Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

Does anyone know the law pertaining to amber reflectors as fitted to my Dodge Brothers tourer? I have studied the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 where certain reflectors are mentioned but I see nothing about the reflectors like those fitted to my car.

I have a suspicion that they may be illegal Amber reflectors are permitted in the pedals of cycles but I am uncertain about their legality on cars.

Should they be red?

[Rick]

My understanding has always been that you need red reflectors. Whether also having orange is ok or not I'm not sure, Penman may well know as he's often well read in such matters

RJ
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[Rootes75]

I have had a look and our lorries only have orange reflectors fitted.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Ray White]

[Penman]

Hi
Both the pre and post 19th May2018 MoT manuals https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mot-inspection-manual-for-class-3-4-5-and-7-vehicles
specify Not Red as a reason for failure. BUT of course your vehicle is no longer required to be MoT'd.
So the question is; Do amber reflectors render it un-roadworthy?

There is a provision that a vehicle used only during the daylight hours doesn't require reflectors anyway if not fitted with front and rear position lights.


Do those rear lights have a reflective portion in them?
If not, I would play safe and use Red ones, can you get Red ones to fit in the same holders?
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
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V8 V10

[Ray White]

Thanks Penman. The twin rear lamps have combined stop and tail lights and what looks like a reflector / lens but I am not sure it would necessarily qualify.

From what you have explained the easiest thing to do is to change the orange reflectors for red ones. They just screw on.

That at least would resolve the issue of "roadworthiness".

[alastairq]

I had this issue the other year with daily-driver Daihatsu Fourtrak.
Fed up with not being able to access the bulbs in the rear lights, due to seized, SS fixing bolts[!], I ripped them off, stuck steel plates in lieu, and fitted suitably-sized trailer light units.
These regularly pass an MoT...and are 'brighter [newer?] than the originals....but, try as I might, I couldn't really tell if they included a reflective portion. so I cut the rectangular reflector portions off the old light lenses, and tigersealed them to the rear bumpers. That also seems to satisfy the MoT-person. [Turns out, the light lenses also reflect], plus, bulb access is greatly enhanced...

[roverdriver]

Do you think that once those reflectors might have been red? here in Australia, red reflectors like that don't stay red for many years, and do become amber, purely on account of sunshine.

Incidentally, the same thing happens to tail light lenses, and when I had my hobby shop, I would often recommend the use of the clear red version of Tamiya brand acrylic paint. It would refresh bleached out lenses.
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

[Kenham]

Not sure of the legal side , lorries and trailers(ifor Williams type) have orange on the sides but red on the back. I personally think your car will look better with red though.

[Kenham]

Not sure of the legal side , lorries and trailers(ifor Williams type) have orange on the sides but red on the back. I personally think your car will look better with red though.

[Ray White]

Thanks guys. I didn't know the red lenses turned amber in the Australian sunshine!! That might well explain it!!

I also think the red ones would look better.

I fitted red reflectors to my Swallow many years ago in addition to the D lamps.
I remember I wasn't sure I liked them at first but have got used to them over time.

Found some with nice chrome surrounds on Paul Beck Vintage Supples.

Thanks again.!

[Rick]

Someone drilled (grrr) tiny holes in my rear wings to fit el-cheapo red plastic reflectors to my DB, this post's reminded me that I should replace them with more suitable ones that I put somewhere "safe" a while back ...



RJ
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[alastairq]

whilst I haven't tried this on actual reflectors, I have had good results for faded red plastic light lenses, using
https://www.curtisward.com/marabu-glasart-glass-paint-50ml.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw8O7bBRB0EiwAfbrTh2rd4ZhNcaoCBvjkhdbAfHsnChgluAE3WwpgsHlZnGndC36qJmrYqBoCKD0QAvD_BwE

Marabu GlasART transparent[glass] paint. the gloss version
I linked above to one supplier, that has a colour chart...although I didn't get my bottle from them [several years ago now]

It is safe on plastics [Lucas lenses, for example] and has [in my experience] restored sun-bleached Lucas, and Bosch [VW] red lenses.
I first tried it on a spare set of original VW bus lenses [the old, small, oval type...from a low light type 2...failed MoT on bleached rear lenses, bought an expensive pair of repro lenses, didn't look at all good to my eyes, but the van was sold, decades ago now...I still have the original lenses.......and tried the GlasART paint as an experiment [nowt to lose, really]...One small [Tamiya-size] jar will last my lifetime...and possibly several generations after me!

[Ray White]

Now that's what I call lateral thinking, Alastair. What a brilliant dodge (excuse the pun) that is. I will likely buy some.

[alastairq]

In addition, I experimented by painting the GlasART on the inside of the lens, and on the outside. Not too conclusive which was best?....Needs to be further experimented with?