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Fitting Recessed Rear Foglights x 2 *DONT DELETE*

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:02 pm
by mikeonb4c
Hi Guys and Gals

I promised to send a brief description and pics on this job wot I did a few days back. Pics (including one showing the key tools though not all) and including some showing where and why the natural position of the fogs is determined by a convenient (outmost) flat panel in the bumper. PM me or just continue the thread if more advice needed. my rough notes from the job are:
Had to remove towbar to gain access, but rested it on upside down washing up bowl and swung it to one side rather than disconnect wiring.
Used bullet connectors from master foglight to 2nd foglight
Soldered wires to 2nd foglight as had no spade connectors
Used spare grommet to plug bolt hole from old foglight but it is a bit loose and will fall out, so need a bigger one.
Plastic bumper v easy to cut by small drill holes then minisaw, file to smooth edges. I used quality masking tape and the fog light 'frame' interior to mark out the area to be cut so that I could get the cutout level by eye and check identical distance from midline using boot latch as centre point. This was undersize as it did not allow for wall thickness of the 'frame'. So I then made a cardboard template with cutout correctly sized for frame recess to fit in, and taped this over the marked out frame on the bumper before using a sharp modelling knife and steel rule to cut the maskng to correct size. I used a small drill bit to stitch drill holes all around the cutout along the line of maskng tape, and joined up the holes near each corner so I could insert my saw and saw along each side. I did not completely saw along each side until the end of the cutting. This kept the saw from jamming as it does when the panel to be removed starts to move a lot. TIP - I started by drilling holes in each corner of the masked area. After each hole, I felt behind the bumper to make sure that I was drilling into the correct space bhind the bumper, where there was room for the foglight to fit.

NB - the bumper plastic was very easy to drill and saw. I finished off with a large flat file as inevitably the hole needed a little easing to get the frame to fit into it.
Here are the pics

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010181_2.JPG

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010182_2.JPG

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010184_2.JPG

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010185_2.JPG

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010186_2.JPG

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010188_2.JPG

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010190_2.JPG

http://mikeonb4c.homecall.co.uk/P1010191_2.JPG

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:17 pm
by Dabs
Nice job Mike :P
Thanks for sharing it!

Dave

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:30 pm
by francophile1947
Flash g*t!! - I've only got one!! :-({|= :-({|= :-({|=

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:36 pm
by Dabs
I have and its one of those dangly ones!

:-({|=

Dave

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:40 pm
by francophile1947
Hi Dabongo
Mine's like Mikes, but without a brother or sister!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:12 pm
by mikeonb4c
I always liked a nice pair - I could look at them all night er um...day :oops: :oops:

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:39 pm
by moonshine
Nice neat job, Mike. What lights are they?

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:47 pm
by aitch
look really good mike where did you get them as i want "a nice pair" as syd barrett said

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:12 am
by mikeonb4c
The wonderful Bongobits people - I agree with other recent praise for them.

£32 for a pair but worth it. They are actually pretty standard plastic things and I suppose you could go scouring about for them, but I like to put my money towards the companies that are focused on keeping us on the road doncha think.

They were a doddle to fit really since the foglight switch and wiring are already in place. Its just the thought of cutting holes in a beautiful expensive bumper. So measure once, measure twice, have a cup of tea and measure again! But the plastic bumper yields to the drill and the saw beautifully so dont be scared.

And they look the business! And they give extra illumination when reversing - in fog :roll: :roll:

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:18 am
by Ozric
I fitted 1 over the xmas break and like you say, apart from the thought of cutting a hole in your baby, it's a piece of cake. Took me about 30 minutes and I'm a novice(ish) when it comes to car/Bongo work.

Now shall I add another one :?

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:38 pm
by mikeonb4c
Yes :lol: :lol: :lol:

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 4:17 pm
by Ozric
By the way Mike, Your reg number is in full view on your pics :shock:

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:18 pm
by alant54
I am sure that I have seen that reg in Ipswich....they were Bongo members when I had a chat with them.... :wink: ....Alan

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:30 pm
by mikeonb4c
Does that matter? I am from an ancient world and dont understand these concepts. Pl advise what the danger is and I'll do something about it. Thanks for raising it though.

MPV (great isnt it) is an Ipswich plate - apparently its what vehicles get when imported and registered there. As if to make the point, I had only just driven off after buying the vehicle and was waiting to pull on to a roundabout, when I thought a driver in the lane on my right was looking at me. I looked back, and there was a complete identical twin to the one I had just bought, colour and all, with the MPV plate. How weird is that!!! naturally he was grinning ear to ear and giving the thumbs up, and me too. :lol: :lol:

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:29 pm
by Ozric
Not masking your plate allows people to copy it, nick a Bongo and put your plate on it.

One member had a call from the cops just a few weeks ago to let them know their Bongo was involved in an accident. When infact it was parked on their drive.