custom clear turn signals... in the rear

subaruguy · Post by **subaruguy** » Wed Apr 16, 2003 11:58 pm

how many of you want a better looking car? Well its not hard if you have the right tail lights. for some reason theres different variations of the tail lights from 92-94. so anyway I was looking at my car one day and said to myself I would like those turn signals to be clear so I opened up the little access flap to see what I could do about it. I unplugged the harness and took out the lightbulb holder assembly deal and if you look at the bottom amber corner ...if you have the right taillights....you should see that the amber lens is beeing held in by little tabs, if you dont see the little tabs then your taillights are the wrong ones but all you do is take a hammer and skrewdriver place the handle end of the screwdriver against the amber lens and give it a few whacks it should pop out, then you use your best judgement and pull the amber lens out of the assembly, note you may need to break off a corner of the tab to pull the lens out and voila you got yourself some pimpin taillights. my freinds havnt trusted me to take the lenses out of there tailights they all have the other style. so i dont know how on to remove the amber lens on the other style and I've never seen another suby with the taillights like mine and I have checked a few so good luck

ericS2the6 · Post by **ericS2the6** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 4:25 pm

yeah i tried this a while back. on my 93 there is a huge molded plastic piece (black) that the bulbs fit into. After this is removed its looks like the orange reflector can easily be pulled out. I didnt do this for several reasons tho.

- the glue gets really messy

- without the orange reflector, the bulb will just flash white (rice).

- replacing the clear bulb with an amber one will not make the whole rectangular shape light up because there is no longer a reflector to properly spread the light evenly (rice).

subaruguy · Post by **subaruguy** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 4:50 pm

What glue? you must have the crappy lights I didnt deal with any glue, and rice... no it looks sweet as hell, I think, white car ,very bright hyper white bulbs, iluminates the traffic signs behind me it looks a lot better than the amber that used to be in there. I wish I had a digigital camera I'd post some pics, and as far as (rice) goes I would define that as big flashy stickers and huge body kits and racing seats that have no reason to be in that car, oh and dont forget the neon footpedals. I hate neon

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 4:52 pm

Well, turn signals aren't supposed to be white. They're supposed to be amber, or, if you're less safety-conscious, red.

A common theme with rice burners is a disregard for lighting standards that exist for a reason. White lights on the back of a car are reserved for reverse indicators.

subaruguy · Post by **subaruguy** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 5:20 pm

safety shmafety I've been pulled over before and caught some flak about my "blue" turn signals he wanted to give me a ticket but then I explained how the actual light is white...hyper white, he let me off, but he did put me on his LIST. I firmly beleive in enhanced lighting as an easy way to set your car apart from the others. my reverse lights are also hyperwhite along with the headlights, front turn signals, map lights, dome light and trunk light. hyper-white=high visibility

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 9:08 pm

There's more to lights than simply their being seen. The color of automotive lighting is important for conveying its meaning.

Your "hyper white" bulbs do in fact use blue tints. They don't make white light directly; they make the same yellowish light that all incandescent bulbs do and then block out most of the yellow. In most jurisdictions in the US, the blue tint is in fact illegal on non-emergency vehicles.

See other threads on this forum about the "hyper white=high visibility" issue. Whiter-looking light isn't usually better.

LegacyT · Post by **LegacyT** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:53 pm

Cut the guy some slack, all he wanted to do was help out, considering so may people want clear tails for these cars. I have done this to my 91 without even taking out the light assembly. So I guess this will work for both pre and post face-lifed 1st gen Legacy's. On my car I just pulled out the amber plastic peice with some vise grips and a bit of sweat. The car looks so, so much cleaner without it. Next step amber bulbs.

Mark,

subaruguy · Post by **subaruguy** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:12 am

Thank you legacyT

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 3:52 am

Mark, you just pulled them out with vice-grips? I might have to try that. I hate messsing with those plastic tabs and stuff that hold it together, it seems very likely they'll break... since I don't know my own strength and all.

And you guys were a little harsh on Subaruguy. Take a look at a lot of GM's and Fords. Why the heck are they allowed to not have turn signals at all? Having your brake light blink for the direction you are going is lame. People hit their brakes and the "turn signal" turns one brake light off momentarily and then starts blinking it... very gay and often confusing in traffic. The manufacturers do this because it is cheaper and looks "cleaner" without the extra color (amber). And when one brake light goes out, you can't tell what the freak is going on, with all these people in automatics constantly pumping their brakes.

I agree with changing the bulbs out to give your car that little extra touch. They may not be safer or a whole lot brighter, but I like the look. And they are sure a whole heck of a lot brighter than the original OEM bulbs people still have in their cars from the 80's and early 90's. And come off the "ricer" stuff, Subarus are from Japan therefore by definition "ricer". Just because our cars have balls and make a deep growl, doesn't make it non-Japanese.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 5:10 am

Ricer: any car which has modifications that do not add any speed, aerodynamics, or handling prowess, or look just plain stupid

! I see domestic ricers very frequently...

Subaruguy, do whatever floats your boat. I think clear turn signals would look fantastic. But the one thing I can't stand when people mod their cars is when it looks like it was ghetto-rigged in 10 minutes...

Bottom line: Do it right, make it look professional, make it where Subaru couldn't have done it better themselves

!

subaruguy · Post by **subaruguy** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 6:00 am

It looks factory, excluding the amber. it looks way better than any altezza style ever will. I like the whole sleeper/stock effect. a guy in his "pimped" out little honda would pull up and see that I had exhaust sticking out the rear he would rev his car, I would rev mine and when go time came all I see is his head lights in my rear veiw mirror. they cant beleive that a bigger much heavier car namely a subaru has beaten them, so they will keep trying, hah, all I can think is: wait till my swap

NuwanD · Post by **NuwanD** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 7:33 am

When i bought my car the rear right side tail light was cracked. So i pointed it out to the guy i was buying it from, he said he would change it if i decided to buy the car. So i bought the car, no cracked taillight anymore. That was about a year ago. 2 weekends ago i noticed that my left light is slightly different than my right. Basically the amber section is on one side and not the other. I figured subaru changed the part. But as it looks they are both the same part but one has fallen out??? I'm gonna have to check it this weekend when i get home. As you can see i don't pay attention to the looks of my car

LegacyT · Post by **LegacyT** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:22 pm

Yeah, for only 1 year Subaru gave us factory clear tails which was 1992. So I guess your car is a 93-94 and the guy put in a 92 taillight from a junkyard or something. Brat4by4- Yes I used small vise-grips. I just opened the end into the light assemble from the trunk. Detached the part holding all the bulbs, and that gives you access inside the tailight assembly. Then I got ahold of the little amber peice which just sits in there and yanked it out.

Mark,

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:59 pm

I wasn't saying anything about the clear lens mod. I was just saying that to do it right, you should have amber bulbs behind the clear lens. This is how any factory clear turn signal works.

You could make them red, too, like GM, but we don't want to be dumb like that, do we? The argument that other companies make terrible lighting designs doesn't validate our worsening our lights.

Subaruguy, thanks for the cool and useful information about the lens for those of us with amber lenses on our turn signals. I might take that lens out, myself, provided I can still get a decent light pattern.

"Safety shmafety" is an inadequate argument against the world's existing traffic norms and laws, though; white turn signals are simply not proper turn signals. You've all read my position on this, so I won't argue anymore.

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 4:11 am

Well, my car is just sittin in the driveway because I'm waiting on my flywheel (ordered from Adam @ Z1, real nice guy & price). It's not going anywhere until tuesday because my dad helped finish off the clutch for me, hence it can't move at all

. So I figured I would go out and check out my tail lights again...

First off I noticed that pulling the amber piece out with a wrench seems like a bad idea because it was sealed to the far edges by adhesive. So I turned on the oven to 200 and went to work. Long story short... 200-220 is where you want to be... any hotter and you start going past the plastics ability to bounce back into it's original shape. Put it in for 5 minutes at a time. Take it out and start prying at the edges with something slender (like a sharp screwdriver). Careful not to chip the edges, start running the slender object in between the black plastic and the clear cover to "cut" the adhesive. Only work a couple minutes at a time and put it back in the oven to rewarm for 5 minutes again (wear mechanics gloves or something when working, oven mitt to take it out). Eventually you'll be able to seperate the two pieces... but it won't be very easy, patience is key. Once separated, just take the amber piece out which pops out quite nicely. If you want really detailed instructions and not-to-do's, let me know.

Now, it's night out and I reinstall the lenses and the bulbs... Turn on the hazards and walk away from the car. They are as bright as

. They throw light everywhere like mad. Sideways backwards up down it has much better dispersion. There is a small reflector behind the bulb itself that helps it put out the light. The amber cover really only blocked it and changed it's color. Now I just need to put in some different bulbs, eventually... and don't worry, this mod is not ricer cuz you are taking weight off of your car AND the light is much brighter/better.

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 4:12 am

Oh, and the car looks MUCH better, too. Which is the biggest reason I did it.

ericS2the6 · Post by **ericS2the6** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 4:53 am

Brat4by4 wrote: So I turned on the oven to 200 and went to work.

ok so it sounds like u removed the taillamps from the car.

could you please explain how you did that. also did u have to re glue anything upon reassembly?

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 6:47 am

If someone has a pic (morgie? josh?...) that would be great. I'm getting the rust in my rear quarter panels worked on so the gray lining inside my trunk was already detached along the rear lip of the trunk where the latch and tail-lights are. I believe you have to do this to expose the four nuts that hold the entire assembly in (if not someone correct me, but it is easiest this way). Take off the four nuts, the screws themselves are attached to the whole assembly and slide out through holes in the trunk. And don't forget to take out the actual light bulb holding assembly, this has all the wires so that's one good thing out of the way.

After taking the nuts off bang these 4 screws with something LIGHT. Outside the trunk, start pulling on the edge of the assembly that is near the license plate, there is a nice wide edge to get your fingers on. My lights were held with this incredibly sticky gooey adhesive... Get it moving away from the car on this inside edge but not too far because if it is too crooked then the screws sticking through the trunk get stuck. Go to the outside edge and start prying that with your fingers, don't forget to keep tapping the screws on the inside if need be. Once you start pulling it out straight the adhesive might stretch like gum on a shoe and get in the way, deal with it. I "cut" it near the assembly and placed the stretched out stuff where it came from on the car.

So to summarize find the four nuts on each side and remove them (8mm). Then pull the whole assembly out. I hope yours are easier than mine... My car was rear-ended sometime in its past life and they might have put a different adhesive on the assembly.

LegacyT · Post by **LegacyT** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 11:56 am

I did it without pulling out the lights. wasn't too hard to do.

Mark,

ericS2the6 · Post by **ericS2the6** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 4:44 pm

Mark,

but are you talking about your 91? i dont see how it would be possible to pull orange piece out without taking apart the lens on a 92 - 94.

LegacyT · Post by **LegacyT** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 6:00 pm

Yup on the 91 Turbo.

Mark,

subaruguy · Post by **subaruguy** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 7:12 pm

I had a plane jane 93 subaru legacy n/a auto and my lense poped right out didnt take anything apart except the light cluster, but like I said earlier I have not seen another legacy with the taillights I have, all their lenses seeemed to be glued in, anyone have any reasons why this is? its never been rear ended or anything my mom owned since it was prety much brand new then passed it off to me

ericS2the6 · Post by **ericS2the6** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 1:37 am

are you sure thats not off a 1992. (which would have been mostly clear to begin with). on my 93 the orange reflector is much bigger.

hmmm.......maybe some very rare, very early MY 93's have the 92 rear lamps.

subaruguy · Post by **subaruguy** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 1:40 am

Well that is a posibility, but I know for a fact the car is a 93

ericS2the6 · Post by **ericS2the6** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 12:14 am

ok i finally decided to go ahead a give it a try, not only becuase i wanted clear corners, but becuase of curiosity due to subaruguy's 93 legacy.

first off i tried Brat4by4's method of separating the lens and black backing. i dont have patience for that kind of stuff! so i found a faster method.

first remove lamps from car. get a flat head screwdriver to wedge one edge of the orange plastic up so you can get at it with some pliers. now before u actually start working get a hair dryer and stick it in where the bulb goes for the blinker. heat it up real hot for a few minutes. then grap your pliers and pull and yank and cuss till the thing comes out.

it really doesnt want to come out. i found with a help of a friend its a lot easier. one person holds back on the lamp assembly, and the other yanks the damn thing out. mine actually broke in half before it would come out (thats how hard it is to get out).

final results are great! this only took me about 10 minutes to do both sides too! then i just went to murrays and grabbed some 1156 amber bulbs and now we're all set.

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custom clear turn signals... in the rear

custom clear turn signals... in the rear