How2 - Detango Cavalier Turbo / GSi rear lights

An index of useful guides designed to help you care for and maintain your Mk3 Cavalier

Moderator: Robsey

Locked
User avatar
humbucker
Club Admin
Posts: 9298
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:42 pm
Location: Cobra Kai Dojo
Contact:

How2 - Detango Cavalier Turbo / GSi rear lights

Post by humbucker »

How2 – Detango Cavalier Turbo rear lights

*nb. This How2 guide also works with Cavalier GSi rear lights*

Unlike most other Cavalier rear lights, the Cavalier Turbo came with ‘tinted’ light clusters that featured orange indicator lenses as a separate component inside the outer light cluster. Removal of this secondary lens, or ‘de-tangoing’ the light cluster, will result in an indicator that matches the appearance of the reversing light as well as the clear tint of the Cavalier Turbo boot panel reflector.

You will need:
  • A pair of Cavalier Turbo rear light clusters (or your existing Turbo lights)
    A soldering iron
    A medium sized flathead screwdriver
    Two orange tinted indicator bulbs
To begin with you need to remove the existing lights from your car. To do this, open the bootlid and remove the protective cover behind each light cluster. Ensuring the ignition has been switched off, remove the power feed to the lights and remove the bulb holder by unclipping it at the top and bottom of the light cluster casing. Pull it clear and leave to one side. You should now be able to see the four bolts that hold the light cluster in place. Once the bolts are removed you should be able to pull the light cluster free from the outside of the car.

When you look through the bulb cavity for the indicator you will see the orange plastic panel that sits inside the outer light cluster. It is held in place firmly, and the light cluster is a sealed unit, so you will need to operate through the bulb cavity.

Heat up your soldering iron and through the bulb cavity gently press it into the orange lens panel. Don’t press too hard as you don’t want to melt the outer cluster, but press and drag the soldering iron through the orange panel so that you have divided it into a number of different pieces (each of which is small enough to get through the bulb cavity). With the aid of a medium sized screwdriver you should be able to separate each of the pieces you have cut. Turn the light cluster upside down and shake the pieces of orange lens free. You now have a perfectly tinted rear light!

Replace your clear bulbs with some orange tinted ones.

BEFORE:
Image

DIVIDE THE ORANGE LENS INTO SMALL PIECES:
Image

SHAKE THEM FREE:
Image

AFTER:
Image

Refitting is the reverse of removal. Reward yourself with a mug o' the good stuff

8-)
User avatar
humbucker
Club Admin
Posts: 9298
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:42 pm
Location: Cobra Kai Dojo
Contact:

Re: How2 - Detango Cavalier Turbo / GSi rear lights

Post by humbucker »

Image
Locked