Fog light recommendation

[Omario]

I would like to install amber fog light on my 59 bug. Any advice where to buy? Also, place to buy brackets to secure on bumper bracket.
This purley for cosmatic purpose only. My car has 12 volt conversion

[Mos6502]

If it's just for looks (ie. you won't be wiring it up and using it) just go on ebay, search for vintage fog lights and find one you like.

If you want it to be period correct, you're going to want something pre-halogen, so either something sealed beam like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ORIGINAL-GENERAL-...&rt=nc

or something British Prefocus, or equivalent, like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heres-a-Very-Good-Used-Lu....TRS1.TSS0

As for brackets, if you're using towel rail bumpers, most genuine old brackets on ebay won't work, because they don't stick the light high enough to clear the rail. If you're using euro bumpers, most any of these will work though.

[Omario]

[Murt]

I used the 3 piece type for my Rear Hella Foglights.

They sell them at any Customised Chopper style stores

Here's a link to one in the UK, but you must have hundreds out there in the US

https://customizedchoppers.com/collections/mounting-brackets-1

Here's a photo below



As I said, I used the 28mm 3 Piece Chrome Clamp, and I used some thin rubber sheet cut to size to fit internally to protect the chrome on my towel rails

Dave

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1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[wheel607]

[cfelke]

Like Murt, I ordered a set of motorcycle clamps to mount my vintage Hellas on my towel bar.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F152150339709
I will let you know how it goes when they arrive.
_________________
View my 1964 build thread here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=611540&highlight=1964

[Shanghai Paddles]

I bought this light in amber. It comes with a bracket that bolts to the bumper support bar.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1997849

It wasn't quite as yellow as I wanted, more of a pale yellow than deep yellow, so I bought a piece of Lamin-X in yellow and cut it to fit.

https://www.lamin-x.com/One-8-x-8-Yellow-Universal-Film-Cover-p/1-88y.htm

The color is perfect now, and the light works great. I wanted it for cosmetic purposes too, but still want it to work. I can't say it would do much as an actual fog light as far as proper light distribution, but it looks great turned on and off.

_________________
1967 Beetle, 1915cc. ~Daily driver~
2004 Passat, 1.8t APR stage 2. ~Race car~
2004 Jetta TDI Wagon, Malone stage 2. ~Axle snapper/dog carrier~
2002 Audi S6 Avant ~When you need groceries fast~
2002 Audi S6 Avant, Manual Swap ~When you need groceries fast, but want to have fun~
2005 Audi A4, 2.0t APR Stage 1 ~Cause I needed another car...~

[Mos6502]

The sealed beam units aren't that useful unless you use two of them, the beam spread from one light just isn't wide enough to safely illuminate the road, with two you can get a wide enough beam to be useful. They need to be aimed properly too to have any glare reducing effect, and the headlights need to be off if it is really foggy.

Also don't confuse fog lights with driving lights - lots of people do. Driving lights project a concentrated beam of light far into the distance for high speed driving, and by law, need to be wired so they can only be turned on when the high beams are on. Not particularly useful lighting for most of our slow old cars. Fog lights have basically the opposite effect, they put out a low, wide beam of light, close to the car for slow speed driving that's useful for illuminating road markings, curbs, etc. when it's foggy or raining very hard (also useful on roads that don't have streetlights).

[Omario]

Thanks everyone for their help. Decided to get these. See link. I also used the recommendation for the 3- piece motorcycle clamp. All should be arriving on Friday.

BTW, when I stated I just wanted for "cosmetic" purpose only. Meant to say, no the quality of light emitted is not critical. Just want them to look good.

What else do i need to buy to wire this? Relay, switch, .. etc

[Omario]

Opps forgot to add link

https://www.ebay.com/itm/United-Pacific-Industries...m570.l1313

[Murt]

They’ll look good Omario
As for wiring, I found this sketch on the internet, it must have come from the USA, as it mentions ‘wiring gauge 14’, and here in the UK we use mm2.
Anyway may be of use
Dave

_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[Omario]

Thanks Murt for the circuit diagram. One question, can I use the same switch as the headlight switch? Meaning, fog light come on when I turn on the standard light.

[Mos6502]

[mukluk]

Since the fogs and headlights shouldn't be on at the same time, one could use terminal 57 on the stock headlight switch to control the fog light, the function then being the fog light would only come on when the light switch is pulled to the first detent.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[Omario]

[mukluk]

Stock VW light switches, at least ones for the US market pre-1967, should have a terminal number 57 which is normally used for the two small parking lights located in the headlight buckets. Normal function has the tail lights powered in both detents, the front parking lights powered only in the first detent, and the headlights only in the second detent -- so with the switch pushed all the way in you have no lights, pulling the switch to the first detent gives you tail lights and front parking lights, then pulling out to the second detent gives you tail lights and headlights.

You can see the thin grey/black wire going from the light switch terminal 57 to the left then right parking lights in the following diagram.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bug_58_USA.jpg

Due to terminal 57 being powered such that it is, it can be used to control your fog light relay terminal 86 as shown in the diagram provided by Murt. Doing so will have your tail lights and fog light on at the first detent, then in the second detent the fog will turn off and the headlights turn on. You have the option of still running the parking lights off 57 as well if you choose to do so since the relay control doesn't require much power to operate.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[Murt]

Agree absolutely with Mukluk

FYI Omario, I will probably commit to the most heinous crime possible, as I have a nice Ivory button OEM light switch in my stash, and I'm toying with the idea of drilling a hole in the dash next to the ashtray, and installing that to control front and rear Fogs independently !! Yes, you heard me right I may drill the dash to accommodate the new switch
_________________
1966 VW Beetle ‘Jules’
1967 Kombi Splitscreen ‘Barney’
2018 VW Caddy Maxi R Line
2017 Golf GTD saloon
2008 VW EOS 2.0 TFSi

[Omario]

[KTPhil]

Something to be careful about if you use terminal 57. It has no fuse in the circuit. People have baked wiring and headlight switches if there is a short in the small wire leading to the front parking lights. Adding a relay there increases the odds of a malfunction causing an unfused short, which can lead to fire.

[mukluk]