Taillight/rear grill panel mod how-to?

[prorallycodriver]

Thought I remembered seeing someone post some pics and description of their rear grill mod and taillight swap (Opel GT round maybe). Forgot where online I saw it. Anyone know? Was I dreaming?

Would love to have the 2006+ Lotus Exige LED taillights but they're ~$2000.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2296/2366343063_bf2c7128f7.jpg?v=0


I do have a totaled Lotus Elise w/ similar lights at my shop and think I may go for the 308 look.

[lanciatomcat]

Hi there
Darren has done this conversion. Look on 'Photo Gallery' and then 'Darren' and all should be revealed.
I am planning 308 lights for my 'Project' car.
Tom

[lanciatomcat]

Hi again
Must be the rage at the moment?
Look under the new posting from 'Preston'. He has a picture of a similar rear light modification.
Tom

[davidb]

I too like the 308 look. I opted for new [stock] lenses from
Re-Originals. The door/window gasket place in Texas. They
are NOS & make the rear of a Scorp [Monte] look new. Got
new lense screws elsewhere.

[Darren]

Hi,

Yeah, pics galore in my album - I got a feeling there's also a 'how-to' article in the Consortium Mag for December in the downloads section.

Let me know if you need a pattern - I should be able to scan it and email it to you if you need.

Tom - preston who - can' find him in the photo gallery - is it listed under a different name?

Cheers

[Preston]

I just setup an album, I'll upload some more tomorrow with the tail lights in the car.

A few years ago I actually found the panel on Ebay. It really wouldn't be terribly difficult to duplicate though with some sheet metal and a welder, I've been thinking of remaking mine as this one's fit isn't terribly great and there are no vents. The engine temp is still fine, but I'd definitely have more peace of mind with them.

Opel taillights are a bit smaller than the 308's lights, and imo are slightly more proportionate. You'll need to figure out reverse lights with the Opel lights however.

[prorallycodriver]

I don't have the reverse lights wired now. Took the sender outta the transmission. I know where I'm going. Call me lazy but I don't use turn signals either.

Here is interesting pic posted this week on one of the rally forums.

http://upload.pbase.com/cdandar/image/112153383/original.jpg

Car is a Scorpion prepared for stagerally in the NW US years ago, but retired now. Pic is recent. They are Opel taillights.

[Preston]

That's more or less the kind of panel I'm wanting for when I remake this one, sort of a Ferrari 360 'cant really tell it has holes in it from 30 ft away' look. I have no idea where to find the metal though.

[Darren]

They do look like Opel lights to me - same as the outers on mine. You can use the other Opel lights for ther reverse, even if you don't connect them. Really depends of preference I guess and whether you're looking for the 037 look or not. Doesn't matter if you're not using the lights though! ;o)

Rally cars over here have to be road legal, not sure on the roundy roundy stuff - depends on the series I suppose. Hi and welcome Preston - look forward to seeing your car

http://lancisti.net/photopost/data/871/medium/P131108_18_31.JPG

[prorallycodriver]

Rally cars over here have to be road legal, not sure on the roundy roundy stuff - depends on the series I suppose.

Have no plans to ever rally my Lancia. My beater which I sometimes use for recce is a modded Mitsu.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/3215/1121/8035560188_large.jpg

Not really road legal either but that doesn't stop me.

Perfect wheels on your car.

[Darren]

Is that an Eclipse? I used to have an FTO - lots of fun and a great revving little v6 ;o) Ideally, I'd build another Monte for playing in, but realistically I don't think that will happen but I will take it to the odd track day and maybe to marshall on tarmac rallies, but it's not got the ground clearance to take it into the forest - although it would be a lot of fun - with a different front bumper!

Thanks for the compliment on the wheels - I like just fine too! Definitely one of the 3 top looking styles imho

Cheers

[prorallycodriver]

Yeah, first generation Eclipse. Not sure I know what a FTO is. Eclipse here had the 4 cylinder turbo 4G63 like Lancer Evo IIIs and were available w/ AWD.

[Darren]

FTO was kinda Mitsubushi's version of the Celica - never officially released in the UK or the US. 1.8L 4 pot or 2L V6 - with semi auto box and MIVEC - very similar to Honda's V-TEC. FWD and a lot of fun to drive. Didn't know they did AWD for the eclipse. Had to go when Kids came along and had to give a nod to something a bit more practical. A4 Avant for now, about to be changed for an A6 Allroad

[prorallycodriver]

Didn't know they did AWD for the eclipse.

Yep. Was a popular rallycar in N. America since Lancer Evos weren't imported until mid-2000s (WRXs in 2002) and the choice of many tuners. Mine is really a Plymouth Laser AWD and we also had Eagle Talons which all came w/ AWD.


A4 Avant for now, about to be changed for an A6 Allroad

I work at an Audi/Porsche/MBenz/AstonMartin dealership, have owned several Audis and my in-laws have an Audi 4000Q rallycar.

[HF Stinger]

Not to hijack, but since we're on the topic of Audi.

This is what's kept me busy in my years of Lancia non-ownership, it's a 'finished' project now so I can focus on another Scorpion.

http://scmclane.tripod.com/cayman_s/_MG_6681.jpg

[1,6 HF]

Very nice; looks good with the Quattro Sport hood.

[Darren]

Wow Sean - that's a great looking Audi - I love the old Grp B Quattros - I have a couple of flix of Walter Rohrl giving it loads in one of those and I never get tired of watching his feet dancing on the pedals - It's where I first saw left foot braking!

Dave - I guess another reason for not seeing eclipses here is that we had the Lancers here from day one. We're an Audi family too - between the folks and me we've had a few A4 Avants, a couple of A6 Allroads, a TT DSG, and a Q5 - but far and away the best one was an original Quattro in white, back in the day '84/85 ish I think - loved that car and was very sad to see it gone. You could pick them up for next to nothing for a while, but I think the prices have risen again , not least because of the TV show Ashes to Ashes - follow on from Life on Mars.

[HF Stinger]

The UrQuattro values sure haven't held up against similar market cars like the E30 M3. However few straight rust free cars are all but gone from Europe, in 2008 6 or 7 of the nicest examples in the US were purchased and shipped back to europe thanks to the weak Dollar against the Euro. I have a feeling if the time came for me to sell mine I wouldn't even bother putting it on ebay in the US, I'd go straight for .co.uk or .de Folks in the Netherlands are absolutely rabid for UrQuattros...

Back to the original topic, I have a set of Opel lights that I have had stashed for about 7 years waiting for my next Scorpion. In that time I have come to really love the rear of the F430 with that perforated tail section.

Has anyone seen a source for perf'd material like that on the back of the F430?

[Darren]

Has anyone seen a source for perf'd material like that on the back of the F430?

Local hardware store? Or eBay?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Perforated-304-Stainless-Steel-Sheet-1500mm-x-250mm_W0QQitemZ110242014941QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_B OI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Suppl ies_ET?hash=item110242014941&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

Must be somewhere your side of the pond??

[sprintcarfan]

Has anyone seen a source for perf'd material like that on the back of the F430?

Saw a catalog for these guys... http://www.mcnichols.com/products/ on someone's desk at work. I think they have what you want and it looks like they might sell to individuals.

[JGreenslade]

What's all this talk about German metal doing here then? Tsk!






BTW - you can see a video of Walter's 'happy feet' in a (cough) German car here: http://stylizedfacts.com/STi/2005/10/walter_rohrls_happy_feet.html

BTW - Walter famously said that he felt the 037 had the finest balance of any car he's ever driven.

[HF Stinger]

Saw a catalog for these guys... http://www.mcnichols.com/products/ on someone's desk at work. I think they have what you want and it looks like they might sell to individuals.

WooHooo thats the stuff!

http://www.mcnichols.com/products/perforated/round/roundhole/

gotta luv the connections the internet can make..

[prorallycodriver]

There is a McNichols outlet near me and I'll go check out what they have. Had talked to their factory who said if I wanted black, to powdercoat the stainless steel screen they have.

Been debating about lights. We're going to fix that Lotus now so I wouldn't have those for free anymore. Was at a BIG import carshow last weekend which included kitcar displays so was looking at anything and everything there.

Checked out the Opel lights on showfield and really like them but didn't find any for sale and no good complete set on EvilBay right now.

Lots of Lotus there but no vendors selling taillights.

Checked the kitcar fabricators for both lights and the screen material who normally have many Feiro based Ferraris but most there had Cobras, Super 7s and such this year and struck out for both lights and grill material.

Ran into Susquehannah Motorsports who run rallylights.com. I know these guys from rallying and they had some interesting options like these:

http://www.rallylights.com/images/4169.jpg


But today I found a good deal on original Ferrari 360 tail lights so keeping it Italian as possible, picked them up. Forgot we may have a set from a 360 that a customer wreaked while on a test drive last winter. Will have to go dig in the storage room to see if we still have those too.

[Darren]

Hi Dave,

I got my lights and spare set through the owners club on your side of the pond - maybe worth looking there too. AFAIK the Ferrari lights are a lot deeper and will probably need the back of the light panel cutting out. The opel lights fit in with minimal cutting required, meaning you can refit the original lights at a later date if you sell the car or get fed up with the look.

Cheers

[HF Stinger]

I processed an online quote from McNichols last weekend and I heard back from them first thing Monday. For the style I requested, which I believe was 3/16" holes / staggered / 1/4" spacing / regular steel, I requested 3 pieces of 13" x 60". I wanted to stay plain steel so I could tack weld it wherever I needed brackets or tabs, and I'd have the finished piece powder coated locally.

The quote came back at about $180 for the 3 pieces, Im suspecting a good portion of that is my custom cut size. I think even 60" will be challenging enough to ship without getting it all jacked up. Once I lay out a design I may be able to order even smaller, like if Im only doing the section between the lights rather than the whole rear section.

It's a way down the project list, but I'll update as I order and toy around with it. Looking forward to seeing what others come up with too.

[prorallycodriver]

I got my lights and spare set through the owners club on your side of the pond - maybe worth looking there too. AFAIK the Ferrari lights are a lot deeper and will probably need the back of the light panel cutting out. The opel lights fit in with minimal cutting required, meaning you can refit the original lights at a later date if you sell the car or get fed up with the look.

I have several spare sets of stock taillights and lenses. Problem that I have is one of the studs on the only original rear grill I have has cracked the grill and is difficult to repair.

Some 360 owners replace stock taillight panels and replace w/ the challenge grills. I may pick up one of these to use to mount the lights.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/vbclassified/uploaded/a6445xaj1b.jpg
Hack off both ends to use them to mount the lights and use the McNichols mesh for the center. Looks way too curved and would be too long/wide to use the entire panel with center trimmed out for grill. 348 grill may straighter and I'd just have to adjust the length.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/vbclassified/uploaded/5jf6455qxj.jpg

Still undecided.

[prorallycodriver]

I had bought the red Ferrari 360 panel above to hack up to install the 360 lights. Will get around to doing before weather gets warm again.