Hi Barry,
Although I agree that the many subtle variations of legal lighting we saw at
Beltring were OK in principle, I'd kind of hate to do that to my own F15A.
Instead, I've been working on a (front & rear) set of clamp-on headlights/turn
signals/taillights which will include licence plate bracket/rear light. The
front panel will clamp securely to the brush guard, the rear to the tailgate,
extending downwards to drivers' level. They will plug into hidden receptacles
underneath the body. Both will be used whenever transiting public roads, and the
rear panel will also carry the words "CAUTION - RIGHT HAND DRIVE" in florescent
letters.
This will allow me to run the original blackout lighting on the vehicle and "be
seen" at the same time. At shows and demonstrations, I'll be able to remove the
lighting panels and revert back to a historically-correct vehicle. While I
haven't tested this legally, I'm figuring that as long as the aluminum lighting
panels are securely clamped and locked in place, with the auxillary headlights
properly aimed, we should have no problem. Push comes to shove, the original
lighting can be made to function within legal limits with some small
modification (perhaps for certification?).
My experience is that our cops are more concerned with how things work rather
than with inane technicalities. The bottom line is to get a vehicle on the road
which can surpass legal standards yet be easily converted back to original
configuration.
I'll keep you posted...
-- Regards,Geoff Winnington-Ball MAPLE LEAF UP! ==> Zephyr, Ontario, Canada ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maple Leaf Up - The Canadian Army Overseas in WW2 http://www.mapleleafup.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment http://www.1cacr.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> I agree with Tim Smith. Why not put on better > lighting! When you see the Jimmy's in Holland with > their huge reflectors on the mudflaps to conform > to current standards and their military style add on > signal lights, you sort of think " hey ,this looks okay > and everyone is doing it". Look at what some of the > hot rodders are doing with the vacuum operated lights > that automatically swing up out of the way when the engine > is not running. I have been stopped here in Canada twice > for using a flashing light at night on my tow truck. Both times > I was exceeding the limit a little and thought that was > why I was being pulled over. Both times the cops said > turn out your light you are causing a visual distraction > and I had plenty of other lighting. As Tim indicated > some of the new lighting is very small and very bright. > How about mounting them in an old housing? Maybe > would save being stoved by an eighteen wheeler. As my > Daddy used to say " you can have your rights but you can > also be DEAD right ". Just my .02 US . > Barry Churcher
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Sep 02 2000 - 09:32:28 PDT