Amber Fog Lamps (for $2) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

morgantruce · #1 03-11-2004, 05:44 PM

My 240D came with clear fog lamps. I read all the pros and cons of clear vs amber. I looked at the prices of new fog lamps. I looked at the prices of used fog lamps. I could not seem to relieve my illogical desire for AMBER fog lamps!

Here's what I did:

I went down to my local hobby shop and bought a tiny bottle of Tamiya color acrylic paint--"code X26 Clear Orange" (which can also be had on the internet here. I then removed the clear fog lamps from the car and out of the chrome rings. I thoroughly cleaned the front surface--and even wet sanded (but I don't think that accomplished much...) Using a small artist brush, I painted one coat of the Tamiya Clear Orange and let it dry. Then I sprayed 3 coats of "clear coat" from an aerosol can, letting the first two coats partially dry. Then I put the lamps back in the car.

I defy anyone to tell the difference from "regular" amber glass lenses. The color matches the amber turn signal lenses perfectly.

Along with a newly installed grill insert (which I sprayed with black bar-b-que "grill" paint) my front end looks much improved.
-----

Notes:

Tamiya also has X24 Clear Yellow if that better floats your boat.

At first I tried painting the inside of the lamps---squirting 3 ml of paint inside the lamp using a disposable syringe without needle. I could not get the paint to evenly distribute across the inside face. It acted like there might have been oil or something on the glass. I ran hot soapy water inside and washed out all of the paint---which had not yet cured. I then tried cleaning the inside of the lamps with TSP followed by Windex---followed by yet another unsuccessful atttempt at getting the paint to evenly distribute!

Then I turned my attention to coating the front of the lamps: with perfect results!

#2 03-11-2004, 05:56 PM

Very cool! Hopefully the paint won't burn off with the heat of the lamps.

PIAA sells iodized yellow replacement lamps for almost any fog lamp housing. They're very good, and very expensive.

wolf_walker · #3 03-11-2004, 06:00 PM

I kinda wanted clears too, till I drove mine with the ambers in the snow. It cut down on glair considerably, loved them.

#4 03-11-2004, 06:04 PM

I use my amber fogs & parking lights as daytime running lights since they stand out so much. It's nice to be able to run the fog lights without the headlights... which is something that the switch on the w123s doesn't allow you to do.

#5 03-11-2004, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by VeeDubTDI
which is something that the switch on the w123s doesn't allow you to do.

There is a way to alter your fusebox to allow the fog lights without headlights. I tried it on my TD but thw wires were way too crowded to do anything.

speedy300Dturbo · #6 03-11-2004, 06:30 PM

It's not that hard to do, just takes some effort to dig through the fuse box. Jamie Kopchinski has the procedure outlined on his website, and I posted something similar a while ago.

The Warden · #7 03-11-2004, 07:39 PM

I agree with that...I did this mod last year sometime and really like it

even though I don't use my fog lights that much.

I actually had a clear lens on one side and an amber on the other side; got a second clear lens on eBay and have been happy ever since

morgantruce · #8 03-11-2004, 07:43 PM

Quote:

PIAA sells iodized yellow replacement lamps for almost any fog lamp housing. They're very good, and very expensive.

Yes... I saw those. There's also a fellow on eBay that is always selling pairs of Hella H3 55 watt yellow bulbs. The "trouble" with that route is that the car looks like it has clear foglamps in the daytime. I just happen to like the way the amber lenses look in daylight. Not very rational behavior on my part.

I will be doing the fusebox thing that allows the fogs to run with just the parking lights soon... but first I need to tear out the instrument panel to fix the odometer and clean up the instrument lighting system a bit. Using a flashlight to see how fast I'm going is getting tiresome.

88Pak · #9 03-11-2004, 09:21 PM

Hi all,

I'm thinking of upgrading my lights to aftermarket ones with "diamond" cut or clear...(I think I can hear the purists out there groaning), but would like to know if this is street legal? Or, can I put the lamps on and still run stock 60w/55ws?

The same goes for a set of aftermarket 5.75"s that I saw...

Btw, its for a 77 240d that still has the old sealed beams. Thanks for any advise...

190D22 · #10 03-11-2004, 10:36 PM

I run my fogs all the time, not litterally... but as much as I can. In the morning I use just the fogs, and at sunset I run just fogs for as long as I can. Once I get the first flick of high beams in my face I flip on the headlights. I ALWAYS run the fogs when I have my headlights on. I only turn them off when I am following someone so they don't recognize it as the same car behind them.

dmorrison · #11 04-21-2004, 04:39 PM

Morgantruce
Just wanted to add. I had sort of the same problem. One light on the daughters 240D was broken. I installed my old fog light from my 300TD , which was yellow, but faded. So my Daughter did not like it. But not "$50 for a new one" don't like it. I had read your post and decided to give it a try.
The only differance is I use Transparent Glass Paint. Got it at the local hobby shop. Delta air dry permenamel transparent glass paint. Yellow #45706. Ok for temperature up to 350F. so the light should not affect the paint. Now stones are another thing.
Came out great, here is a picture of the before and after plus the product.

Dave

#12 04-21-2004, 04:57 PM

dmorrison... looks like that paint did a really good job!

dmorrison · #13 04-21-2004, 04:57 PM

Ok the purists will hate this but I'm also going to use some diamond cut aftermarket lights. I have them on my sons Mustang and I like the light pattern. Its a much better light pattern and were running the stock wattage bulbs. Here is the link to the 7 inch lights I got my sons car. This does require "cutting of the fotu" ( this saying will show my age), headlight bucket.

Here's one set

http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail.asp?sku=UN7XIN%2D1211CH10

Here's the ohter

http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail.asp?sku=UNXXXX%2D7255CVX

Another

http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail.asp?sku=UNXXXX%2D7248CVX

Dave

dmorrison · #14 04-21-2004, 05:46 PM

Ok
1 little problem with the foglamp paint. It made the old foglight look so good. I had to do both of them. Then of course I had to do the 300TD. Thank God I have white foglights on the 560SL.
Here is the 240D finished

Dave

phantoms · #15 06-27-2004, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Here's the other

http://www.procarparts.com/store-detail.asp?sku=UNXXXX%2D7255CVX

These look pretty nice, and with the bulbs are about the cheapest I have seen anywhere.