and will look into sources for replacements if required.

http://www.classicalfa.com/cat...s/105-Saloon-Lights/

Above is a link I found that may be helpful if you want to buy new ones?

If there is heat damage its best to switch to a LED light bulb which goes not generate any heat and much lower resistance. If you do then you need to replace the blinker switch as there is virtually no electrical drain so the conventional blinkers do not work. Often with these old cars the electrical wires are old and have a lot of resistance causing bulbs to overheat. I've done this with many of my old cars. Ben

Ben, yes the resistance is certainly a problem with these older cars and as part of my restoration I will be rewiring the car. If heat is still an issue I will look at LEDs as the look and technology of these globes is improving all the time. Lousbby I could find no tail lights on your Alfa site to replace mangusta lights, thanks for posting anyhow.

Regarding restoring the exterior lens surfaces,
I found that SCRATCH DOCTOR, found anywhere that handles automotive paints really eliminates all the fine scratches.

They seem to collect residue from the exhaust, actually all around the tailpipes. A friend told me he uses PAM or some other non stick food cooking additive around the exhaust. e just wipes some around the area.

So much for minutia. DICK RUZZIN

quote:

Regarding restoring the exterior lens surfaces

Another remedy for tired, dull, or scratched lenses is to polish them with a sisal buffing wheel on your bench grinder. Pick up a little polishing compound for plastics and they'll look like new after a few minutes.

Works great on scratched DVD's and CD's as well. I rent a lot of books on CD for my commute and find that there are ALWAYS several discs in a set that skip because they're so scratched - a few minutes on the buffer wheel and they're good as new. The local library should pay me for restoring so many of their books on CD!

Thanks Dick/Garth. I will take some shots and post when I get home later next week. Thanks for all the suggestions.

While used on the Miura and other exotics, since these cars are so well supported by easily available parts counters and staff, your best bet is to pursue the Fiat 850 Spider 67-69 angle. Perhaps 66... but only the Spider models. Coupes used different lamps.

Dig around some of your old Fiat parts houses down under...I'll bet you can come up with a new pair of lamps or perhaps housings, with little effort!

Same for the front lamps!
Steve

I am not sure Steve is talking about dash lights, maybe tailights or parking lights.

I also changed the bulbs on the gauges to what was supposed to be brighter ones. No luck, maybe a little bit brighter.

Very hard to get to them. I like the idea of bypassing the rheostat, has anyone done that?
DICK RUZZIN

Dick,Steve, I have tried most of the Fiat places I know to no avail as yet.

Have looked all over for the original Carello lights from all sources seems only the reproduction ones available. Mine as you can see from the image are quite poor. I will probably go the repro route.