Rear lights

[sibo]

Hi,new to forum and looking for a chim (4.5 or 5.0).Is it hit or miss on the 97/98 model whether you get the rear light upgrade? I've seen a few cars - some seem to have it and others not....
cheers.

[stegefal]

There was a post on this a while ago, where someone suggested that they had visited the factory at the roughly the time they were changing over and they had both types of body shell in. Suggesting that they were turning out both the old and new body styles at the same time.

There will be someone who will be along shortly to give a more knowlegable reply.

[tvrbob]

Yes there is a mix & match over this period. Similarly the boot hinges finally disappeared completely during '99 but I have seen a 2000 car with exposed hinges.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

stegefal said:

There was a post on this a while ago, where someone suggested that they had visited the factory at the roughly the time they were changing over and they had both types of body shell in. Suggesting that they were turning out both the old and new body styles at the same time. There will be someone who will be along shortly to give a more knowlegable reply.

That was me. Was February 98.

>> Edited by 2 sMoKiN bArReLs on Thursday 9th March 18:49

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

[sibo]

So chims with the upgrade would be mid to late '98 onwards

[E2DJH]

Mine is Sept 98 with the new lights, although as discussed, it seems like there was a period of several months during which both formats were produced. Good luck with your search

[zippee]

Mines a 97 P, registered in March of that year and has the quad lights!

[sibo]

Thought I had seen a couple of '97's but usually 4.0 not 4.5 or 5.0...

[razorman]

zippee said:

Mines a 97 P, registered in March of that year and has the quad lights!

That's wierd because mine is a 97 R registered in December and has the old style lights! Are you sure that yours wasn't converted?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

zippee said:

Mines a 97 P, registered in March of that year and has the quad lights!

I reckon that's been altered then

At the motor show in the October 97 they had the old lights.

[adrian@]

There are so many retro fitted quad lamp cars out there (I used to own the very first MK11 chimaera which had retro fit quad lamps a 500 on a P plate) what I think what gives the game away is the change from flush fitting number plates rather than the later sunken type as shown in the photo.
Adrian

>> Edited by adrian@ on Friday 10th March 08:06

[trin0091]

finally picked mine up from the West Country (my girl is a doc and thinks i now have a palsey because I can't shake off the grin!!!!)
It's a 450 registered 03/98 and it has the earlier rear lights and number plate but facelift everything else. It took me an age to find one like this (i think the rear lit number plate is the muts nuts). I didn't mind which lights it had, think they both look good when dark smoke finished.
This is the latest 450 I've seen with the earlier rear end
matt

[sibo]

Sounds like the sort of thing i'm looking for.

[cic450]

Sounds like mine. Chim 450, 1998 'R' reg Old stlyle rear end but upgraded other.
And it's up for sale!
See profile for pic.

cic.

[sibo]

Hi cic450, you'll have to mail me with details and price.
thanks

>> Edited by sibo on Friday 10th March 18:40

[anonymous-user]

Mine is a 4.0 built in late 97 registered on 1 Jan 98, and has the backlit plate/old style rear lights.