LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 28, 2024, 4:02 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: May 20, 2009, 1:59 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 24, 2007, 6:04 pm
Posts: 1521
I got my tail lights this morning from Jack. I just thought I would add a few photos and mention that they are much more heavy duty than I believed them to be.
I assumed the back mounting portion would be a cheap black plastic, but turned out to be a very heavy and durable rubber, the lenses are quite thick and solid and all the connections and wiring is very well secured.
These are very nice lights.
Thanks Jack, your check will go out in tomorrows mail.
Al


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Super Seven 3.4


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: May 20, 2009, 2:07 pm 
Offline

Joined: August 16, 2005, 10:29 am
Posts: 1072
Location: Alberta, Canada
Looks exactly the same as the ones Caterham US sells.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: May 20, 2009, 2:22 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 24, 2007, 6:04 pm
Posts: 1521
I beleive they are the exact same, as well as used by Westfield and a few others. I would suspect Jack is cheaper though. :)
Al

_________________
Super Seven 3.4


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: May 21, 2009, 10:52 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: July 29, 2006, 9:10 pm
Posts: 3160
Location: Oregon, usually
Glad you like them, Raceral. Yep, same part, same manufacturer (Britax), all I had to do was buy 40 of them and wait for a boat to arrive from Great Britain. They're $42 per from Kinetic, and you can pay that much for a replacement lens from some of the exotic suppliers*. One think I learned at Kingman is there are people who want to pay a bunch of money for stuff--seriously, there were guys bragging about how much they'd paid for their bits, the same way us Locosters brag about building our parts ourselves and for peanuts ("See those tubes, see how nice they're bent? I started with a wrecked grocery cart, and then I...")

42 bucks is still a lot of money for a Locost tail light, but it's a price where at least you only have to grab for your wallet and not for your ankles. Someday (in my copious free time) I'll get those Britax tail lights posted on the Kinetic web site--probably with a link to Caterham for people who want to see what they look like on a classy car.

*Suppliers with staff to pay and dealer chains and showrooms and all those overhead items that need to come out of sales revenues. I don't think they're sticking it to you, I think it's expensive to run a conventional business...which is why I don't.

_________________
Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: September 23, 2009, 6:02 pm 
Offline

Joined: December 30, 2007, 1:21 am
Posts: 561
Location: North Van., BC
I'll second the previous positive comments. I just got mine today and they're perfect. Unfortunately for me I'd already cut out holes for some other lights I was going to use and these ones need to be mounted a little higher. So now I have to fill in the holes :( I've tried about 3 different styles of lights but these are by far the best suited for the Locost.

Ron

_________________
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. By the time you finish the car it'll feel like you've done it on your knees.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: September 23, 2009, 6:43 pm 
Offline
Mid-Engined Maniac

Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
Posts: 6410
Location: SoCal
I got mine from Jack, too :D

The only downside with them is that the bulbs mount parallel to the rear lens cover. That means that if you ever want to upgrade to LED "bulbs", these won't work unless they're modified. Simply mod'ing the lamp socket so that it points to the rear isn't enough since there's effectively no reflector. I guess some thin polished stainless would work for that.

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: October 28, 2009, 8:52 pm 
Offline

Joined: September 17, 2008, 2:58 pm
Posts: 131
these look nice. how long are they?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: October 29, 2009, 12:49 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: July 29, 2006, 9:10 pm
Posts: 3160
Location: Oregon, usually
baldguy8 wrote:
these look nice. how long are they?

How long do you want them?

"Oh, quite a while. I'm building a sports car."

(rim shot)

I'll be back at Kinetic tomorrow and will measure them.

_________________
Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: October 29, 2009, 9:21 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 3, 2006, 10:48 pm
Posts: 1590
Location: Shawnee, Ks
They are 7.375" wide x 2.875" high x 2 875" deep at the top and 1.875" deep at the bottom to match the curve of the fender. I just got mine and they are great. They are not light weight lights. They weigh 19.5 oz each. Very well made with 4 male bayonet wires coming out of the thick rubber back. You won't be disappointed with them. Russ


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: February 18, 2010, 10:22 am 
Offline

Joined: February 1, 2010, 9:46 pm
Posts: 9
I dont have LEDs, but I have seen quite a few comments by people with the chinese models, saying that most of them work fine, but that you can tell they are cheaper. People say things like they dont look like they are constructed with OEM quality, and that the light output is slightly lower, and not as vivid. If it were me, I would go with the German Mexican ones.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: February 18, 2010, 2:07 pm 
Offline

Joined: November 13, 2009, 9:31 pm
Posts: 138
Location: Connecticut
I can't tell from the pics, do these have a DOT marking?

_________________
Planning a Duratec powered, Miata suspended 442


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: February 18, 2010, 6:34 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 3, 2006, 10:48 pm
Posts: 1590
Location: Shawnee, Ks
Sorry but Jack's do not have DOT approved stamp on them. Russ


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: February 19, 2010, 3:00 am 
Offline

Joined: December 30, 2007, 1:21 am
Posts: 561
Location: North Van., BC
They do say "Made in England" and they have the EU approval #. My inspection shop was pretty picky about lights but didn't have any problem with them.

Ron

_________________
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. By the time you finish the car it'll feel like you've done it on your knees.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: February 19, 2010, 9:41 am 
Offline

Joined: November 13, 2009, 9:31 pm
Posts: 138
Location: Connecticut
sevenesqueron wrote:
They do say "Made in England" and they have the EU approval #. My inspection shop was pretty picky about lights but didn't have any problem with them.

Ron


Thanks, my understanding so far of CT inspection is they will require DOT approval, too bad because I like them. But I have a lot of time before I'll get near that phase anyway!

_________________
Planning a Duratec powered, Miata suspended 442


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Kinetic Tail Lights
PostPosted: February 21, 2010, 1:50 pm 
Offline

Joined: June 24, 2007, 6:04 pm
Posts: 1521
sevenesqueron wrote:
They do say "Made in England" and they have the EU approval #. My inspection shop was pretty picky about lights but didn't have any problem with them.

Ron


This the direct word for word quote I got by indirect email from Brian Kangas manager of the CVSE out of Victoria.
His reply was forwarded to me by Nigel Mathews of ICBC per my inquirey.

"Nigel, properly marked E code lenses are acceptable provided that they meet all required regulations as stated in MVAR Div 4.
So correct color, correct function and correct location to meet all standards.
Additonal devices may be required to meet these standards and bulbs must be compliance with federal MVSA"

I dont look at the E code Britax lights to be an issue, Ron's inspection seems to support that theory.

Al

_________________
Super Seven 3.4


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY