Make a Vintage Tail Light

Hey MB builders, below is my retro Tail Light I thought I would share. It is both modern and vintage looking rugged, 100% water proof, real stainless steel, no buttons, it is just the right size for a bike, and is by far the best looking bike tail light I have ever seen. I built it out of need, as nobody offers anything for sale like it. You turn it on by just depressing the lens a click, or another click for blinking and another click for off. No buttons or wires. Clean looking, reel steel housing, has bracket welded on and is adjustable in angle after installed. Great for board trackers, beach cruisers for sure or anyone that wants a good looking bullet style Tail lite. If you want to use it for a front headlight just install the white light that comes in the Pharos 2 pc kit. I show it installed on a new GT 2A build I am doing.
1) You Just need a inexpensive stainless steel halogen fog lite housing ( available in a 4 pc kit)so you can make 4 of them if you buy enough of the other components.
2) Remove the twist off cap on the fog lite housing. Then remove halogen bulb lite and electrical guts, just pulls out easy.
3) Get a wally-world Bell made "Pharos" headlight and led tail light kit. 10 bucks
4 Get a depress center plastic 1 5/8th depress center cap hole plug off ebay, snap it in housing front cap and then cut out center of plastic in the hole plug with an exacto knife.
5) Press in and pressure fit the pharos light.
6) Add even more chrome Trim if you want with 1/8th inch wide sticky back chrome trim plastic. Peel the backing and wrap it around the lens that's sticking out. Heat with a heat gun or a Bic lighter for 3 sec max and let it cool so it relaxes takes on the round shape and stays in place. I can build these lights in 5 minutes. They end up costing about 12 bucks each.

Another photo from rear.

Agreen said:

Way too cool looking!

Could you post some links or pictures so I know what you're talking about? I'm not finding anything about the "depress center plastic 1 5/8 cap". And which stainless steel fog lights did you find? The only ones I can come across are all plastic and ugly.

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Sorry for being kind of lazy and not posting component photos. I bought fog light kit at Fleetfarm... was sold for ATVs I believe I am heading over there to buy another chromed light kit so I will post a pict of the box. I liked them because its nice quality real chrome plated steel vs plastic...yuk.
Here is the exact same thing only these are powder coated black and have a cool visor welded. I like! http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-Electr...-12V-5W-/111759701159?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276 10 bucks for 2 of them.
They could be used for a headlight and or tail lite also using the pharos inserted LED light.
also posted below is a picture of the depress center hole plug. I got these at Fleetfarm store also. ebay has only the 1 3/4" size listed at the moment. If you guys cant find hem I will source them and post a link soon. This is so the way to go, for a proper sized retro tail light that will last forever and looks proper. I am going to buy a set of the black ones from ebay also for my sons and buds Cranbrooks.

Here is the hole plug that snaps into the housing after the original spotlight bulb is removed that acts as the glass front. snap in the plug and then with a exacto cut the lower plastic to match the diameter of the Pharos light that is being press fit in.

Here is the Pharos light kit. The tail lights sold severalty on some ebay listings for the some price as two on other listings, so watch out. They stock em at Wally World on the shelf. You depress the very center of the red lens to turn on and off.

Here is the 2 pc set from Wally-World. Love to see the lights you guys make posted, when and if. remember the hole plug just fills the 1/8th inch gap between the light lens and the steel housing. You could probably use split 3/16th rubber vac line also. But the hole plug is a perfecto fit, I like things that snap in.

Agreen, that visor style would look sweet on your Royal Enfield.
Here is as tight of a shot I can get of the tail light and a pict of it on.

Here is one of those built in fender reflectors that is now a Working tail light by drilling a 1 inch hole and mounting a Pharos light in it, chrome trim and some cream paint for a trim stripe Turned out pretty good for taking a hunk worthless plastic and turning it into a retro looking working tail light. Made it while watching the Super Bowl in the garage.

Top view. I will round the corners out with a 1/8 radius where it meets the fender, and paint the base the exact color as the fender so it looks Frenched smoothly out of the fender. Detail stuff like this keeps me busy while waiting for parts to come in.

I read the whole link Agreen, very cool indeed. I read your whole cool thread. As you know mine is just a always on system/or always blinking if you want. I researched doing a micro switch and chickened out doing it. A guy like you could wire a switch to the soldered internals of one of these little guys so it turns on and off with the micro switch so you would not need a big battery...best of both worlds then. Like to see that done by someone. The ones they sell with all the gravity g force switches etc. or micro switches look modern hence the challenge to make vintage look tail light.

silverbear said:

I like what you're doing. I see you live in the Twin Cities. Ever get up around Ely? Great place to ride...
SB

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Yep, I'll be up to ELY a. Few times this year. Ill be up sometime before spring. Love it up there and will let ya know.