just bought some of these, should arrive in the next few days, do you have to do that heating up of the original lights to get them off the car, and what do you use to reseal the 99 spec lights so that water doesnt get in

Yeah, they are easier to remove if you warm up the panels to loosen the tar. You'll also get new rolls of tar with your new lights if you're buying brand new.

 

One of the best mods you can do to the arse of the Z. You'll love it when you see them on there. :)

do you heat up the standard lights from the inside or outside, i tried to do the replica 99 spec lights on some spares i bought and no matter how much i heated the lights they wouldnt come apart.

Heating the lights themselves to split the skins is much harder than removing the lights from the car itself. Take all the trim out of the boot along the edge and heat the back of the lights so the metal they mount to becomes warm. Make sure you remove the centre peice first as you can use the edges of the lights to pull on.

did you buy the 99 spec centre too, i havent bothered yet, wanted to see how the lights looked first, not sure on the red lettering??

Yes I did. I prefer the chrome bezels in the centre panel as they match the lights.

mmmmmm, ill see how i get on wi the lights first then maybe, cheers for the tips!!

Advise on taking the centre panel off first for easier removal of the lights.

i found that i didnt need to heat anything when removing the lights from the car, just a bit of 'gentle persuasion' but better safe than sorry i guess! possibly in this weather you might not need it tho?

no need to heat. Just unbolt them all. Remove centre section first (its not sealed on), then gently work the rear lights, bit by bit to pull them out. Once they start pulling away you can use a flatblade screwdriver to seperate some of the tar/glue stuff.

I found it easier to heat them. I didn't want to break mine or crack them as I sold them on as a near-perfect set which Glenn used to make is J-spec replicas.

another avenue you could go when install the new tailights is instead of using the tar crap that gets everywhere and sticks like no other use a thick rubber seal material for truck doors. When i put my LED tailights on i used these rubber seals and now i dont have to worry about needing to heat the tar or worry about it getting everyone. I didnt get any pix but when i get my 99spec lights ill take some photos then.

 

I got them from a hardware shop, Here its called bunnings but i dunno about the uk. Its one of those you can buy almost anything here shop with regards to DYI and outdoor stuff. hope that helps.

You must have used single sticky sided neoprene I guess Adam.

 

what do they look like?

 

are they the red on top & white underneath ones (insted of orange)

Yes. You can pull the lights apart and make replicas, but they don't look as good as the genuine thing. But they are a big improvement over the original ones.

 

I have 99-spec rears and centre panel. One of the first things I did to my Z.

 

Edited July 3, 200817 yr by FunkySi

This is what I intend on doing to my zed next. I bought some LED lights but never fitted them because I didn't think the circle shape would follow the lines of the car :(

another avenue you could go when install the new tailights is instead of using the tar crap that gets everywhere and sticks like no other.

 

I've swopped a few set's of rear lights about and that black bitumen sealant does get everywhere, you cant get it of the light apertures or the light clusters.

So Last time I changed a set I did some experimenting to find something to remove it. Worked me way through the garage and medicine cabinet, nothing would touch it, white spirit, thinners, nail varnish remover, WD40 etc etc.

 

but I got there in the end, Paint brush cleaner! the blue stuff that looks like anti freeze, you get from any DIY store, after scraping the worst of it dissloves the rest of easy and gets it of your hands too. :D

I bought some LED lights but never fitted them because I didn't think the circle shape would follow the lines of the car :(

 

:bow:

cant wait for them to come now, early next week i should think

the best mod ever

I've swopped a few set's of rear lights about and that black bitumen sealant does get everywhere, you cant get it of the light apertures or the light clusters.

So Last time I changed a set I did some experimenting to find something to remove it. Worked me way through the garage and medicine cabinet, nothing would touch it, white spirit, thinners, nail varnish remover, WD40 etc etc.

 

but I got there in the end, Paint brush cleaner! the blue stuff that looks like anti freeze, you get from any DIY store, after scraping the worst of it dissloves the rest of easy and gets it of your hands too. :D

 

I used Keroseen to dissolve the tar from the lights. And used small chisels and screw drivers to scrap the tar off. When i got most of it off i would use a bush and wiped the area with keroseen until it was all gone. Doesnt stick to you then:). The sealant i used now on the tailights has a sticky back so can be stuck to the tailight and then when u screw it to the car tightly it seals up for you. Its great will take me no more then 2 mins to change my 99spec tailights over:).