Under bonnet light

[2tmike]

My '73 plus 2 130/5 looks as if it had an underbonnet light fitted at some time on the drivers side inner wing ( 2 neatly drilled holes and a 'shadow mark' in the paint). The wiring diagram shows a lamp and switch but I cant see any evidence of a spare wire in that location and any indication of where the switch might have been. How would this have originally been connected and switched and is there a source for the lamp itself ?
Thanks
Mike

[alanr]

Yes from about '71 S130 onwards they should have two fitted, one on each inner wing, controlled by a courtesy light type switch mounted on the front leading inner edge of the bonnet.
They are usually stocked by at all the usual suppliers.
Here you go:-
https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and- ... 0M0020.htm
I disconnected mine!

Alan.

[2tmike]

Interesting comment on the SJS link saying 'not used with revised electrics' which I take to mean on the later cars ?

[alanr]

They are just too mickeymouse/temperamental to be useful.
You have to disconnect every time you take the bonnet off and then sometimes they stick on and have the potential to flatten your battery. More trouble than they are worth imho. You can't see anything with them, they aren't powerful enough.That is why I disconnected mine and just left the lamps in place.

Alan.

[Steve Brooks]

Hi,guys.according to the workshop manual page 118,revised electrics used after May 72. My October 72 has the new revised one.

[2tmike]

yes, revised electrics are on mine so maybe the under bonnet light was added by a PO and then removed. I'm not bothered about having it as I can understand that it will be pretty useless as a light given its position, just the 2 holes being there are niggling, a bit like blanked off accessory switches on a dashboard !!!

[alan.barker]

Yes from about '71 S130 onwards they should have two fitted, one on each inner wing, controlled by a courtesy light type switch mounted on the front leading inner edge of the bonnet.
They are usually stocked by at all the usual suppliers.
Here you go:-
https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and- ... 0M0020.htm
I disconnected mine!

Alan.

As i understand the +2S 69 and 70 had them. Also the early +2S130 then changed on later +2S130/4 and +2S130/5 had a single Light centre of Flange on Bonnet at back. This was done when Fuse Box moved to Dash Ashtray position.
Alan
Alan

[andyelan]

Hi everyone

According to the Lotus wiring diagram the revised electrics, with 4 fuses in the center of the dashboard, were introduced from car unit number 720507322L onwards. These cars had a single engine bay light.

On my car, which is a late 1973 Plus2 S130/5 the light looks like this. I like to keep it for the sake of originality but, as already stated, it's not actually much use hence I don,t have it wired up.

Regards
Andy

[TonyA]

I removed the courtesy toe psh switch from the leading edge of my bonnet, where it scratched and caught, and instead mounted an on off switch to the inner wheel arch between the relays and the wiper motor . See photo. Switch was from Halfords and I made a small 'top hat ' section mounting plate in stainless..

I made and mounted the same on the steel frame of the boot lid for the boot light, removing the fiddly courtesy switch...Tony

[TonyA]

Second attempt at sending engine bay lights switch photo..!

[mikealdren]

Hi everyone

According to the Lotus wiring diagram the revised electrics, with 4 fuses in the center of the dashboard, were introduced from car unit number 720507322L onwards. These cars had a single engine bay light.

On my car, which is a late 1973 Plus2 S130/5 the light looks like this. I like to keep it for the sake of originality but, as already stated, it's not actually much use hence I don,t have it wired up.

Regards
Andy

Agreed, my 1970 car has two lights (like the puddle lights) set into the bodywork at the side of the engine bay, my 1972 car has the light on the trailing edge of the bonnet giving much better lighting of the engine bay.

[Harvey]

I think I must have one of the last Plus 2S's made (April 1971) which may have overlapped the start of the Plus 2S-130 production. It has the twin engine compartment lights referenced earlier in this post.

Lee