Rear high intensity lamp

[chadz]

Hi Guys, Well it's MOT time again and I am determined this year not to have the same old argument/discussion regarding the rear high intensity lamp (sometimes mistakenly called the rear fog light). The importer from whom I bought the car did the usual conversion of the offside reversing light and put a bulb in that had been stained red 'ish'.
The MOT stations around me do not like this set up and always moan about the colour. I've even stained the outside lens cover using a red permanent marker but this dual attempt to make a reversing light into a high intensity lamp is never going to 'cut the mustard', not around here anyway.
So how do I get around this problem. What have others done? I have bought an aftermarket lamp and I intend taking a power supply from the previous conversion that has a switch already installed.
But how do you install it to meet the reg's? No lower than 250mm or higher than 1000mm and not nearer than 250mm from any brake light. The back of the car is just pliable fibre glass and is curved.
Anybody fitted one of these aftermarket lamps? Any advice much appreciated. I fancy locating it to the offside rather than slap bang in the middle.


Chadz

[The Captain]

Just buy a high intensity bulb

[Mazda Mender]

Which Mk is it?
M-m

[Lazza]

Must be Mk1. Mk2 onwards has the fog high intensity light built into the light clusters.

[chadz]

Mk 2 eunos. Had two reversing lights one of which was converted by the importer to a (pinkish useless glow) doubling up for a high intensity lamp for extremely poor visibility conditions. Never fitted with a proper HIL. Stained red bulbs do not a HIL make!
Could use some advice from somebody that has mounted one of these aftermarket lamps on the 'flimsy bumper' in accordance with the measurements quoted in my opening submission.

Chadz

[The Captain]

Why mount a horrible looking lamp on the bumper, when all you need to do is buy a fog light bulb and replace the painted one you currently have.

[Lazza]

There is no Mk2 Eunos. If its a Mk2 JDM then I'll be a Mk2 Mazda Roadster

[The Captain]

There is no Mk2 Eunos. If its a Mk2 JDM then I'll be a Mk2 Mazda Roadster

Which will have had the conversion, so all it needs is a bulb. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bulb-12v-21w- ... 5d465f3369

[chadz]

Not sure what you mean by putting a high intensity bulb in place of the reddish one, all that will do is give a very bright WHITE light to the rear doh! As for the model of car I have all I can say is it's not an MX5 or a Miata so by elimination it must be a Eunos. It isn't a Mk1/2.5/3 so by elimination it must be a Mk2. Add them both together and that gives a Eunos Mk2
Please read my original posting. Their is no facility for simply replacing the bulb with a 21w white bulb to give a rear high intensity lamp (fog or otherwise).


Chadz

[The Captain]

Put a red bulb in.

What you have is a MK2 Roadster, the same as I have, not badged an MX5 but neither is it badged a Eunos, there was no MK2 Eunos, its a Roadster. The link I added is for a red bulb, so that will undoubtedly glow red.

[chadz]

Already got one of those and it is the cause of endless debate from the MOT testing fraternity. They just do not like the output, especially the colour. How do these bulbs manage to get a clean bill of health?
I do appreciate the concept of coloured bulbs as in indicators etc that seem to work ok but for some reason the red ones are pretty useless.
As my car was produced for the home market it is without doubt a Eunos. Perhaps Mazda decided to badge cars Mazda roadster to enhance home sales.
'A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME' blah blah blah. It matters not one jot what they are, Eunos/mx5/miata. Apart from the badge they are all the same give or take a few bits and bobs. The cars imported from Japan (so called grey imports) usually are to a higher spec than other imports made for the uk market.

Chadz

[Mazda Mender]

If she is a MK 2 Roadster, why not just fit a UK spec drivers rear cluster with the red fog lamp in it, job done no pinkish glow? and no more moaning about pi**ing rear fog lamps and MOT's, job done.
M-m

[Doogledog]

Id agree with Waynes plan and just use a UK cluster

[The Captain]

The other option is to get an LED fog light bulb, easy to find on eBay.

Sorry to argue, your car is still not a Eunos.

[chadz]

Wayne that's the best advice yet. Thanks. I have the wiring already to go so providing I can get a cluster and it fits ok then that should solve the annual debate.


Chadz