dat240zg Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) Well, I was stuck waiting for all of my parts to come in to finish my R230 swap and started thinking about tail lights. I've always liked the skyline tail lights: The cost though is crazy...$1200 for a set of lights and the surround panels not including shipping!!! So, I started looking on ebay for round tail lights and purchased a corvette style tail light panel. I purchased a set of early seventies Vette and Camaro tails and settled on the Camaro lights. The corvette tail light panel came from a vendor (Custom Z Parts), via ebay, and got to me cracked and misshaped. Rather than screw with the vendor, I cut the tail light panels down, and was able to get a second set of tail light panels from a good friend. I trimmed the panel down, mounted the lights and here is the early version of what I have: The panel is just screwed in place, but will be bonded using 3M panel bond adhesive and then the edges fethered in with body filler. End result should be pretty cool. We'll see! Edited July 10, 2012 by dat240zg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getoffmyinternet Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 $1200 is cheap relative to the fact that the euro z lights can cost $1000 (sure is a lot of money to add a yellow) Those look pretty nice, is there a reason you reversed positions though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat240zg Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Actually, I was just testing which way I'm going to have them. The solid red will be on the outside. Should turn out well. More pics to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suparman Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I was thinking of ordering a set of r32 lights or some newer mustang tail lamps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 You went the easy route, I ended up grafting a whole (well pieces of a whole) Vette rear panel into mine. It took some doing but it is almost finished. I am using the 87 vette assemblies, but prefer the ones you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat240zg Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Well, they're getting close. I sprayed some color on them, but don't really care for it. I think that I'll sand it down and go with a simple gloss black. What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I would have to see the gloss black to be sure but so far I like how it looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryant67 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Well, they're getting close. I sprayed some color on them, but don't really care for it. I think that I'll sand it down and go with a simple gloss black. What do you all think? Looks great as it is, I am not sure going from graphite to black would be worth the effort. But at the end of the day, it's your car and your taste. Either way, awesome job, love the look of those tail lights on the car!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat240zg Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Well, before I swapped colors, I wet sanded the metallic grey/black and it looked real nice. Now to finish the other side. New pics to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaapp2 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) Dam, You beat us to it! My buddy an avid second gen camero guy is building a 75 280Z with an LS1 swap. He has a 71 camero and we have been planning a bunch of chevy mods for the car including those tail lights for over a month now. I guess we dont need MS Paint anymore now that you posted these pics. We are also planning to use a modified chevy steering column(no idea what it came out of) I purchased a while back that bolts into the Z already that can accept a Chevelle style walnut steering wheel(the one with the blue outlined bowtie). We are calling the project GMZ at the moment and hope to be able to have some custom B pillar emblems made to that effect. Im guessing they are installed 180* from the original camero positions as the panel slops the opposite direction? Ill take any tips you may have. Edited July 11, 2012 by rayaapp2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat240zg Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 You're right about being installed opposite of the original position. Not really noticable unless you're actually lower than the lights. Here's what I've learned so far: 1. The lights are too deep (with the plastic back). Fortunately, I had a set of '71 Corvette tail lights that I was thinking about using and they have a very slim back, so I've married the two and it fits fine. 2. Biggest thing, and what I'll probably do next summer, is to go find a wrecked '71, and cut the metal around the tail lights and then weld it to the Datsun tail light surround panel - as opposed to going the fiberglass route. I would have done that any way, but bought the corvette tail panel from the vendor (big mistake) and didn't want to waste more money. 3. The Camaro tails look big!... until you get them up there and then they're actually a little undersized. I may go to one of the classic junk yards in the area with a tape measure and see what other lights are out there. I should have pics of the finished product tomorrow. I sprayed my last coat of clear tonight. If you have other questions, just shoot. Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zwannabe Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 I did something similar with my Z. I wasn't trying to recreate any particular tail light panel I just thought it would look good. The pictures are old, I have finished the body work and the car sits in primer right now. I have not been able to finish it due to back to back deployments to Iraq/Afghanistan. Enjoy! Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat240zg Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 That's it! Nicely done on the rear panel! I think I'll be doing that next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zwannabe Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 I wish I had access to my other pictures of it in primer, but I'm currently deployed so I don't have that camera with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Here are a few pics of when I was working on mine, I have since some what molded them in better and sealed the backs of the cracks with foam in a can to seal it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat240zg Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 What are you doing for backup lights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat240zg Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 (edited) Here are a couple shots of the lights done: The car is real dirty, so when it's back on its wheels I'll wash, wax and get some better pics. Two spray can coats of metallic black, wet sanded between each followed by two coats of clear also wet sanded between each. Finished off with some buffing and the gloss is crazy - from a spray can! Pretty chuffed with the way that they truned out. All thats left is to mount the lights and to come up with a solution for the backup lights. Edited July 12, 2012 by dat240zg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOTHALOSISM Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 I haven't really decided yet, thinking of putting some lights in the lower rear area where the bumpers were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zwannabe Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 I'm not sure that reverse lights are required? If you guys can provide some insight on that, as I'm sure it varies between states. I searched around a bit but couldn't find anything regarding this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonmreiss Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 I am also plannIng this mod, I think they look great. Couple questions though, I want to use sheet metal not fiberglass, is the panel perfectly flat or does it have some curve to it? Also I may try the newer style oval lights, anyone done this? Sorry if I'm hijacking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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