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clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:17 am
by likeamojay
Anyone have a detailed tutorial on how I can make the taillights on my 2000 Bonneville SSEi look like the ones on the later GXP models? Can the taillights be disassembled so I can remove the orange plastic on the turn signals? What kind of bulbs would I use for the turn signals?

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:22 am
by myfirstbonnie

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:10 am
by gonzo4191
im just throwing this out there,
there is a way to open them up by ripping them apart at the seal/seam with plenty a heat and time

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:14 pm
by 00Beast
Just FYI, they won't look like the GXP taillights, as the GXP's don't have the lines, but they will be clear.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:22 pm
by likeamojay
Alright, that's fine if they don't look exactly like the GXP. But do I need to replace the turn signal bulbs with different ones?

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:24 pm
by likeamojay
But how do you remove the tailights? The tutorial doesn't explain that.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:30 pm
by 00Beast
Again, Techinfo: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=1679

You either need Amber 3057 bulbs, or the Silverstar 3057 bulbs. I've found the silverstars at O'Reilly's lately, and none of the others have it.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:33 pm
by likeamojay
O'Reilly's? Ok great I got a local one here.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:29 pm
by likeamojay
Alright, now I'm confused. Are these 3057 bulbs white or orange? Doesn't the orange plastic just make the original yellow bulbs appear orange? If I get 2 silverstar 3057 bulbs and replace the original bulbs with them and then take the tailight apart and remove the orange plastic piece, what color will by turn signals be?

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:34 pm
by 00Beast
They need to be orange. The silverstar bulbs are blue when off, and orange when lit. The stock bulbs are white, and when they shine through the orange lens they appear amber.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:33 pm
by 01bonneSC
3057L is the number for the traditional amber bulbs. I like my marker lights orange so no clearing anything for me, just gonna upgrade to GXP tails when I get money and find some.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:53 pm
by 00Beast
Um, GXP tails also use an amber 3057 bulb, FWIW. All you need are are the 3057A or whatever orange/amber bulbs. The silverstar 3057's are orange when powered up. If you don't believe me, pull your headlight (2 - 10 mm screws, put them in the blinker socket, and turn the blinker on. They will flash orange.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:23 pm
by likeamojay
Ok thanks. But one more question, how do I remove the reflector bar that's over the back of the trunk door? There's an orange piece on that also.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:07 am
by 01bonneSC
Darnit A not L, my bad wrong side of the keyboard. Yes dont listen to me!!!

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:37 am
by 00Beast
YOu use a clip puller or a pair of cutters and remove the clips, holding the carpet on, then you have access to remove the four bolts holding it in. There are also two clips towards the top where the orange pieces are. You have to carefully but forcefully pull, and the reflector should come off.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:27 pm
by likeamojay
My power drill won't cut through the plastic and neither would my battery-operated dremel. Is there ANY way to get the orange piece out without cutting into it? Is there some other way to cut into it?

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:35 pm
by gonzo4191
you can heat up the seal

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:17 pm
by likeamojay
where is the seal? How can I heat it up?

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:24 pm
by bonnevillain
Just look at the tail light. The seal that holds the two halves together. You can use your oven on the lowest setting, maybe with the door cracked. Or you can probably use a heat gun.

Re: clear taillights?

Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:08 pm
by likeamojay
I don't see a seal anywhere. I see the two halves but it's got plastic surrounding it with no room for a seal. Does anyone know of any pictures that could point it out? Is it tar sealant like on the headlights?