all pics taken wiht my phone , sorry about quality

frist you need to remove the plastic covers that cover the reverse lights on the backside of the trunk.flat head screw driver and a slight twist and they will release from the trunk. then remove the carpeting by cutting the heads off or using a trim tool to remove the 8 clips holding the carpet on.now you can get started in taking the lights out.using a 11 mil socket take 2 nuts off that hold light in trunk and remove reverse bulb and socket with a twist

1.


2.


pry gently on the 2 little prongs on either side of the light to release them as well

3.


you now have the trunk light out . . . yaaaaah

the black foam gaskets are next, be careful not to tear them while taking them off ! they are held on to the lights with a form of butal tape ( black sticky stuff ) this is very sticky!





4.
now you have the painstaking process of remove the sealent from between the lens and housing. i started using a heat gun but noticed the lense was getting to hot and with it being so thin, it would distort. i let it cool down and used a drill with a 1/8 drill bit to cut all the sealent out . drilling a small hole and then rotating lens around moving drill bit. be careful ,one slip and you need a new lens . her is a pic with sealent removed



.... an hour goes by . . . .

place the seperated lens back into the trunk lid so you know wich way is up and down

5.


i know , my trunk is filthy lol

6.


this is the l.e.d. i used , 1 per lens. sealed , flexible , can be mounted in the car or out of the car . . .good product picked up at local surplus store

7.
place l.e.d. in to light and position, remove l.e.d. and run a layer of glue around outer lens where you want the light to be. i used a 3m product called super fast adhesive for plastics ( i work in a body shop so it was readilly available lol )




tape is shown to hold ends in place so glue could set up

8.
now that they are glued in place, run your wires through the slots in the side of the light. not where the reverse light goes but below it



9.
with the wires exposed out the side , re silicone with an all weather silicone and let dry.once dryed,install the black foam gaskets back on the lights.they only fit one way so if it doesnt look right try to seat it better. mount back into trunk lid and pull your wires through



10.
now the fun begins , run your lengths of wire form the pass reverse light all the way through the trunk lid down. down the wire loom on the right underneath to the area where your trunk light is located.hide all your wires and run them to the brake light on the passenger side.un plug the bulb entierly form the light so you have more room to work.

cut your brown and black wires only about 2.5 inches from the socket giving you enough room to strip the ends of the wires.do not touch wires together or you will blow fuses !
* if you do blow a fuse like i did, passenger side foot area # 9 , it's a 10 amp mini fuse lol*
join your positive wire to the brown wire and join them all together. join your negative wire to the black wire. i chose to use the style of connector that i did cause it is also a heat shrink style.crimpit, heat it , black tape it and your done . no moisture can get in side of the conection.
plug light all back together and your done on that side



11.
do the exact same on the drivers side . brown = positive , black = negative



now start cleaning up all your wiring cause your done.make sure to use black tape and go everything you have cut and spliced.use cable ties to make things look neater the same with using wire loom .

reinstall your black caps over the reverse lights and install carpeting back on trunk lid.close trunk turn on your headlights and shut the lights off in the shop and enjoy . . . you now have 4 running lights in the back and everything functions the way its supposed to ! have a smoke , you earned it lol





p.s. i know my car is dirty !

 

good how to .. i may use this...different indeed

 

I love you.

 

your welcome lol

 

i also love you

 

That's a first! Nice0 job! Did you submit it to the how to forum?

 

thats so much simpler than putting in LED's

 

Quick question do the leds stay on all the time or do they come on when braking, turn signals, and at night?

 

Nice job and great "how-to".

 

the way that i have them wired up is to the running lights or the day time running lights.in canada we have to have day time running lights fro some reason.so as i'm drivingall 4 lights ae on. brake lights still only light up the original taillights and 3rd.because the taillights are double filiment bulbs ,when you press the brake,thebrake lights gos brighter while the l.e.d. are still the same.it actually works out pretty nicley. you could probably hook them into the turn signals but i just don't need the heat from cops lol

i ahvent cause i dont know how to ? any ideas on how to submit to how to's?

 

subscribed, this is what i have been waiting for forever

 

thanks all , i just put it all in the how to section as well.

 

Very nice!!! Is there a way to set it up so all 4 are running without opening your laillight and putting LEDs? Can you just re-do some wires and call it good?

 

you cant do it that way,those lights in the trunk have no lights in them to begin with.just your reverse lights mount ot them .other then that no you cant.that would of made more sense but for some reason they put dummy lights on there for show instead of practicality lol. i've been thinking babout this for some time and this was the best way i could come up with.

 

WTF that aint skyline taillights. copier.

this here link shows you a true skyline taillight conversion. DONE BY ME. the first and only.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fusea...deoid=18594212

 

Moved to how-to section

 

infact heres my post on this taillight conversion

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/appearance-48/my-buddies-turn-signals-rearof-his-cobbalt-%2Avideo%2A-77378/

 

well just for the record . . . yours blink and blink wrong ! mine on the other hand are in fact running lights.with the brake and turn still being functional. sorry if you wanna hate on me for it but mine in fact do look good !

and further more . . .i think that i am the first to have this set up that works this way.you might be similar but my reverse light doesnt flash when i turn lol

 

Jeffery, i like your setup better. Reverse lights still work and it overall looks killer

The only thing i would try to do it get an LED strip slightly longer so that it would go all the way around.

 

i would also buy some led outside lights like modern performance sells to match the inner ones

 

Sweet!!! Where can I get those LED strips...?

 

that looks badass man, are you ever going to do the outer lights with the LED strip?

 

i dont think so,i think that was the last tailligths that i ever want to take apart again lol. i cant find the strips in any other size otherwise that might of been part 2 of the project last night lol. i'm just going to go with the l.e.d. bulb replacement for the factory taillight. because the strip is not long enough to go around the trunk light it for sure wont go atound the taillight cause it's bigger in diameter.

thanks alot man

 

the harder way:

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/how-guide-43/how-install-led-lights-into-your-reverse-lights-35528/

 

different approach but i wanted something more. his install looks real good. i just wanted a full light on all the time lol