Just got in my Export Tail Lights from Japan!

[Chythar]

Photos first:

Next is the sweet part: Wiring harnesses!

The Japanese harness has 5 wires, not 4 like the US one. The Japanese wires are:

Left harness:
Light Green w/ Orange stripe (LG/O) -- left turn signal
Red w/ Light Green stripe (R/LG) -- brake light
Black w/ Pink stripe (BK/PK) -- reverse light
Brown (BR) -- exterior lights (lit when headlights are on)
Black (BK) -- ground

Right harness:
Orange w/ Light Blue stripe (O/LB) -- right turn signal
Red w/ Light Green stripe (R/LG) -- same as left
Black w/ Pink stripe (BK/PK) -- same as left
Brown (BR) -- same as left
Black (BK) -- same as left

Our harnesses are missing the R/LG wire; the brake and turn signal is put in the LG/O & O/LB wires. This can be stopped by cutting a wire behind the driver's kick panel. The instructions for the 96-98 tail light harness give a good description of how to modify the 94-95 harness, though we only need one more bulb.

Here's the wiring to each bulb on the Japanese harness:

Small corner light: BR & BK (same as US)
Reverse light: BK/PK & BK (same as US)
Turn signal bulb: LG/O & BK (right is O/LB & BK)
2 Brake bulbs: R/LG, BR & BK

Wiring on the US harness:

Small corner light: BR & BK
Reverse light: BK/PK & BK
2 Brake/Turn Signal bulbs: LG/O, BR & BK (right is O/LB, BR & BK)

Wire as necessary to match the Japanese harness. The R/LG is fed in from the center brake light.

After modifying the harness, your turn signals will blink twice as fast. From what I am told, this is a Ford feature to inform you that one of your bulbs has burned out. I have no proof of this, but this is what I have heard. I also understand that the blink rate is set in the Electronic Flasher (yellow box behind the dash fuse box). Now, I bought some time ago an electronic flasher that was SUPPOSED to be modified to return the blink rate to normal. Maybe I got scammed; maybe not. I'll take the plastic cover off the "modified" one and a stock one and compare; I'll post my results back here.

 

[Adam95GT]

noice

 

[Killercanary]

Can you find a set for me?

Nice score BTW!

 

[RIO5.0]

You wanker... were'd you score those??? I been hunting for a set for years..

 

[Chythar]

Can you find a set for me?

Nice score BTW!

There are a few more sets ion Japan, depends on the price. None of them are yellow; white, opal frost (looks gray) and blue. The total cost, including shipping from Japan to my house was a slim $250. I would estimate about $300 just in case.

Killercanary, if you want me to bid on one of the existing sets for you I will. PM me and we'll talk. I was planning on offering this service to the StangNet members here, just not sure when. There are 96-98 tail lights as well, and I think a set of 99-04 as well. Though the US 99-04 Cobra's had the separate turn signal, so they're not as rare.

The 94-95 export tail lights aren't too common in Japan, but they're certainly more common than NONE here in the US.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

I call dibs on the 96-98 set! I've been looking for those for over a year with no luck.

 

[Chythar]

OK, here are the photos of the two electronic flashers. The "modified" one is on the left in all photos - the OEM one (from the wrecked Cobra) is on the right. This first photo shows the modification - the metal wire has been bent by hand, it has marks on it from a pair of pliers. I think it's actually a paper clip.

It's hard to see in this one, but the solder joints for the metal wire on the left have been re-done, they're not as clean as the right ones.

And to be complete, here's photos of the other sides. The resistors have the same color codes, so the rest of the flasher parts should be identical.

I haven't used this new flasher unit, so I couldn't tell you if it works or not. But maybe it'll help us figure out how to stop the rapid turn signal blinking after the export tail light mod.

 

[ratio411]

Just put a resistor in each side's feed line.
That should fool the flasher into thinking there is the correct draw on the circuit.

And yes, this feature of fast blinking has been used on US cars since at least the late 60s
to tell you when a bulb burns out. Maybe longer, I just don't know from personal experience.

I don't know that the resistor will work either, but it makes sense to me.

Good luck.

Oh, wiring 2 flashers in series affects the flash speed. I just don't recall if it speeds or slows.

 

[ProKiller]

and so it begins....i don't feel so special anymore now....

thats awesome Chythar. Good score! the wiring harness is a good call. I got mine working except for the rapid turn signal so if you figure it out please let me know. I was going to do the resistor route, just haven't got time to measure a bulbs resistance yet.

 

[ProKiller]

I call dibs on the 96-98 set! I've been looking for those for over a year with no luck.

found these on ebay last week:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230327874771

dude lowered the buy it now from $700

 

[inphiniti]

wow those prices are absolutely crazy... i mean the 250 is bareable... but certainly not 700 my god

 

[Chythar]

Well, this is a capitalistic society - charge what the market will bear. These tail lights are so rare that peeps usually jump all over them when they show up on eBay. If someone is willing to pay that price, then more power to them.

 

[inphiniti]

Well, this is a capitalistic society - charge what the market will bear. These tail lights are so rare that peeps usually jump all over them when they show up on eBay. If someone is willing to pay that price, then more power to them.

oh i completely agree with you there, **** if i had a pair i was selling go me!! LOL... but i couldnt see myself paying more than 300 for them... 700 is just outrageous... thats like collector prices right there. i still think they look hot, id like to see a video of them actually working

 

[reddy351]

and so it begins....i don't feel so special anymore now....

thats awesome Chythar. Good score! the wiring harness is a good call. I got mine working except for the rapid turn signal so if you figure it out please let me know. I was going to do the resistor route, just haven't got time to measure a bulbs resistance yet.

Why not just put a bulb in-line and put it somewhere where it won't be seen.

 

[ProKiller]

that's actually what most directions will tell you to do Rob, but i don't really like that. it just feels like a half-assed install.

 

[thethirdeye88]

i like those.........

 

[reddy351]

that's actually what most directions will tell you to do Rob, but i don't really like that. it just feels like a half-assed install.

Ok. Was just thinking out loud. Good luck figuring it all out.

 

[ratio411]

Why not just put a bulb in-line and put it somewhere where it won't be seen.

A resistor would be the exact same thing, but without light.

 

[reddy351]

A resistor would be the exact same thing, but without light.

True. But you don't need to figure out how much resistance a bulb provides, if you use a bulb.

No one had mentioned it as a solution, so I figured I would. It obviously works, if that's the "normal" way to do it and he never mentioned that he didn't want to do it that way. I hope it was ok to add my $.02.

 

[desertcox05]

you could temp wire the bulb in just to see if that is going to work. and when it does then go the resister route and solder and seal it up good afterwards. yes it's a little extra work. just my .02