Rear Fog Light Ideas

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Lately with all the fog here in Seattle I've been wary of tailgating SUVs
and minivan moms that are doing makeup on the freeway. It has made me wish
I could have rear fog lights. I'm aware that there is an extra red 
reflector lens in the US rear light assembly, in fact I've even put
tail light bulbs in the two for the fourth and fifth brake lights.... it
really helps the brake lights be visible to people behind me, especially
with my parking lights on which results in a wall of bright red. I should
really take those ugly mustang-looking black stripes off my tail lights,
and I would if they weren't cracked - I want a new set! :)

Anyway, I was trying to think of how I could keep the reflector lens from
melting as described by other listers who put brighter bulbs in their tail
lights... and I was thinking maybe a thick piece of glass, cut to a 3x3"
square or the size of the lens would be a good idea. Glass is an
insulator, so I would imagine it would keep the heat from affecting the
plastic so badly. I'd just need a thick enough piece, maybe two pieces.

My other choice would be to have someone in europe try and send me the
european lens and reflector assembly and fit it in my car. That would be
expensive and a bit of work because AFAIK the lenses are glued on and I'd
have to get the whole rear tail light assembly. Has anybody done this?
What was needed?

After I have that part taken care of, I was trying to decide how to keep
my extra brake lights and that reminded me of a tip Andre gave me a couple
months back which was to use a dual filament bulb for a front turn
signal/marker light and solder leads on to each of the two positive
connections, to use the dimmer filament for the tail lights and the other
for the brake lights. In this case, I could use the dimmer filament for
the brake lights and the brighter filament for the rear fog lights. Neat.

Of course I could also just wire in some diodes so my setup would be
identical to what I have right now (5 brake lights) when its not foggy,
and then have a switch that would turn on my normal brake lights all the
time when its foggy, and have my fourth and fifth brake lights come on
when I step on the brakes. Not very safe though...

If anyone wants to expand on these ideas, or help me figure out how to not
melt the lens I'd appreciate it.

Later,

-Toby

--
'87 Flash Silver Metallic Scirocco 16V

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