Taillight for S2?

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

The tail ight lenses on my 1962 S2 America SB1160 are cracked and ugly. Moss motors has a 159-210 reproduction lens for an AH bugeye Sprite that from the picture appears to be the right one.  Can anyone confirm this?  Thanks.  --Tim.

[MV8]

If they are the wingard 1055 lamps, no.

A source for wingard 1055:  https://www.simplesevens.org/forsale/Painter/PainterParts.htm

[SENC]

From the lotus7registry site:

Wingard 1055 combined rear and stop lights pre August 1965 and Thorpe PT 675 later.

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Here are mine. Parallel sides. I gather these are Wingard 1055 lenses?

[MV8]

Looks like the wingard 1055 to me. It looks like a sprite L549 lamp assembly could be fitted to a seven with a custom fender mount (the black part). I don't think the sprite lens will fit on the wingard base though. 

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Thank you, MV8. Aside from answering my question, you have put me onto Mr. Painter and the Lotus Seven Registry. Everything on SB1160 matches the registry specifications except the red carpet on the tranny tunnel.

[IamScotticus]

tyre tread wear indicates over inflated.  what pressures do you use?

[MV8]

It just occurred to me that Lotus may have used the sprite base but mounted it to the fender more vertically, requiring a new (wingard) lens and maybe a tweak to the reflector angle inside, so the sprite lens may fit the base but be pointing down toward the rear.

 

Scott, he just bought the car. Original, early tire pressure specs are 20 psi all around for normal driving, 26 psi for sustained speeds over 85 mph. Bigger tires and wheels need to run just as much despite wear patterns to ensure adequate bead seat clamping pressure. Lower profile and stiffer sidewalls = less clamp for the same pressure. Bigger rim size = a little more clamping area and leverage to prevent the tire slipping on the rim. 

[joe7]

I've seen Spitfire lenses and bases used on some 7s, road and race cars where the owner doesn't want to risk damage to orgs. While not org they don't look bad if you can't find Wingards.

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

That's an old racing tire that belonged to the first owner - it's there for show only, given there is a rack for it. It's not even inflated. Good eyes, man.

[SevenAmerica]

Hey Tim! Just found you on the forum here...

 

Regarding Wingard 1055's - they were aftermarket lights for what the English call 'caravans' -- like if you went into your local auto parts and bought a set of lights for your trailer. Yes they are a little Similar to the Lucas units that are readily available, but (to me anyway) the mark of a proper restoration is to use the proper lights. I've seen so many pricey, meticulous restorations that end up with those Lucas lamps... it's how you tell if an owner or seller really cares - they'll say 'oh, those are impossible to find' but you and I know different don't we :-)

 

Yours will ship out tomorrow!

Cheers,

jd