C4 - tail light advice

[CDC]

Hi. I am keen to switch my '90 ZR1 tail lights so that they look like they originally did in the US. By that, I mean I want to switch the outer lenses from amber to red. That's the easy part. I then want my dipped beam on the rear to illuminate across all 4 bulbs (I think that's how they had it in the US originally) and also my brake lights to be across all 4 bulbs. Indicators will need to just flash in the outer pair. It seems a terrible shame that at night currently all 4 rear lenses aren't lit up red in dipped beam mode so i am keen to achieve this. Almost like a Nissan Skyline.

I hope that makes sense. Has anyone done this?

 

[CDC]

FYI current setup attached.

 

[teamzr1]

Here is what one of my C4 ZR-1 looked like front/rear

 

[CDC]

Here is what one of my C4 ZR-1 looked like front/rear

View attachment 17228View attachment 17229View attachment 17230

Very good. It's the "how" part I'm unsure about. Can you assist?

 

[teamzr1]

You need to explain to this yank what "dipped beam" in the rear means ?

 

[teamzr1]

If you need the rear wiring harness I see this used one for $75 US

Rear wiring harness

 

[teamzr1]

Follow the wiring for the USA to rework to rewire or
get the used USA wiring harness versus how it is done in Europe

 

[Stingray]

In UK (Europe) indicators need to be (a) amber, and (b) the furthest outboard rear lamps.
I'm not aware of any way to share the lamp function unless you fit clear lenses and install separate amber and red bulbs for the different functions.
[For what its worth, your rear fog lamp must be either central or to the right and cannot be shared with any other lamp function.]

Back in the day I designed a US-style rear lamp set-up for C5 using diodes so that there were twin indicators each side and the reversing lamps illuminated amber. But that was easier because there are no legal requirements about reversing lamps. It also helped that Euro C5s had 2-part lenses, with a red side lamp and amber indicator in the same unit.

To be honest, I think you'll struggle to achieve what you're looking for on a C4. The amber, outboard indicator lens is about as good as it gets. (Unless you mount additional amber indicator lamps. Yuk.)

 

[JTB]

CDC,
I was having a dig around for UK lighting conversions and found this...

C5 Corvette UK Light Conversion | C5 Corvette Light Conversion. IVA light conversion performed by Haes Concepts (07721 025625) using our LED products. Thanks to Nick Haes for sending in... | By Bright Light CustomsFacebook

C5 Corvette Light Conversion. IVA light conversion performed by Haes Concepts (07721 025625) using our LED products. Thanks to Nick Haes for sending in...

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This looked to be a pretty decent compromise. Not sure if Bright Light Customs are still on the go, the website certainly seems to be around though.
Let us know if you have any luck - I may be looking for similar myself at some point this year!

Regards

Jas

 

[Nassau65]

If you just put it back to US spec it will achieve the look you want. However it will not be UK legal as your rear indicators will be red. You may have trouble getting it MOT’ed. I would think any decent auto electrical shop would be able to do it.

 

[Stingray]

CDC,
I was having a dig around for UK lighting conversions and found this...

That looks good, and it would be even better if the indicators were fitted in both lamps, not just the outboard pair.

 

[CDC]

@Nassau65 and therein lies the issue. Unsure how to get around the indicator colouring.

@JTB That's really useful, thanks. Brightlight customs look brilliant and i really like the link to what is actually a C4 ZR1 having the sort of upgrade i am after, despite the video being badged as a C5. I will contact them so see how much they might charge for that.

@teamzr1 Thanks for sharing the wiring diagram. Apologies; I didn't realise you aren't a brit. Dipped beam here just means the lights you would have on at night (sounds stupid, but unsure how better to explain that). Not full beam (ie blinding to those approaching you).

 

[Nassau65]

Side lights are parking lights in the USA
Usually yellow at the front.

 

[Nassau65]

C3 parking lights (. 73-79)
C2 mid year parking lights