Cadillac Lenses for Drifters

Started by Trall, June 12, 2020, 06:20:20 AM

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53Indian

Fitted a pair of these to my Electra Glide, not too difficult and look the part


Trall

#18
Quote from: capnconch on April 29, 2021, 08:53:50 AM

I put '59 caddy tail lights on my 1500 it was great for while but with the weight of them it turned out to be a bit of a problem that required frequent attention. I went to chrome bullet style tailights with cool retro fins on them.

UPDATE-  Since adding the Caddy tail lights last riding season, I am having the same issues with them moving, up or down after a ride.  Last ride one side was pointed downward almost.  Haven't had anytime to figure anything out to remedy from rotating......The Caddy lights look awesome just need a fix from rotating.

If you have a pics/link to who sells your chrome bullet with cool fins sounds cool?


vandor


chief

Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500



chief

Quote from: capnconch on April 29, 2021, 08:53:50 AM

I put '59 caddy tail lights on my 1500 it was great for while but with the weight of them it turned out to be a bit of a problem that required frequent attention. I went to chrome bullet style tailights with cool retro fins on them.

That's a problem several modders have had with the heavy long caddy lights. I think we have a either a mod or a post where someone "fixed" that problem with some supporting hardware.

Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

capnconch

I put '59 caddy tail lights on my 1500 it was great for while but with the weight of them it turned out to be a bit of a problem that required frequent attention. I went to chrome bullet style tailights with cool retro fins on them.

RIDE A HARLEY YOU RIDE WITH THE MASSES....
RIDE A DRIFTER YOUR RIDE WITH THE CLASSES.
Capn' Conch

greenbarn

Those look great.   Glad it turned out for you.

No Worries

Trall

#10

Thx.

Also I forgot the Drag specialist chrome standoffs need a Allen wrench for the screws for turn signal lights.
The issue is the two Allen wrench screws are in a very difficult tight spot and hard to get to. The bottom screw was tougher to get to then the top screw.
So I had two problems first thing is the Allen wrench took forever to tighten them down.  I had to bend my Allen wrench in an angle to get it to fit and tighten. The second issue was the screws that came with one side worked the first time then after removing them and then re-tightening screws it wasn't biting the second time.  So I went to the local hardware store and bought the next length screw 10/20 Thread, 1" screw size up to bite more and tighten better.
Those worked fine.

If anyone does the same set up in the future buy an offset Allen wrench set to make the job a lot quicker.  I just Bought this set off Amazon.


mittico68

They look cool on your scoot.
Great job!

I love my swingin' bike!

Trall

#8

Well, I get them installed. I kept them as incandescent Caddy lights the way they come.
Summary of install-

Followed Greenbarn's write up.

My basic drill press and holesaw would not cut a clean proper aluminum spacer with the 1/4 inch flat stock.

So, I took him to a local machine shop and they used their water jet machine to cut up my aluminum spacers. They were pricey and the bill was 250 bucks. From the flat stock I had they made me four spacers. I have two extras now, if I ever got a future Drifter or if anybody wants to pay half the cost and buy them.

I got the Caddy lights, Drag Speciality items that Greenbarn suggested from eBay. See pic. The chrome signal standoff make sure to order two. Also used 1 1/2" washers as Greenbarn did. My 3/8" Bolts were  2 1/2" with a locking nut.

I painted my spacers metallic maroon.

My Caddy lights wiring came with a red wire and the green wire going to Dual filaments incandescent lightbulbs that came with it.

The green wire pulls right out and just left the red wire behind making it back into using single filament with the dual filament bulb. The Drifter is a Single filament original one. Red wire goes to the 2001 Drifter gray wire for power. I added the green wire to the drifter black wire with yellow line which is the ground.  I then added a ring connector and adding my ring connected to the screw that mounts the Caddy base housing screw that mounts to the aluminum spacer. That makes my ground complete.
After install was complete And test drive my caddy lights would slightly lower downward from riding. Had the same problem with the stock lights they would rotate downward even though the bolt and nut was cranked down as tight as I could get it.

So to remedy I was going to use some gorilla glue on inside of bolt thats inside the factory's housing sleeve.
Could not find my gorilla glue so I just used a light coating of JB Weld to prevent the bolt and light housing from rotating downward  from road vibration.

After that, it fixed the issue and kept them in place.

The Cadillac lights  was on my bucket list of Drifter mods for the past couple years.  After seeing several Beautiful Drifters on this forum have them.

They look incredible.  I wished I would've done it sooner

Just art deco awesomeness.  Thanks Greenbarn for your write up.

Happy Independence Day!!!

P.S.  Iam not a wiring expert but I could've simply wired the green and red wire from the Cadillac Light together since it's a dual filament lightbulb and spliced it into the drifter gray Power wire. Then add wire and run the drifter black wire with yellow line ground to the same spot I did as outlined above.   The only difference if I did that would be the blinker would have both filaments lighting up when turns activated.  It's bright enough just running single way like I did it but that's an alternative way.


Trall

Quote from: Old Drifter on June 22, 2020, 19:56:44 PM

Great to see that you're still around Trall! Good luck with your Caddy lenses, I know you can get it done!

Hey, Good to see you here too.  Working mainly 40 hours work weeks now and not working 60 plus work weeks, like the past 5 years.....A little more time for family, kids, grandkids, and of course the Drifter's.....Oh almost forgot wife too....In that order.....LOL...


Old Drifter

Quote from: Trall on June 22, 2020, 12:46:49 PM

Iam waiting on the materials. The Caddy lights came but waiting on everything else.

My plan is to use a drill press and hole saw to get them to fit. Fine tune with grinder if needed.

Will post updates once completed.

Thx

Great to see that you're still around Trall! Good luck with your Caddy lenses, I know you can get it done!
Gene

1999 Drifter

Trall

Iam waiting on the materials. The Caddy lights came but waiting on everything else.

My plan is to use a drill press and hole saw to get them to fit. Fine tune with grinder if needed.

Will post updates once completed.

Thx


greenbarn

Did you figure out a way to make the aluminum plates the correct diameter, without the lathe?  Like we talked, a drill press (or even hand drill in a vice) can be made to spin the plates and you can grind them down with a flap wheel on a grinder or something ... lots of ways to skin the cat.

Keep me posted

No Worries

Trall

https://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/mods/Caddielights/writeup75.pdf

Yes I'm going to give it a go and try Greenbarn's write up to install.

This past year I was working 20 Hours overtime each week and this year I've done only  20 hours for the whole year so I got more time on my Hands the try.

It's been on my bucket list of mods to do for my Drifter.

Thx, Wish me luck.


chief

I assume you read this... there are several ways to do it and some are pretty easy.

https://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/caddytaillight.html

Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

Trall

#1

Their some awesome Awesome Drifters on this site with Cadillac Lenses.

Any Fabricators or Machinist doing the mod. and making the required adapters to install them?

Beyond my skill level.....If so PM me and I would happily pay you to make me a set of adapters for my Drifter 1500. 


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