Rectangular rear lights?

[drinksomewhiskey]

Hello,

 

Sorry if this might be a newbie question. What are these two rectangular rear lights (shown in the picture)? I see some cars with and some without them. Is it possible to remove them? I personally think it looks much nicer without those lights. Once removed, I imagine there will be holes in place of those lights?

 

PS: I am currently looking to buy an 02, and do not have my own to remove them and see whats on the other side!

 

Thank you,

DSW

[Healey3000]

Rear fog lights?

[Mike Self]

Those are reflectors.  Apparently the Federal Gummint decided that the reflectors that are part of the round tail light assembly didn't meet their safety requirements for reflective area, so the factory was forced to add additional reflectors--sometime around 1970.  They took the easy way out and used all those surplus, unlilt rear quarter panel reflectors they had in the parts bin when the same Feds decreed that rear side markers had to be illuminated, not just reflectors.  

 

And yes, if you remove 'em, they'll leave holes.  I wouldn't, though.  Roundies need all the help they can get in the rear side illumination department!

 

mike

[abe2002tii]

I do not think those are rear fog lights.  Usually the rear fog light is only on one side only...left.  I also saw another car where it had those two lights plus the rear fog light too.

abe

[drinksomewhiskey]

Thank you all. That makes a lot of sense as to why they are there in the first place. Does anyone have any pictures of the holes with those rear markers removed? Just curious to see it.


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[drinksomewhiskey]

Seems like it is a fog light??

https://shop.bmw-classic.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Classic-ClassicDE-Site/en_EU/-/EUR/ViewStandardCatalog-Browse;pgid=XsFgCXFuiy1SR0QXJYojPjIT0000V2W7aHXR;sid=pe70KxWjFJ9BLEybWEvScScDZL-fVdwwk3M=?CatalogCategoryID=fVigMkqlIYsAAAEzD0oEvcX1&AdditionalParameterName1=CatalogCategoryID&AdditionalParameterValue1=fVigMkqlIYsAAAEzD0oEvcX1


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[Conserv]

21 hours ago, drinksomewhiskey said:

Seems like it is a fog light??

https://shop.bmw-classic.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Classic-ClassicDE-Site/en_EU/-/EUR/ViewStandardCatalog-Browse;pgid=XsFgCXFuiy1SR0QXJYojPjIT0000V2W7aHXR;sid=pe70KxWjFJ9BLEybWEvScScDZL-fVdwwk3M=?CatalogCategoryID=fVigMkqlIYsAAAEzD0oEvcX1&AdditionalParameterName1=CatalogCategoryID&AdditionalParameterValue1=fVigMkqlIYsAAAEzD0oEvcX1


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Listen to Mike above.  Mike is the man.  Ignore these ridiculous info sources you're using.  Buy the McCartny book recommended by Simeon in one of your other threads.  Search on this forum, which is far and away the most definitive source of 2002 information.

 

My old-fart recommendation?  At this point, spend less time dreaming about your customization plans for the car and more time evaluating the car you're about to buy.  Get the best car -- that generally means the lowest rust car -- you can afford.  I'm suspecting -- and I'm admittedly often wrong -- that you haven't owned, driven, and restored a lot of 50 year-old-cars.  If I'm right, you'll want to focus now on the prospective purchase.  After you have a good car -- not one with lots of hidden rust -- you'll have plenty of time to make it the car of your dreams.  Anything is possible.

 

Good luck,

 

Steve

 

Edited June 9, 2017 by Conserv

[jscaptura1]

+1 on listening to Mike.  Those are indeed reflectors.  Let us know where on the east coast you are looking.  Possibly someone here can take a peek at it for you.  Good Luck!

[mbausa2001]

Drinksomewhiskey- your have find a gold mine when it comes to 02 knowledge.  I'm at awe how these folks take their time to comment on history of a reflector.  It is time to drink some knowledge! Good luck 

[John_in_VA]

If you remove the pair of reflectors on the rear panel., you'll be left with four screw holes in the rear panel = not too hard to repair.  My '70 had the same reflectors & rear side marker lights.  When I was having the car painted we removed the reflectors, cut holes in the rear panel for the side marker bulb bases, and moved the lights to the rear panel to help the car be seen better from behind.  Then we filled the original side marker holes.

 

I'd make sure the car ran & stopped before making cosmetic modifications.

[TobyB]

bwahahah for fog lights.

 

No, they were lasers- used to blind the drivers of Grosser Mercs that came flying up behind the lowly little '02s....

 

And they did show up sometime in 1970- but later, as Jenn's car, an earlier '70, didn't get them.

 

In other cars, they were there by 1970.

 

It's odd how imports seem to lag domestics in marker lights by about a year, back in those days.

 

t

 

[drinksomewhiskey]

 
Listen to Mike above.  Mike is the man.  Ignore these ridiculous info sources you're using.  Buy the McCarthy book recommended by Simeon in one of your other threads.  Search on this forum, which is far and away the most definitive source of 2002 information.
 
My old-fart recommendation?  At this point, spend less time dreaming about your customization plans for the car and more time evaluating the car you're about to buy.  Get the best car -- that generally means the lowest rust car -- you can afford.  I'm suspecting -- and I'm admittedly often wrong -- that you haven't owned, driven, and restored a lot of 50 year-old-cars.  If I'm right, you'll want to focus now on the prospective purchase.  After you have a good car -- not one with lots of hidden rust -- you'll have plenty of time to make it the car of your dreams.  Anything is possible.
 
Good luck,
 
Steve
 

I will look for that book. It's a great suggestion, thank you.


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[Dudeland]

14 hours ago, mbausa2001 said:

Drinksomewhiskey- your have find a gold mine when it comes to 02 knowledge.  I'm at awe how these folks take their time to comment on history of a reflector.  It is time to drink some knowledge! Good luck 

Bump!  these folks are the reason why I got a 2002. 

[MoBrighta]

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 10:06 PM, mike said:

....  Roundies need all the help they can get in the rear illumination department!

Amen to that!  Look around on the forum and you'll see much chatter about rear lights - and making them brighter.

One of the discussions is from me, after I got sick of being crunched from behind.

 

After my 1972 2002 was totaled five times, I invented the upgrade to:

(A) Be safe by helping sixth and subsequent idiots to avoid crashing into my car again;

(B) Make the lights in back look bigger, brighter, and easier to see - I boosted brakes, tails, and turns.

(C) Restore the silvery goodness in the old dull reflectors to project the light outwards instead of just warming up the light and the trunk.

 

Once you find a 2002 you like, let me know if you need help.  Square or round tails, I can help with either.

BTW- my avatar is my tail light only, no brakes applied.  Twice as big, three times as bright as stock tails when new, ten times better than 50 year old tails!

And when the brakes are on, it's WAY brighter.

 

Welcome to the forum, and good luck finding a nice car.

[drinksomewhiskey]

Amen to that!  Look around on the forum and you'll see much chatter about rear lights - and making them brighter.
One of the discussions is from me, after I got sick of being crunched from behind.
 
After my 1972 2002 was totaled five times, I invented the upgrade to:
(A) Be safe by helping sixth and subsequent idiots to avoid crashing into my car again;
( Make the lights in back look bigger, brighter, and easier to see - I boosted brakes, tails, and turns.
© Restore the silvery goodness in the old dull reflectors to project the light outwards instead of just warming up the light and the trunk.
 
Once you find a 2002 you like, let me know if you need help.  Square or round tails, I can help with either.
BTW- my avatar is my tail light only, no brakes applied.  Twice as big, three times as bright as stock tails when new, ten times better than 50 year old tails!
And when the brakes are on, it's WAY brighter.
 
Welcome to the forum, and good luck finding a nice car.

Wow, awesome thank you for that piece of knowledge! I will be contacting you. [emoji4]


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