L581 & L637 rear lamp base fixing screws

[minortech]

I'm wanting to put original rear lamps on my 2a. The stop/tail lamp is the L581 and the flasher is the L637. The lamp bases were originally mounted with screws top and bottom. The Land Rover parts list describes these as 'drive screws' with the Part No 78135. I am having trouble sourcing information about these. Does anyone know what these screws are like?

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

I did mine a few weeks back. Google etc shouldn't be a struggle.  Try this, type 'Lucas L637' and this comes up:

https://www.lroe.co.uk/514143

Seems they come in various flavours, S/S if you like. Me, I bought some cheapo Sparco/Lucas reproduction lamps, these for the mounts, rubbers etc. Then went with gen, Lucas lenses. All via the bay of E. I got S/S screws with the £20 cheapo offerings. Whereas they want £5-6 just for 2 x screws bought as individual items. That'd be after delivery, £60 in screws to do the lot.

Which is pearls to swine here, screws are the only shiny thing on mine. I'd pay more for 'em rusty.

[minortech]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I reckon I'll also go down the reproduction unit route for some and replacing lenses with genuine. However, I was unsure about the type of screws for fixing the base to the body rather than the lens to the body. Fronts are fine as I'll use the RTC3745 plastic captive nut inserts. I'm just new to Land Rover ownership so I'm still getting my head round various aspects.

[scotty38]

When I swapped mine I just used the fasteners that were already there. Unless I'm missing something obvious can you not just do that?

[minortech]

The current lamps are later plastic ones with 3 rather rusty base screws. As I said, I'm new to LR ownership so I also didn't want to assume that what's there is correct! The lamps I intend to fit require two screws, one at the top  and one at the bottom and the holes in the body perhaps look bigger. I take it that it's a pan head self tapper I should be using?

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

Sorry to have the wrong end of the stick. I can see it's not how everyone sees it, to me a self-tapper is a self-tapper, if it fits and the lamp housing doesn't fall off,  I'd have it as 'boy-done-good'.

Yes, I know.

Keeps me, carefree, wind-swept and interestin'

Are you looking for something rivet-correct, others will know.

[diffwhine]

The current lamps are later plastic ones with 3 rather rusty base screws. As I said, I'm new to LR ownership so I also didn't want to assume that what's there is correct! The lamps I intend to fit require two screws, one at the top  and one at the bottom and the holes in the body perhaps look bigger. I take it that it's a pan head self tapper I should be using?

The chances are that the holes for the screws in the bodywork have enlarged over the years and you may struggle to get an original screw to fit. Most people just use a quality self tapper and if you are feeling really rich, a stainless one. That said, watch out because stainless screws are more brittle. If they jam going in or coming out, they can sheer. I just use normal self tappers and pop a blob of grease on the heads to stop the heads rusting. They aren't visible anyway. for lens to body screws, that's more of a challenge, but again, plenty of stainless options out there.

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

As DF says, occurs to me when I did mine, they'd clearly been off before, and the holes I had were larger with corrosion, and more numerous. You're very  lucky if the hole-centres line up anyway. I was forced to drill afresh. If rivet-correct is the aim here, I think you'll need extreme luck to get it.