R taillight specs - help please

[Matthew Barnes]

Can anyone give me the specs on correct R taillights: width at base in particular.

I have a set of assemblies, and while the outer shape fits, the inner moulding is too wide for the opening on account of the SWB pressings in the housing. I'm loathe to adapt the pressings as they are original and largely untouched.

Appears the lenses in my assemblies are too big?
Mine are 73mm. The opening is 73.5.





If I can get correct size lenses I'll adapt the fbg assemblies and save myself a bunch of cash.

[chris_seven]

The SWB Tail Lamp Housing is a slightly different to the LWB Tail Lamp Housing as it curves outward slightly in a vertical direction away from the rear wing.


I think the problem is compounded as IMHO the 911R had the steel buckets removed to save weight and the fibreglass housings were bonded in place - but this is because early photos of the 911R never show any screws holding in the housings.

If you try to install the majority of the available housings into a SWB shell with the steel buckets in place, as you have discovered they just don't fit.

The next problem will be the size of the plastic base/bulb holder. This is usually fitted by being sandwiched into place using the lens.

When the festoon bulb fails or falls out it is a misery to change.

Here in the UK we use a Red stop/tail and orange turn lamp and fit a stainless steel base into the housing.

Once this is fitted into place the lens screws top the plate and a B1/B2 bayonet bulb is easy to change as the lens is screwed to the stainless plate.




With the correct housing which are made to suit the SWB shape and the above mods you can make them fit without removing or mucking about with the steel bucket but it is tricky.

Here is one fitted to a 1967 shell.

[Matthew Barnes]

Thanks Chris.

Your description of the R bucket makes sense.
Probably more like the later cars where there was just a brace along the bottom and the bucket was left open at the bottom?

Kind of like these...off a mid 70s car I think.



The construction of the assemblies I have is as per your description,



and they fit the later housings.



The internal spaces are the limiting factor with my 1967, not the outer, which is weird because the SWB indicator housings are shorter in height than the LWB lenses???

TRE and others sell R lenses and housings with the note: "For SWB cars some trimming of the vertical edges required".

So unless the actual 'correct' size lenses are smaller in diameter than the ones I have (73mm) the only alternative would be to cut and alter my amazingly preserved buckets?

Here is a rough drawing of the dimensions (please excuse half-eaten toast)