JMortensen Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I had major rust issues with my tail light panel so I basically just cut it all off, from the sill under the hatch down to the bottom of the tail light panel. I got a new sill from Zraceproducts and since I'll be doing a pin on hatch I got mine with no latch hole. I then made the rear panel from sheet metal by making a cardboard template and cutting it out with shears, then using a flap disk on an angle grinder to finish the shape. I marked the center line of the panel as close as I could (it's not exactly a perfect rectangle) and then figured out my spacing on the tail lights. 280ZForce helped me out here, taking measurements and pictures of his car and sending them to me. Thanks for that! I did my spacing a little differently than he did. My lights are 2" in from the sides and then there is 1.75" between the two lights on each side. Since I didn't have any structure underneath to bolt this panel to, I just tacked it in place and started stitching around the edge to fix it in place. Later on I'll seam seal the panels together and then paint. It's really flimsy, but all it has to do is hold tail lights. I think it came out OK, but if I were going to do this again I'd get the flanged tail lights instead of the ones that are just held in with grommets. Heck, might just do that anyway. The tail lights are Harbor Freight trailer lights, $10 each: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93263 Here are the flanged ring lights: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94795 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Nice. I almost wnet that same way but decided to use 85 Corvette lights instead. Have you seen these for your grommet lights? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-CHROME-BEZEL-GROMMET-COVER-FOR-2-1-2-LIGHTS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33713QQihZ003QQitemZ2471077787 I had major rust issues with my tail light panel so I basically just cut it all off, from the sill under the hatch down to the bottom of the tail light panel. I got a new sill from Zraceproducts and since I'll be doing a pin on hatch I got mine with no latch hole. I then made the rear panel from sheet metal by making a cardboard template and cutting it out with shears, then using a flap disk on an angle grinder to finish the shape. I marked the center line of the panel as close as I could (it's not exactly a perfect rectangle) and then figured out my spacing on the tail lights. 280ZForce helped me out here, taking measurements and pictures of his car and sending them to me. Thanks for that! I did my spacing a little differently than he did. My lights are 2" in from the sides and then there is 1.75" between the two lights on each side. Since I didn't have any structure underneath to bolt this panel to, I just tacked it in place and started stitching around the edge to fix it in place. Later on I'll seam seal the panels together and then paint. It's really flimsy, but all it has to do is hold tail lights. I think it came out OK, but if I were going to do this again I'd get the flanged tail lights instead of the ones that are just held in with grommets. Heck, might just do that anyway. The tail lights are Harbor Freight trailer lights, $10 each: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93263 Here are the flanged ring lights: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94795 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 30, 2007 Author Share Posted November 30, 2007 I think it would be this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Stainless-Security-Flange-Mount-For-4-LED-LIGHTS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33713QQihZ004QQitemZ7991417146 and no, I hadn't seen those. I wonder if they'll work with my lights, since mine didn't come with a flange. Seems like you'd need something to hold the light into the flange - glue or something? I see that the 4" lights that they sell have the flange on them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted November 30, 2007 Administrators Share Posted November 30, 2007 Uhmmm... well… I admit, I actually like it, and not just a little. Those taillights by themselves have that car-dolley/U-haul trailer look, but in this application with your placement and spacing, that actually looks pretty darn nice. Nicer than other round taillight conversions I’ve seen. Do you have any camber in that panel or is it “flat†? Good work Jon, thank you for sharing with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 30, 2007 Author Share Posted November 30, 2007 Thanks Paul! The goal was more to fix rust than anything, but when I saw 280ZForce's car I realized there was some potential here. The panel is cambered. Basically I measured the gap from the lip to the panel and kept it as consistent as possible all the way around. It's 5/8" on the bottom, about 1/8" on the top and the sides are as flat against the supports underneath as I could make them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 280ZForce Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Looks good Jon, glad I could help. if you need some tail light bezel links.... flat w/out hood... http://www.bigrigchromeshop.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=BRCS/PROD/LB/UP10484 trim w/ hood... http://www.bigrigchromeshop.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=BRCS/PROD/LB/UP10483 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 30, 2007 Author Share Posted November 30, 2007 But do they work with the lights I have or would I need the flanged lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 280ZForce Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 But do they work with the lights I have or would I need the flanged lights. you make them work flanged or not, i drilled holes in my flanges to make them screw on.. if you notice the pic i sent you without the bezel trim on, you can see little holes where the bezel screws on. If you don't have flanges, then just drill the holes into the panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank280zx Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 to be hounest i would utilize light from a car and make them work ( skyline, corvette etc) these look like trailer lights .. im not a fan to be hounest ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 240Z Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 very nice... i kinda want to do the same thing.. with circular tail lights.. the only thing id do diffrently than you is make my tail pannel removable. but you said you were trying to fight rust.. looks very good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ole-M Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Looks to simple to me. It's gonna look like there is something missing. All details are gone, and it's all i the details. Unless your making some sort of plate to go on the flat sheetmetal and around the lights like the original deal, I cant see this looking anything but cheap. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmike280z Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I mounted mine from the back (hey wait that sounds bad) anyway I then glassed into them gave it a frenched look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Looks to simple to me. It's gonna look like there is something missing. All details are gone, and it's all i the details.Unless your making some sort of plate to go on the flat sheetmetal and around the lights like the original deal, I cant see this looking anything but cheap. Sorry. i agree. give the panel some shape, or get some different lights, like ones from a skyline or something. IMO, it looks too plain the way it is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 2, 2007 Author Share Posted December 2, 2007 Eh whatever. I am not trying to make a show car. This is a dedicated track machine. Hopefully anyone who sees them won't be able to make out the details as the continually get smaller until they can't see me anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Eh whatever. I am not trying to make a show car. This is a dedicated track machine. Hopefully anyone who sees them won't be able to make out the details as the continually get smaller until they can't see me anymore. ...or pass you and can't see them anyway because they're in front of you. tail lights look good by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tfreer85 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I like it Jon, if I didn't already have money dropped into my rear lights I'd follow this setup too. My only suggestion is don't paint it the same color as the rest of the car if you can, like 280ZForce's. Good job, Tyson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 240Z Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 if you paint the car red you should def paint it a matte black.. it would look pimp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheeler Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Any updated pictures on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefjaren Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 i really like this, keep us updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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