rear light clusters

[gjm]

right - now don't shoot me down in flames for this request as being some sort of Max Power fan, but i have seen a few griffs around with darkened rear light clusters. as mine is black i thought it might look quite good with this effect. (i will however give the blue neon underbody lights a miss at this stage!). can anyone who has had this done to their griff let me know how to do it. are they stick on darkened plastic covers, painted on, or whatever? anyone have any idea.
i thought i would ask here because i cannot bring myself to go to the till at the local newsagents to buy a copy of the latest Max Power to see if it tells you how to do it in there.(Perhaps i should just go to Halfords, unlace my trainers, put a baseball cap on the wrong way and go up to the counter and go ....orrite mate, got any snazzy rear light clusters for my mkIII cavalier!....

[apache]

mine has dark rear clusters and I thought they all had! spose you could pick them up from a breakers yard

[pete]

quote:
mine has dark rear clusters and I thought they all had! spose you could pick them up from a breakers yard

The dark rear clusters are off a Cavalier GSi. They were standard fit on 500s at least until 1997 ('cos I've got them!), some time after which the supply dried up. Later 500s, and anyone who's needed a rear end repair, seem to have the standard red Cavalier lights.

I'd say your best bet is either the Max Power brigade, or someone who's had Zertec afterburners fitted.

Pete

[zippy500]

Interesting, mine has normal clusters and is a 95

[Leadfoot]

Ditto for my '96

[julianhj]

I have been told by several people that the rear lights were Mk3 Fiesta parts.

They look about right (upside down) - or is this just another myth about TVR parts (Sierra steering racks etc...)

[simpo one]

'The dark rear clusters are off a Cavalier GSi. They were standard fit on 500s at least until 1997 ('cos I've got them!), some time after which the supply dried up. Later 500s, and anyone who's needed a rear end repair, seem to have the standard red Cavalier lights.'

I think it's the other way round, with the smoked ones used later. EG my 1992 Griff had normal covers; the 1997 one has smoked. But they're definitely Cavalier lights, as I cracked one, walked into my nearest Vaxhall dealers and said 'I want another like this please, only not cracked'. I confessed it was for a Griff; the parts wallah didn't seem pleased! But it was about £17; heaven knows what official 'TVR' ones cost! (Incidentally you have a to file a small ridge off to make it fit)

'I have been told by several people that the rear lights were Mk3 Fiesta parts.'

Nope, that's the Chimp, at least until they replaced them with the little round jobbies.

'They look about right (upside down) - or is this just another myth about TVR parts'

No, it's common TVR trick: S models used Escort Mk3 covers. The practice goes back further, to the (Vixen?) with old round Cortina 'CND' covers.

If you want a darker look, there's a tinted film and also a spray you can use - available from all good Max Powerish shops!

>> Edited by simpo one on Friday 9th August 22:52

[grasp]

you really should be fitting zertec afterburners as they are the future........................
[e-mail]

[david beer]

If you have the later smoked types you can remove the amber filter inside. Just makes that bit of difference. Also you can have two side lights and brake lights per side, again just that bit nicer.

[pete]

quote:
I think it's the other way round, with the smoked ones used later. EG my 1992 Griff had normal covers; the 1997 one has smoked.

You're right that they started out using the normal Cav lights, then switched to the GSi ones for the 500s, but the more recent cars reverted to the red lights when Vauxhall ran out of GSi versions.

Pete

[cleg]

Mine dont look smoked, that I can tell ( I havent seen one to compair) .. duno when they came in then, mine is a 1996 500

[Graham B]

My 500 (96) used to have the smoked rear light clusters but unfortunately a numptie rear ended it at traffic lights. They had to fit the standard rear lights because as mentioned below they were unable to get hold of the smoked GSI lamps anymore.

Graham

>> Edited by Graham B on Monday 12th August 11:26

[Podie]

Cavalier GSi darker lamps can often be found in scrap yards... cheaply! Go to a Vauxhall specialist one, as many of the bolt-on-boys have put them on their 1.3 variants...

Alternatively look for some in Max Power style "tuning shops" on the web... Motech or Larkspeed - even Demon Tweeks might have them...

Or, pop into WH Smiths and have a look in the Max Power style mags - bound to be a specialist Vauxhall one... check out the ads at the back.