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Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:08 pm

I have 63 chassis with 12 volt update and 1500 motor. Unfinished buggy. Bought tail lights and a found harness at rear of car..One large white wire, 1 small red,1 small brown & 1 small yellow. my new lights have white,red black. What goes to what? and am i a wire or 2 short????

Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:19 pm

Hi Johnny,

I can't help you with the connections for yor new tail lights, but just so you know, there are wiring harness layouts for most years of VWs here on thesamba.com:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiringt1.php

Best of luck with your build.

Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:38 pm

johnnyniceguy wrote: What goes to what? and am i a wire or 2 short????

Some people used the VW wiring harness in their buggy, but many people realized it was easier to either fabricate a new harness or buy an aftermarket one. The wire colors were not universal.

In the back, you'll need one tail light wire that connects to both tail lights and the license light. The tail light is the smaller filament in the dual filament bulbs. You'll one brake light wire which connects to both brake lights(the big filament). You'll need one wire for the left turn signal and a separate wire for the right turn signal. You'll also need a ground wire to the metal housing of each light because the body is fiberglass.

Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:03 pm

Put the wires where they will not ground out & using a test light check each circuit on one at a time Then you will know what goes where.

Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:38 pm

Thank You all for the excellent info. Seems like I have enough wires if I share some. Just got home with a new test light..Guess I knew that would be a way to go. For the front sigs I have one wire lights. I assume I need to ground the fixture also. THANKS again from Minnesota

Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:18 pm

Ive sorted out left ,right, brake, and running light. I have 3 lead LED lights. I used white as ground--I put brake(RED) and (yel) turn sig together. and running lts on black. Grnd on white All work independently - but if I hit the brakes--it backfeeds the signals and they flash...Has any body dealt with LEDS????? Ive tried all combos.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:22 pm

Sounds like you need the relay package or a trailer unit. You can't hook up brakes and blinkers together and then expect them to work independently.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:24 pm

Somebody else talked about this. Do you know what this involvrs??? What is needed????

Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:29 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=181850&highlight=trailer+relay

Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:17 pm

jspbtown wrote: Sounds like you need the relay package or a trailer unit. You can't hook up brakes and blinkers together and then expect them to work independently.

You can if you have TECHNO-STALGIA LED lights..... the are micro chip controlled and know how to function under any given light combination....

Dale