I have a single Hella driving light assembly, that I had originally bought a while back (real cheap...for just the one) with intentions of mounting it on a motorcycle, below the main headlight. I never actually did it, and I've long since sold that particular bike...

The lens of the driving light is clear and oval shaped, roughly matching the size and shape of the blank foglight panel in my R53's rear bumper, as it turns out. This thing is about 4 inches deep with the plastic housing, and has a typical side-mounted, swiveling mounting bracket (for top or bottom mounting). I've never seen behind the bumper...I wonder if it would fit, and how hard it would be to mount? (The wiring part...one of the few things I'm actually good at...I can figure out myself.)

Has anyone done anything like this? ...Or at least, am I not the only one who is somewhat irked by a big conspicuous "dummy panel" staring back at me right smack dab in the middle of the back bumper??

 

On the 02 that spot was the back-up light and the housing for that was around 4 inches deep. It just snapped into the bumper from the rear.

There's some heat shielding back there blocking you view but you can safely bend that out of the way, and just bend back when you are done.

I'd probably look to glue something to the back of the bumper cover that would give me depth to tap some mounting screws. One concern tho would be to be careful of the heat the lamp puts out vs the bumper cover, the other concern would be the heat of the exhaust vs the light yo are mounting.

If you just want to fill the hole why not buy the back up light for the 02 which I expect would simply snap into place. On my 07 I really disliked the plugs in the rear where the rear fogs would go but I didn't have on the off-the-lot buy. So I bought the lenses and they popped in with virtually zero effort. I've never bothered to wire 'em cuz I simply don't need 'em 'cept for the look.... (we don't get much fog around here and when we do I don't go out!)



+ 5 minutes

 

There's plenty of room behind the bumper. The main issue you'll have is how to physically attach and secure the Hella.

If you just want to replace the blank, you can buy an OEM lamp that fits there. If you want red, get an '06 rear fog, or if you want clear get an '04 or earlier reverse light (both are the same size and fitment). Then you can wire it up as an extra brake or backup light. You could go even further and make a lamp that does both (and rear fog!) like I did.

 

I did it when the car was new.

Playmini offered a clear reverse light kit but I think they're out of business.

You could make your own with factory parts, too.

 

Thanks for the advice guys! RKW, that really is a pretty cool mod. I still like the idea of a considerably too-bright-to-be-legal spot light in that location, rather than either a stock rear foglight or stock pre-facelift reverse lamp (or both). I also recognize that the reverse lamp would be the cleanest and easiest install. I'm wondering if a brighter-than-standard bulb (maybe LED) could directly fit in that lamp? Alternatively, looking at the pics of that lamp, I also wonder if it wouldn't be too hard to modify/adapt my Hella's bracket to funtion like the snap-tabs on the stock lamp?

I guess it would help to explain that I plan to run this off a separate relay/switch so that I have total control of it's use (not simply to have a blindingly bright spot light come on each and every time I put the car into reverse, LOL).

 

To limit the watt draw, I think you should use LED's for all the back-uP's if you add an extra one....
A few folks have had the BCM burn out from possibly running an extra brake light bulb in each rear light. Edit...does not matter if you use a relay!!
You can buy a rear brake light to fit in the hole...
I think go-mini-go ( the same folks that make the 3rd brake light flasher)had the kits...the bumper is prewired in most cars...but lower voltage...

 

If the Hella is 55 watts, you should be using a relay and separate wiring anyway. It would be way cool if you figure out how to mount it.

 

Same, did it when the car was a few monthes old. It makes a big difference, especially helpful if you have any tint on your windows.

 

I went the opposite route with the rear fog light. But Outmotoring sells the clear reverse light wiring would be easy.

http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop..._lamp_kit.html

If your not comfortable cutting your stock harness

http://www.minicarparts.net/Parts/M6322.cfm