Fog lights / driving Lights on 65s?

[Guest Mr Jones]

I had seen quite a few images on 63 and 64 Rivieras with added, presumably aftermarket fog/driving lights but a similar search for 65s yielded nothing.

Has anyone tried this with success?

It seems to me a pair of rectangular units appropriately placed could look quite good.

 

Has this ever been discussed before?

[Seafoam65]

                In my opinion (just my opinion) putting fog lights on the front of a 65 Riviera is akin

to drawing a beard on the face of the Mona Lisa, or perhaps  adding a likeness of Mr Potato Head

to Mount Rushmore. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[arnulfo de l.a.]

Very well stated!

[Guest Mr Jones]

4 hours ago, Seafoam65 said:

                In my opinion (just my opinion) putting fog lights on the front of a 65 Riviera is akin

to drawing a beard on the face of the Mona Lisa, or perhaps  adding a likeness of Mr Potato Head

to Mount Rushmore. 

 

 

I like the analogy!

 

Meanwhile I did find one image from what I think is a resto-mod from the UK. 

http://car-from-uk.com/sale.php?id=17921

 

 

I missed this one earlier as the front was in so much shadow.

I enhanced the image in PS and added one of a 64 from a Hemmings find of the day for side to side comparison and comments/opinions.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2017 by Mr Jones
web link (see edit history)

[KongaMan]

IMHO, the way to do this is to install real headlights in place of the low beams, then repurpose the high beams as running lights.  You'll need a new harness to do this, but there's much benefit to replacing the stock harness anyway.

[petelempert]

Not generally a fan of the idea. But to me if you got a set of vintage Marchal chrome fog lamps and mounted them up front it might convey some sixties upscale euro Alps apres ski vibe. Like something Honor Blackman aka "Pussy Galore" might have driven in Goldfinger. I'm just saying. PRL
 

[Black River]

If what you're after is increased safety for night driving, get an led light bar or a couple small ones and put them behind the grille. No unsightly lights sticking out ruining your car's design and you'll light up the night like a Roman candle. Working on this on mine right now. Lots of room behind that grille for pretty much whatever you can imagine.....

[Guest Mr Jones]

3 hours ago, Black River said:

If what you're after is increased safety for night driving, get an led light bar or a couple small ones and put them behind the grille. No unsightly lights sticking out ruining your car's design and you'll light up the night like a Roman candle. Working on this on mine right now. Lots of room behind that grille for pretty much whatever you can imagine.....

 

 

I had considered something like this, so thank you for the encouragement.  I don't yet what I will do, if anything, as the car is new to me and I am exploring all the possibilities.

[JZRIV]

I know this is just personal opinion but think any change or addition to the front end of a 65 would hurt the appearance. It was outstanding work by the designers not different than a piece or artwork by a famous artist. I like the suggestion by Kongaman. You get brighter lights without disturbing the exterior iconic appearance. 

[oldstyle]

I haven't done it but there are plenty of different lights you could use.  Your car, do what you like.

[Hazdaz]

Anyone else notice that when taking a turn at night, basically no light shines to the front of the car on the sides?  

 

Now that it's getting darker sooner, I've noticed taking a few turns and I'm basically turning blind because the headlights are still pointing forward so I totally can't see what the turn looks like.  Using the high beams helps a little, because it's a wider area of light, but you can't be driving with high beams all the time.

 

I wonder if fog lights would help with this.  Or would it just be easier to replace the regular headlights with LEDs or other more modern lighting tech.  

 

I can't be the only one who has noticed this issue.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Hazdaz (see edit history)

[Seafoam65]

                 Modern cars have wrap around headlamps that illuminate the sides......60's cars do not. They are simple rudimentary

machines that require a driver's utmost attention. They  don't park themselves and if you play around on your smart phone and crash your car,

the air bags are not going to save you. No back up cameras, cup holders, anti-lock brakes, or heated seats. Yes  I have noticed that it is not

like driving my late model cars and that's what I love about the Riviera so much.

[RivNut]

In 63 and 64, there was a cornering light option. It was built into the turn signal housing.  The holes are in ALL housings. If the option wasn't installed, the holes were filled with plastic plugs.  You could use these holes for driving/fog/cornering lights.  If you have a 65, you probably don't have this option.  After 65, cornering lights were built into the fenders.

[Seafoam65]

                     Ed, that sounds like a great way to get more lighting without modifying the look of the car.......should be pretty

easy to do and nobody would be the wiser.  One reason why the sides are so dark on a 63 and 64 is that the headlamps are so far inboard

from the sides of the car. The  65's headlamps are right out there on the corners so lighting is better on the sides when turning. Another thing

Hazdaz could do is go for a conversion and mount the headlamps behind the park lenses and install a 65 type grill.

[60FlatTop]

One of the best things you can do for lighting on first generation Rivieras is change that 50 year old dimmer switch before it gives its last click.

 

Go ahead, ask me how I know.

Bernie

[KongaMan]

1 hour ago, 60FlatTop said:

One of the best things you can do for lighting on first generation Rivieras is change that 50 year old dimmer switch before it gives its last click.

 

One of the best things you can do is swap out the factory harness for one that draws power for the lights through relays rather than the dash switch.

[Hazdaz]

Rivnut, that sounds like a plan.  I'll take apart the corner housing and see what I can do, but since it's open like a grill, I should be able to figure something out.