GeneralDisorder Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 I've known about these for a while, but just today I got one from my local yard. They are a bit hard to find, because they come from late 70's and early 80's Datsun Z cars. Got this one from a 280ZX this morning. It anchors with two bolts, and needs only a single hot lead (use a fuse) and grounds through the chassis. The lamp pulls out with about 4 feet of cord and it's a mini drop light! Complete with hanging hook. Way cool factor upgrade for those who off-road, or just like to see. After some searching, I found a few on ebay. Look for "Datsun Trouble Light" or "Datsun Trouble Lamp" or engine bay light, etc. Here's a few reasonable ones from the bay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DATSUN-280z-260z-240z-ENGINE-BAY-LIGHT-TROUBLE-LIGHT_W0QQitemZ330022434861QQihZ014QQcategoryZ42613QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (mis-labeled at a plymouth part ) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Original-1952-Plymouth-under-hood-small-trouble-light_W0QQitemZ190026908508QQihZ009QQcategoryZ42606QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1978-83-DATSUN-280ZX-HOOD-TROUBLE-LAMP_W0QQitemZ8014885954QQihZ019QQcategoryZ42613QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 Chevy vans have those too. Theirs coil back up with a crank and use a side marker bulb. Pick up one from any of the older full size vans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 CURSE YOU GD!!! just tonight i thought, "you know, i really need an under-hood light here..." and you make a post about it!! i click, eagerly wondering what youve found... and its just the same old zcar underhood inspection lamp i grew up using... sorry, but thats one of the first semi-unique or "cool" engineering ideas i ever knew.. (ie, the third eye headlight sorta thing) I remember being four years old and asking my dad about it and him telling me how unusual it was.. but to be honest, its not as useful as a good overhead engine bay light. it frequently fails to ground itself internally, and you have to hold the housing of the light against a chassis ground.. that, or it always needs to be held against chassis ground. either some of them get like that, or some of them are different, ive never looked into it too much, but its there on any Zcar from 1970-1983. if it had an inline six, L-series motor, (240 260 280Z, 280ZX) it had one of those. they ARE very useful, just often not too bright.. plus i think the one on MY zcar rather intelligently got the lens painted over, so its a bit dim, heh.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 it's still pretty cool.. my plan is to get 4 of the work lights for mounting on trucks and put them under the hood... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 yah i like it.. but my point was my bitter disappointment that he answered a rnadom question that bubbled to the top of my brain tonight, with an answer ive known about for decades. im only 25, there arent many things ive known for decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 3, 2006 Author Share Posted September 3, 2006 This one looks kinda ugly on the outside, but it must not have been touched much because inside it's nearly pristeen. Works great, and it's actually pretty bright. That could be the lamp I put in it. It's nice and shiny inside and I didn't even have to clean the contacts. It didn't have a lamp in it at all, which I found a little strange, but hey - can't be too picky. The grounding issue is easily solved with a little cleaning of the metal contacts. You are right tho, it's pretty primitively designed so corrosion is something that will always have to be dealt with. A little careful cleaning and a coat of dielectric grease can do wonders. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rllywgn Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 you can find those on MKII toyota supras (83?-86) they also have a crank for winding up the wiring after use.. not crazy bright but useful.. rllywgn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 just another of the 234,678,546.8 projects i never got around to in five years of daily driving my Z.. and two years of struggling to stay employed AND keep the soob on the road :-\ has anyone ever found a good source for a transplanted light for the entire engine bay at once?? i know alot of cars have them mounted on the underside of the hood, but only tonight began to think of finding a donor car for some sort of setup like that, to transplant onto ANY car that doesnt already have it... its just a matter of finding a switch thats easy to fit onto the soob, i guess.. but ive never looked at one. next JY trip, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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