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I have a 1978 Pace Car. I would like to replace the rear inner tail light back up lenses with two outer tail light lenses to match the present outer tail light lenses on the car, giving me four tail lights. How difficult is this to do? I realize I will have to replace the light bulbs with 1157's and change the bulb sockets out. Is it then just a matter of splicing in the three wires to the three wires going to the outer tail lights? I'm not an electrical engineer so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
...I realize I will have to replace the light bulbs with 1157's and change the bulb sockets out. Is it then just a matter of splicing in the three wires to the three wires going to the outer tail lights?...
Pretty much. The bubble tail light conversion kits do the same thing. My advice would be not to cut your existing back up light pig tails. Tape them to the existing harness out of the way. This gives you the option of returning to stock in the future.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Oct 7, 2016 at 03:09 PM.
I had to cut a bigger hole in the fiberglass tail light reinforcement so the back of the lenses could go through it, then I spliced in the new sockets and zip tied the reverse lights to something so they didn't hang down.
I had to cut a bigger hole in the fiberglass tail light reinforcement so the back of the lenses could go through it, then I spliced in the new sockets and zip tied the reverse lights to something so they didn't hang down.
Do both right tail light lenses now flash when the right turn signal is activated and same for the left?
I had to cut a bigger hole in the fiberglass tail light reinforcement so the back of the lenses could go through it, then I spliced in the new sockets and zip tied the reverse lights to something so they didn't hang down.
That's exactly how we did it before.. we taped the old b/u lamp connectors to the loom, then jumper spliced from the right lamp to the new lamp and then the left lamp to the new left lamp.. Both will flash and show stop when completed.. It's pretty easy to do as long as you get the correct tail lamp connectors. If you don't have them, I probably have some good used ones in the shop and if I don't I'm sure I can get you new.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Oct 7, 2016 at 09:40 PM.
I have a 1978 Pace Car. I would like to replace the rear inner tail light back up lenses with two outer tail light lenses to match the present outer tail light lenses on the car, giving me four tail lights. How difficult is this to do? I realize I will have to replace the light bulbs with 1157's and change the bulb sockets out. Is it then just a matter of splicing in the three wires to the three wires going to the outer tail lights? I'm not an electrical engineer so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
No offense, but you have a Pace Car and you want to make changes to the exterior look of it? And start cutting wiring on it? No worries about reducing the value and originality of such a unique and special Corvette?
That's exactly how we did it before.. we taped the old b/u lamp connectors to the loom, then jumper spliced from the right lamp to the new lamp and then the left lamp to the new left lamp.. Both will flash and show stop when completed.. It's pretty easy to do as long as you get the correct tail lamp connectors. If you don't have them, I probably have some good used ones in the shop and if I don't I'm sure I can get you new.
Willcox
Thanks for the offer, Willcox but I have new pig tails ordered and on the way already.
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No offense, but you have a Pace Car and you want to make changes to the exterior look of it? And start cutting wiring on it? No worries about reducing the value and originality of such a unique and special Corvette?
No offense taken, but I would rather have four tail and brake lights for safety reasons instead of back up lights. I am keeping the removed lenses in case I want to go back to the stock look. BTW, my stock L48 engine has been rebuilt and modified with a cam, heads, intake manifold with matching 750 carb and a true dual exhaust system with no catalytic converter. It now puts out 350 horsepower instead of the 185 from the factory when new. So much for originality.
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Tail lights
