RE: Alfa Spider Taillight Redesign

[Gilbert Gagne <gilgagne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All!
I never expected so many favorable replies both off-digest and on 
to the note on my new round LED taillights. Many people wanted more
details on sources, installation, filling holes, etc. So here goes:

The air deflector on Alfa Series 3 Spiders is attached by 4 small
 bolts thru the rear edge of the trunk lid. You can see the nuts under
the edge of the trunk lid. In addition, its also glued in place with
something resembling contact cement. The two curved end pieces are
also glued and bolted with two bolts with nuts accessible from inside
the trunk. Glue residue was especially difficult to remove but try 
acetone and scrapping. Since I was going to re-paint anyway the scrape
scratches were of no concern. I filled the holes with glass-filled
"Bondo" with a small patch of fiberglass cloth underside the trunk lid.
"Bondo" sticks best when everything is super clean. Sand off all rust
and use acetone to remove all fingerprints. 

Removing the taillights also leaves rectangular depressions on the 
rear edge of the fender where the side marker lights were. These were
also filled with the glass filled "Bondo". The fiberglass filling in 
the "Bondo" is much more resistant to shrinkage cracking than regular
"Bondo". As I am retired and seldom drive at night anymore I was not
concerned with side marker lights or the lack of backup lights. Early
Duettos, however, used small rectangular backup lights mounted under 
the bumper edge and this could be a solution for those needing them.

Removing the Alfa tailights leaves four large rectangular holes in the
Spider's back panel. These I covered on each side with a (9" x 16")
piece of heavy galvanized sheet metal. I think it was 18 gauge. Anyway
it measured .007" thick. I got it for free as scrap from a sheet metal
and ducting contractor. You will have to trim them to fit and cut holes
 to mount the new taillights. I cut the holes by screwing the 
panels to a scrap piece of plywood and cutting with a hand-held jig 
saw. I then pre-drilled them all around with 1/8" holes spaced about
1" apart for pop rivets. CAREFULLY countersink each hole and use 
aluminum pop rivets with steel pulls. This will snug the rivet into
the countersunk depression and you can then grind off anything above
the level of the panel. Before securing the panels, clean everything
carefully with acetone and use "Bondo" behind the panels in addition
to pop rivets. This will prevents cracks from appearing where the 
panels meet the Alfa sheet metal. I suppose regular steel panels 
could have been welded in place but I don't have that type of 
equipment or skills. After the panels have been secured, more 
"Bondo" can be used to cover up the pop rivets and panel edges. 

The round tailights were purchased from a local truck parts store and 
their catalog carried the brand name Truck-lite Co. and a web address:
TRUCK-LITE.COM  1-800-562-5012. They have 17 extra bright LEDs and 2
modes: Brake and Tail and have a 3-pin waterproof connector. The 
connections are Brake, Tail, and Ground. I connected the two "Tails"
together on each side to the corresponding tailights wires on the 
Alfa connectors. Since the Alfa uses different bulbs for "brake" and 
"direction" I wired the middle "brake" lights to the direction circuit
and the end "brake" lights to the Alfa's brake circuit. This sounds 
more complicated than it really is. The part numbers are:
Trim ring (stainless)     44705   list $3.39
Led light                 44032R      $24.04
Plug (3-wire)             94706        $4.95
You'll need four of each. I mounted mine with 1 1/2" 4-40 oval head
stainless steel phillips screws with stainless nuts and washers. These
were available at my local Bolt & Nut store for pennies. The lights
don't come with gaskets and you will have to make these yourself.
One alternative is to seal the lights to the panel with clear
silicone RTV after painting but that will make them hard to remove.

Before attaching the galvanized panels to the rear of the Alfa, mount
the lights in the panels and check for interference between mounting
screws and connectors and the inner panels where the Alfa lights were
mounted. I had to trim some inner sheet metal on my installation so
the original lights will not go back without some reconstruction.

In case you did not see the pictures of my Alfa previously posted,
they are available from space on my Internet Service Provider's
site at:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/g/i/gilgagne/spi-frnt.jpg and
http://bellsouthpwp.net/g/i/gilgagne/spi-rear.jpg 

I'll be pleased if someone sends me a picture of their installation
and comments on the procedure.

Gil
1985 Spider
Port Orange, FL
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