have any of you 79-85 Riv owners dug deep enough into your car to find the Transformer that lights up the side lights? these lights require too much power to run on 12v from the car, and there HAS to be a transformer somewhere to power these things.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
79-85 opera lights
- Thread author jase386
- Start date
Bikermike
Full Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2005
- Messages
- 62
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Apache Junction AZ
- Buick Ownership
- Roadmaster Limited
I had a 1980 Riv and the voltage inverter was in the trunk on the left hand side just below the speaker. This was part of the opera light system. In the early 80's around 81 or 82 they changed over to an internal inverter in the light assembly itself. The way to tell the dif. is when you look at the pins on the opera light itself, if there are 4, then it requires an external inverter, if there are only 2 then the inverter is inside. On the 4 pin lamp, I believe it is the 2 brown wires are in series on both lamps which feed the inverter. The 2 styles are not interchangeable. If you can not locate them (Which I had a rough time doing) I simply disassembled the light unit, removed the Luminescent strip yet left the filter in place. Drilled a small hole in the center of the unit, installed a miniature bulb From Radio Shack, Glued them back together , hooked them up to the 12 VDC source minus the inverter & viola, I had my opera lights back again. I was able to find them for the later version but not the earlier version 79-81 or 82.
Hope this helps
Mike
Hope this helps
Mike
Bikermike
Full Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2005
- Messages
- 62
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Apache Junction AZ
- Buick Ownership
- Roadmaster Limited
You might wish to check the Roadmaster page. I wrote a procedure with pictures on retofiting that one with LEDs, or send me a private message & I can give you detailed instructions on how I did it with my 80 Riv.
Mike
Mike
I have the same problem with my opera lights not working. Could you please post a link to the page with the LED conversion. I have the modle with the 2 pin, internal inverter style. If you could help, I would appreciate it dearly.
Kyle
Kyle
Bikermike
Full Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2005
- Messages
- 62
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Apache Junction AZ
- Buick Ownership
- Roadmaster Limited
Since I do not check the site as much as I used to if you have any questions, feel free to send me a private msg, & I'll get back to you asap.
Mike
Mike
Peoria
Buick Newbie
- Joined
- May 9, 2011
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Midwest
- Buick Ownership
- Buick Riviera
You might wish to check the Roadmaster page. I wrote a procedure with pictures on retofiting that one with LEDs, or send me a private message & I can give you detailed instructions on how I did it with my 80 Riv.
Mike
Hi Mike,
I have a 1979 Riviera with opera lights not working. Do you think the 1980 would be the same as my 1979? If so, could you give me detailed instructions on how to retrofit this? Thanks muchly.
Rod
 | ||||
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  | |||
