Indicators / turn signals - what to do?

[Neil Davies]

It's nearly finished - the 70/72 project is just about done and ready for MOT at the weekend but there is one quite major piece missing - front indicators.

When I started the project it was to be something for me to build as I wanted to, so the plan was for Guards red paint, eyebrow engine lid, blacked out window trim and handles, my 2007cc 48DRLA motor and split rim Empi 8's. Eventually I'd sell it with repro 8-spokes and a 1500 motor to fund some of the '51 build.
However, my cousin asked to buy the car for a surprise for her husband's birthday, but he prefers more stock looking cars, so now its Anthracite grey with a red basketweave interior. It's got the chrome trim in the windows and quarter lights, along the running boards and around the lights. But I can't ever build a stocker, so I've welded up the holes for the side trim and chucked the bumpers (put chrome T-bars on instead) and I'm using those repro 8-spokes to at least make it a bit Cal-Look!

Question is, what do I do for front indicators? The wings are Day Mouldings fibreglass ones, and were ordered without the wingtop indicator holes, as I had no intention of running anything other than Lucas indicators. But I've got this horrible feeling that my cousins husband will want to change the T-bars for bumpers, and if I put Lucas indicators on it'll leave two holes in the front wings that'll look awful. Not really my problem, I know, but still... 

So I've been looking at mounting some temporary indicators on the T-bars - a pair of stalk-mounted ones like thes ones below would be easy to mount and easy to get rid of if the new owner does want to put bumpers on, and they can use the late bumpers with the indicator mounted in them like Roland's '68. I could cover the wires with some of those rubber boots from the alternator and run the wires up through the bumper holes in the wings too.

Or do I make up a right angle bracket to fix to the T-bar, and mount some side repeater type indicators in them? Opinions please!

[Rennsurfer]

Too many options to list... but since you already have a set of clean front wings with no extra holes, it would be good to leave 'em be and allow the future next owner to do as he wishes. Which leaves the t-bar indicator route. The car turned out pretty nice, too. I remember when you posted some images of it as it was being painted. If he wants to drill and wire the car back to stock indicators, I would leave that up to him. The bodywork looks too clean and already painted to alter it at this juncture.

Just my 2¢.

[nicolas]

lucas, guards red, real 8 spokes, blacked out trim and keep it 

[Sam K]

I don't know if they're street legal or not, but I have seen headlights that have a small turn signal built into the bottom portion.

[Donny B.]

I don't know if they're street legal or not, but I have seen headlights that have a small turn signal built into the bottom portion.

Street Rodders in the U.S. have had them for some time now.  Some have the turn signal in the top of the light and when it is out you can hardly see it.  Check out Street Rodder Magazine adds.

[Neil Davies]

I don't know if they're street legal or not, but I have seen headlights that have a small turn signal built into the bottom portion.

Street Rodders in the U.S. have had them for some time now.  Some have the turn signal in the top of the light and when it is out you can hardly see it.  Check out Street Rodder Magazine adds.

I've thought about that too, but I've already got the headlamps sorted and changing them now would eat into the time and money I haven't got!

lucas, guards red, real 8 spokes, blacked out trim and keep it 

That's the next one! My brothers car will have all the things I didn't do on this!

Too many options to list... but since you already have a set of clean front wings with no extra holes, it would be good to leave 'em be and allow the future next owner to do as he wishes. Which leaves the t-bar indicator route. The car turned out pretty nice, too. I remember when you posted some images of it as it was being painted. If he wants to drill and wire the car back to stock indicators, I would leave that up to him. The bodywork looks to clean and already painted to alter it at this juncture.

Just my 2¢.

Thanks Mark, I'm quite pleased with it! I will have to get some better pictures of it at the weekend though - my camera on my phone just isn't good enough in low light. I'm glad you said not to go back to wingtop indicators - I really didn't want to start drilling the wings!

Which leaves me with the motorbike style stalk mounted indicators that would need a hole drilling through the T-bar and the wires running along the bottom of the bar, or a side repeater on a fabricated bracket. The bracket could hide the wiring too. Something like these?



They're self adhesive and only need a 3mm hole for the wire, so a bracket would be relatively simple to make too. And being clear lensed, they wouldn't be all that visible. What do you reckon?

[danny gabbard]

How about mounting inside headlights ?

[Wünderwolff]

How about mounting these stickers to where the Lucas would go? Then you run the cables (blacked out) to the headlightbuckets in a straight line (or shortest route to the fender beading). Won't look perfect, but still better than mounting them to the T-Bars.

[roland]

How about putting bumpers with indicators in them right now...

[ian c]

make a flat sheet , to fix between the t-bars .
put the numberplate and indicaotors on that

[nicolas]

How about putting bumpers with indicators in them right now...

that is so 'last year' 

[Rennsurfer]

Too bad that you've already taken care of the headlights... that would be a super easy fix; having the indicators within the reflectors of the headlights. I still have a Hella H4 motorcycle 7" round headlight with the provision for the extra bulb (city light). Got it when Auto Haus closed down... they were throwing it away! HAHA!!

But either one of the bolt-on indicator kits to the t-bars would suffice, Neil. That way, he can do whatever he wants when he acquires the car. That, or talk him into Lucas ones. To me, that would look really nice, since you've already dechromed the body. Another option he could opt for is use '68-'69 factory indicators. Would go rather nicely with those good looking tail lights.

Then there's the old '80s fix... use the Mexican style front bumper with the indicators. I've always liked those. But I've always wanted to add the factory German rubber strips where the black tape goes. Then, paint the bumpers to match the body paint. Good stuff!

[Mags]

Hi Neil,
Check Ultra VW des 2007,its was grey splitt,hi have hom made Turn signal T-Bars

Mags

[roland]

How about putting bumpers with indicators in them right now...

that is so 'last year' 

Haha, thanks.. really. Now i have to sell my car.

I think those turn signals are really ugly and will kill the look of the car. like braces on a really pretty girl...

[Neil Davies]

How about putting bumpers with indicators in them right now...

that is so 'last year' 

Haha, thanks.. really. Now i have to sell my car.

I think those turn signals are really ugly and will kill the look of the car. like braces on a really pretty girl...

I know exactly what you mean - I really want to go for Lucas indicators but I'm not sure my cousin will go for it. I think I'll have to e-mail her some photos to get her opinion. I had thought about the bumpers with the indicators but they're damned expensive - I'm already pretty much giving the car away! I don't want to do anything that ends up being irreversible.

Anyone got any good pictures of late models with Lucas indicators?

[roland]

Silly place, but still an awesome car:



Also I'd paint the t-bars black, think it would look much cooler...