Smoked O/S tail light: need one!
Smoked O/S tail light: need one!
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2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Monday 8th February 2010
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Found this thing has got a crack in it. God only knows!!!! mad. Dunno if it can be fixed by allowing some form of adhesive to migrate along its length to make for an invisible repair; I doubt it.

So, I may need to find a replacement N/S smoked Chav GSI tail light; I think they're scarse so can anyone help out here?

FlipFlopGriff

7,144 posts

276 months

Monday 8th February 2010
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2Munkys said:
Found this thing has got a crack in it. God only knows!!!! mad. Dunno if it can be fixed by allowing some form of adhesive to migrate along its length to make for an invisible repair; I doubt it.

So, I may need to find a replacement N/S smoked Chav GSI tail light; I think they're scarse so can anyone help out here?
Bruce,
Try ebay, usually a few on there.
FFG

2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Monday 8th February 2010
quotequote all
Yea, done that Paul and I've a couple of questions out there with the sellers. Unfortunately I have the rare smoked GSI 2000 items. I contacted Wards Vauxhall and will have to pop round for the item confirmation. They do have a tinted GSI 2000 item listed but it's no longer a stock item so a branch search will need to be done.

Bet it's a right faff of a job too.

Green Meanie

484 posts

247 months

Monday 8th February 2010
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Hi Have you tried these people.


http://www.vaux-world.com/

G.M

clive f

7,259 posts

262 months

Monday 8th February 2010
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let me know how you get on Bruce, I had one of mine brak last year, and had to replace with the normal ones, but would like a pair of smoked if available anywhere.

It is an easy enough job to do, sharp knife to cut out the old sikaflex,and inside the boot pull back the carpet around the light unit, and remove the 4 self taper screws, and prise it out.

LordGrover

34,164 posts

241 months

Monday 8th February 2010
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Isn't a junior hacksaw or file needed to make it fit?

clive f

7,259 posts

262 months

Monday 8th February 2010
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LordGrover said:
Isn't a junior hacksaw or file needed to make it fit?
yep, just a tad off in one corner.yes

how are you Ian old chap?

LordGrover

34,164 posts

241 months

Monday 8th February 2010
quotequote all
clive f said:
LordGrover said:
Isn't a junior hacksaw or file needed to make it fit?
yep, just a tad off in one corner.yes

how are you Ian old chap?
Glorious old chap, thanks for asking. wink

Still rather envious of your engineering masterpiece - can't wait to see it now it's complete. Looking forward to the pre-Growl meet. thumbup

2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Tuesday 9th February 2010
quotequote all
Thanks for the help. As I thought, they are unobtailable; those you'd approach through TVR circles hadn't sourced anything in months. I tried most of the Vauxhall breakers without success. Vauxhall themselves have the item listed but its deleted from stock. 'Ward Vauxhall' have yet to come back to me with the result of a nationwide stock check. Maybe Opel Germany would be a source for those in need

However, Googling the part number I'd been given I, by chance, managed to secure what must be the only item in the U.K. It was sat on a shelf someplace in Leicester and as such was offered at £23 as opposed to £89. I'm gonna wait until it's here in my hands today before I make further comment. I'd be gutted after the jubilation of yesterdays telephonic success if it's wrong. Believe me, if there had been more I'd have snapped them up to keep them within these circles. I think I need to get myself some of those rear quarter protectors you see fitted to 4x4's.

T5GRF

2,035 posts

293 months

Tuesday 9th February 2010
quotequote all
Just a thought and appreciate that a replacement will be the best option but is it not possible to apply some kind of tint to the standard rear lights to achieve the same?



Edited by T5GRF on Tuesday 9th February 11:00

2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Tuesday 9th February 2010
quotequote all
T5GRF said:
Just a thought and appreciate that a replacement will be the best option but is it not possible to apply some kind of tint to the standard rear lights to achieve the same?



Edited by T5GRF on Tuesday 9th February 11:00
It's what I'm gonna attempt if what turns up is not what I hope it is.

2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Wednesday 10th February 2010
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2Munkys said:
I'm gonna wait until it's here in my hands today before I make further comment. I'd be gutted after the jubilation of yesterdays telephonic success if it's wrong.
It's here! It's the right item! Woohoo for mewoohoo

Could this the last new smoked rear lens in the u.k?

I'll snap some shots off if I get around to fitting it this weekend.

Del 203

12,728 posts

278 months

Wednesday 10th February 2010
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This will help match up your old one Bruce wink



2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Thursday 11th February 2010
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O.k, the item on the left is the smoked GSI light (Vauxhall P/N 90350307) which is pretty much unavailable. The item on the right I got from e.bay and is Vauxhall P/N 90511523. They're both smoked and the latter is the 'face-lifted' varient.

Both these items appear identical in dimension and fitting and I'll confirm this when I get around to the swap. The only visible difference is the black plastic strip along the bottom (which may look good on a black car?) and the reverse/indicator strip is convex with a much nicer finish.

My thought behind this being that though you'd need a pair there may be stock of the latter item; I've got an enquiry with Vauxhall at this moment. The smokes certainly suit the black and darker cars such as mine; other than that it's red lenses I'm affraid or some of the ghastly 'Max-Power' tat!

Edited by 2Munkys on Thursday 11th February 14:05

2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Thursday 11th February 2010
quotequote all
Thanks for those shots Quinny. The one I have on the right is smoked; dunno about the one in the lower photo of yours? I'm gonna hang 'em both in place and take some photo's because if the 'facelifted' smokes are available it may be an option for others to consider with the GSI's being such a rarity. smile

Slacey

1,113 posts

243 months

Friday 12th February 2010
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Could the strip be easily painted body colour or would it look odd?

2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Friday 12th February 2010
quotequote all
Slacey said:
Could the strip be easily painted body colour or would it look odd?
I guess it could be painted body colour but it'd be separated from the body by the black strip of Sikaflex.

Slacey

1,113 posts

243 months

Friday 12th February 2010
quotequote all
2Munkys said:
Slacey said:
Could the strip be easily painted body colour or would it look odd?
I guess it could be painted body colour but it'd be separated from the body by the black strip of Sikaflex.
True, never thought of that. Probably best left black then!

IPAddis

2,525 posts

313 months

Friday 12th February 2010
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The amber filter can be removed from the original GSI items, which together with some Philips Silver Vision indicator bulbs leave an amber-free light cluster. I don't think you can do that with the later units.

Ian A.

2Munkys

Original Poster:

1,228 posts

266 months

Monday 15th February 2010
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Job done! For those who've not undertaken this task don't be daunted because it can be done in a couple of hours or less dependent upon how much of a nincompoop you are.

Once the bulb holder has been unclipped the light unit is held in place with four screws. After some careful work with a craft knife through the Sikaflex the unit will plop out. There's a bit of trimming to do at the top and bottom inner corners of the replacement unit before it will adopt the correct position within the body.



At the expense of PH server space I snapped off some shots of the OE item and the 'Facelift' varient as a comparison. Note that the item is not fully seated and will adopt a position a good 1/8" into the body when held in place with the screws:






Again, Note that in the following shot the item isn't drawn into its fully seated position but the convex nature of the middle strip will always stand proud of the body (without detrement to my eye).



The last shot below shows the OE item in place and as some have pointed out there is some difference in the clarity of the two lights. I'm hoping that the new unit will darken in time; I'd better hold on to the car and see hadn't I?! It could be that there is carbon deposit within the old unit; I'll get around to looking at some point but all is not lost. smile



To be honest, I really like the 'Facefift' unit, it is darker than the original and has a nicer finish; I'll hang on to it and see if I can find a nearside unit perhaps.






Edited by 2Munkys on Monday 15th February 10:01