So I recently learned about euro-spec tail lights for the later year C4's and, oddly, I find them to be quite compelling from an aesthetic standpoint. I did some poking on the forums and from the typical retailers for parts, but a lot of the listings for the full kits simply say out of stock and all the threads are 10+ years old. I'm not a fan of electrical work and would prefer a kit to wire them up, even if it costs a bit more. Are any still available or are we limited to whatever was produced in-period?

 

You can still find the lenses and you will have to build your own wire harness.

Some recent info in here.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...operation.html

 

Oh, wonderful! I'll bookmark that for when I get serious about the endeavor. Thanks!

 

Way back in 1995-1996 i ordered a set of Euro tail lights from Ecklers.Then i found a Corvette Quarterly
magazine that showed a export Zr-1 with the back up lights under the inside brake.So I ordered two.
I have not seen a other ZR-1 with this set up

John
1990 White/Black # 2546
one of a few 4l8OE auto eq ZR-1's

 

I am an European. I've never seen the "Euro Taillights" in nature. Europe is not a country, its a continent with many countries with differing legislations of their own. Maybe those lights were installed to cars somewhere back in the day but I like I said never seen them live and I have been Vette guy from late 70's. If I had to guess I would say maybe they were a thing in Germany?

 

At the time before the EU, some had requirements for a separate turn signal from the brake light. They were also requiring the turn signal to be amber.

Tge clear lower section that AAFC is running was to get around the wider plates the European countries loved to use that obscured the reverse lights on the side of the plate.

GM only called it an export option which triggered other items depending upon the country of export. I believe the Euro light nickname came about as the European continent was where the majority of cars were sent as opposed to Asia/Australia/Africa.

I have seen mentioned in the past somebody passing inspection at European import and then reverting back to the US standard. So there may be a reason why you never see it much in the wild.

Personally, I like the look as well, and run it on one of my cars.

 

Yes, in most European countries the turn lights are yellow/orange and in many cases even mandatory, so the all red taillights were more exotic and thus probably more preferred even if the car came with the export lights. But, I suspect the export lights were not installed in many countries originally. I too would never install them to replace the originals, which are way better looking to me.

Here in Finland we had some annoying light regulations which needed changes by the importer before being accepted to registration. Like the original front turn signals didn't show enough to the side so they had to install additional blinker lights to the gill panels. Daytime running lights were not accepted as laws say we need to have the headlights on at all time when driving. And you cannot show red light to anywhere else than rear, so the rear bumper side markers were illegal. But, the all red tail lights were accepted (importer didn't tell the DMV that the export lights existed so no replacement available?).

Even my Canadian option car has some sketchy wiring in the front where some mods were originally made and then later badly changed back by the previous owner. One of these days I will replace all pigtails and do it properly.

Luckily nowadays that is in the past and all original lights are accepted. Also daytime running lights are now legal as all new cars come with them.