T2K-CAR

[85lebaront2]

Well, you're back in the hunt now.

Looking good, Bill!

One item the 1985 car had that this one didn't was cornering lights, those are really nice out here in the nether regions for avoiding large ditches when turning corners. The front fenders are actually the same stamping from 1982-1988 on the LeBaron K body. In 1986, the bumper was made deeper at the bottom so there are two plastic fillers on the bottom of the fenders and another wide piece of molding that carries the bumper contour to the edge of the wheel opening. This makes the front look quite a bit different.

I saved the undamaged 1985 fenders and will install them as it is easier to do that then it would be to cut the cornering light holes. I will probably have to drill at least two holes in them for the back of the upper bumper extension and two on the bottom front for the lower bumper extension.

I made a change in the wiring and the light socket (the left one vanished into the hole the 10mm sockets hide in) the original is the classic old bayonet base 1156 bulb, I had a pile of minivan front turn signal and parking light sockets for the newer 3157 snap in base bulbs. I had a 3156 and socket left over from the Taurus. I found that 4 of the minivan sockets were plastic with a rubber back that could be removed allowing the socket portion to be disassembled for cleaning. The 3157 has a narrow aligning slot (actually stepped) and the 3156 has a wide aligning slot. You could put a dual filament 3157 into a 3156 socket and only the bright filament would work. Since I will be using LEDs I wanted to modify the sockets for a single filament bulb. I disassembled one for testing and found with the brass contacts and their holder removed from the socket, I could get at the alignment slots. A bit of cutting, heat from a small soldering iron and I have a socket for a 3156 bulb.

I was able to obtain a left side light housing and bracket, but the light socket isn't shown in the parts list so I had to make at least one socket and since the original hung down almost to the bottom of the fender, the modified van ones are nearly flush with the light housing.

Original right side cornering light with socket.

Bottom view of the light showing the socket.

Bottom view with the modified minivan socket.

Unmodified minivan park and turn socket (BK/YL parking, LG turn, BK ground)

Modified minivan socket, note BK/YL is gone.

Now, a while back I mentioned I had found some new door strikers, they are for a minivan but the only difference is a 5/16 or 8mm hex on the back end of them.

[ArdWrknTrk]

One item the 1985 car had that this one didn't was cornering lights, those are really nice out here in the nether regions for avoiding large ditches when turning corners. The front fenders are actually the same stamping from 1982-1988 on the LeBaron K body. In 1986, the bumper was made deeper at the bottom so there are two plastic fillers on the bottom of the fenders and another wide piece of molding that carries the bumper contour to the edge of the wheel opening. This makes the front look quite a bit different.

I saved the undamaged 1985 fenders and will install them as it is easier to do that then it would be to cut the cornering light holes. I will probably have to drill at least two holes in them for the back of the upper bumper extension and two on the bottom front for the lower bumper extension.

I made a change in the wiring and the light socket (the left one vanished into the hole the 10mm sockets hide in) the original is the classic old bayonet base 1156 bulb, I had a pile of minivan front turn signal and parking light sockets for the newer 3157 snap in base bulbs. I had a 3156 and socket left over from the Taurus. I found that 4 of the minivan sockets were plastic with a rubber back that could be removed allowing the socket portion to be disassembled for cleaning. The 3157 has a narrow aligning slot (actually stepped) and the 3156 has a wide aligning slot. You could put a dual filament 3157 into a 3156 socket and only the bright filament would work. Since I will be using LEDs I wanted to modify the sockets for a single filament bulb. I disassembled one for testing and found with the brass contacts and their holder removed from the socket, I could get at the alignment slots. A bit of cutting, heat from a small soldering iron and I have a socket for a 3156 bulb.

I was able to obtain a left side light housing and bracket, but the light socket isn't shown in the parts list so I had to make at least one socket and since the original hung down almost to the bottom of the fender, the modified van ones are nearly flush with the light housing.

Original right side cornering light with socket.

Bottom view of the light showing the socket.

Bottom view with the modified minivan socket.

Unmodified minivan park and turn socket (BK/YL parking, LG turn, BK ground)

Modified minivan socket, note BK/YL is gone.

Now, a while back I mentioned I had found some new door strikers, they are for a minivan but the only difference is a 5/16 or 8mm hex on the back end of them.

Those Caravan lights are much lower profile.

As long as they are functionally equivalent I'd say it is an upgrade.

Bill, you are picking away at that Chrysler.

It will be a nice top down summer cruiser!

[85lebaront2]

Those Caravan lights are much lower profile.

As long as they are functionally equivalent I'd say it is an upgrade.

Bill, you are picking away at that Chrysler.

It will be a nice top down summer cruiser!

The actual light unit is the LeBaron one, the socket is all I was changing. I made a slight wiring change also. Chrysler had them wired so they worked all the time, even in daylight. I have the relay coils fed from the parking light circuit so they only work if the lights are on.

[ArdWrknTrk]

The actual light unit is the LeBaron one, the socket is all I was changing. I made a slight wiring change also. Chrysler had them wired so they worked all the time, even in daylight. I have the relay coils fed from the parking light circuit so they only work if the lights are on.

My bad. I did mean socket.

Our Canadian friends know all about DRL's, but it's interesting that a mid '80's LeBaron would have them.

 

[Gary Lewis]

My bad. I did mean socket.

Our Canadian friends know all about DRL's, but it's interesting that a mid '80's LeBaron would have them.

Well done, Bill!

As Jim said, you are going to have a cool drop-top cruiser one of these days.

[85lebaront2]

My bad. I did mean socket.

Our Canadian friends know all about DRL's, but it's interesting that a mid '80's LeBaron would have them.

Jim, it is not a daytime running light, it is located in the front fender ahead of the wheel and below the raised portion from the end of the bumper. Here is a picture of the 1985 car red circle is the left cornering lamp:

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim, it is not a daytime running light, it is located in the front fender ahead of the wheel and below the raised portion from the end of the bumper. Here is a picture of the 1985 car red circle is the left cornering lamp:

I guess I misunderstood "working all the time, even in daylight"

Sometimes I think I'd be better off with a horse.

[85lebaront2]

I guess I misunderstood "working all the time, even in daylight"

Sometimes I think I'd be better off with a horse.

Jim, it was partially my fault, I didn't clearly state the conditions. As built, the cornering lights (left or right) illuminate whenever the appropriate direction signal is selected, even in daylight. Since all lights on the 1990 harness I used are controlled by relays and the relay block is fully wired even if the car did not have that option, I simply moved the power source for the cornering light relays to the parking light feed so they will only illuminate if the lights are on.

Here is the right cornering light installed:

I actually managed to catch the turn signal illuminated, this is no running lights:

I couldn't catch the turn signal, but here is the cornering light during right turn signal with lights on:

The reason the marker and park/turn lights are brighter, they are LEDs, cornering light is a 3156 incandescent bulb.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim, it was partially my fault, I didn't clearly state the conditions. As built, the cornering lights (left or right) illuminate whenever the appropriate direction signal is selected, even in daylight. Since all lights on the 1990 harness I used are controlled by relays and the relay block is fully wired even if the car did not have that option, I simply moved the power source for the cornering light relays to the parking light feed so they will only illuminate if the lights are on.

Here is the right cornering light installed:

I actually managed to catch the turn signal illuminated, this is no running lights:

I couldn't catch the turn signal, but here is the cornering light during right turn signal with lights on:

The reason the marker and park/turn lights are brighter, they are LEDs, cornering light is a 3156 incandescent bulb.

It's just my incredibly literal autistic thinking.

You are always very specific and cognizant of how you phrase things Bill.

You're making good use of those relays.

And I'm guessing having one incandescent bulb negates the need for electronic flasher modules?

[Gary Lewis]

It's just my incredibly literal autistic thinking.

You are always very specific and cognizant of how you phrase things Bill.

You're making good use of those relays.

And I'm guessing having one incandescent bulb negates the need for electronic flasher modules?

Do they flash with the turn signals or just come on and stay on as long as the turn signal switch is depressed?