Can't really tell here, but you can in person, and that's where it counts.

GLX tails before: notice the amber glow on the passenger side

What I started with:

) European specification turn signals with no amber lense, orange bulbs, and retro-fitted to use the U.S. specification 3 prong plug.
) GLX tail lights with normal white bulbs and connections.

What you will need:

) 4 stealth bulbs (1 pair 1157, 1 pair 1156, that appear silver but light up orange)

I got these on ebay for $6.49 a pair shipped.
From this ebay member: "galagolo"
) Dremel tool

) Regular screwdriver
) Needle-nose plyers
) Hammer
) Vacuum
) (optional) narrow, hollow tube)
) Safety Goggles

Smoked Turn signals:

This part takes 5 minutes. Take the screw driver, pop out the dummy panel and remove the turn signal. Disconnect the plug, push down on the plug and twist to the left and take it out. Swap out the regular bulb for the stealth bulb....... and you're done. Put that back together and be careful not to break any of the tabs while putting the dummy panel back in.

Comparison shot. Ambered on the left, finished product on the right

(being lower does have its disadvantages )

Finished:

(Lip mended too )

Hella Jetta GLX tails:

This part takes a little longer.

Open your trunk, turn to the left or right and peel back the carpet in the corner behind the outer tail lamps (the carpet that is against the backside is behind the carpet against the sides of the car). Remove the lighting harness carefully, so you don't break the bulbs. Take the 8mm deep socket and remove the 3 nuts that hold the tail lamp in place. Take out the outer tail lamp.

Now, if you look inside the turn signal housing, you'll see a little orange cup that surrounds the bulb, which not only dims the light, but makes it cast an orange light (and the orange glow when they're not on). Take the screw driver, put in in the hole of the the housing against the amber cup and LIGHTLY tap the screwdriver with a hammer to pop it out of position. I cannot stress enough how important it is to be very gentle with that step; you do not need a lot of force to separate the glue (or whatever), and if you apply too much, you can break the tail light!.
It should be just floating about freely in there now. So you should be really motivated to get this done! .

So here's where it gets "fun". Grab the amber cup withe the needle-nose plyers and have at it with the dremel!

I recommend to take off small chunks at a time and just pull them out with the needle-nose plyers.

So, work your way around the cup, taking off small chunks at a time. then when you've taken off about half the cups height, go around again, doing the exact same thing.

Soon, you'll be left with a little amber disk.

So, take the dremel and cut it in half. You can only cut so much at once, so attack it from the top and from the bottom.

Now you should end up with something like this:

So Vacuum all the chips up. To get to the inside of the housing, what I did was attach a narrow piece of tubing to the end of my vacuum hose with duct tape and used that. You may have to tap the tail lamp against something hard, but not too hard, to get the chips out if they went around the corner.

So now that you've done one side, reinstall the tail lamp in the reverse order that you took it out, and do the other side.

Comparison shots:

***Important***
DO NOT do this without putting some sort of amber bulb in the tail lights!!!

Feel free to ask questions

EDIT: Put all the pictures in Cardomain so they won't disappear


Modified by SSjetta at 12:35 AM 2-19-2006

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

I wish it was like this on the GTI tail lights, but the whole exterior plastic looks orange

2000 Audi A4 1.8TQ
94 GTI VR6T ... gone in pieces

1 thirty pack at a time

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

1 thirty pack at a time

"1156 / 1157 SILVER VISION BULBS(CHROME) FREE S&H"
^that was the title of the item that I bought.

Modified by SSjetta at 7:07 PM 2-11-2006

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

Ok, there is the Ebay item..... but don't buy it! email him first. That's only so the auction stays up there. you'll need 2 pairs of 1157 amber bulbs.

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

oh and, where's punjeb?

No need to buy those $7 bulbs!
for my FK smoked tails, they came with orange signal bulbs that reflected all over that section of the tailight, and looked like doo doo(since they're crystal inside)

I just took some silver model paint, put it on the bulbs, let 'em dry, and that's it. I've got no pics of the 'before + after'....
but if you're gonna try it my way, use very little silver paint. I didn't have to coat the entire bulb, just the top, and made rings around it to let enough light out. They are just as visible as they were, and the tails look 10x better without the orange. Plus I saved $15

If i had my car, i'd take pics....


Modified by JRon24 at 10:51 AM 2-12-2006

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

But definetely take some pictures when you get your car back

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

Quote, originally posted by SparkonGTI »

I wish it was like this on the GTI tail lights, but the whole exterior plastic looks orange

Yeah, it sure does. Has anyone tried to do anything like this to the GTI tails?

Any input?

"This is for the people of the sun!" Zack De LaRocha

fs:polished merc wheels

Add the Bill of Rights, subtract the wrongs...there's no answers! - NOFX

CBOX KREW FTW

2pc 17" BBS Moda M2 FS

If you keep the white bulbs in, they'll light up as bright as your reverse lights, and all hell WILL break loose.

Modified by SSjetta at 1:31 PM 2-12-2006

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

I am pretty sure it's illegal in my town... I gotta get me some of those stealth mofo's!!! Thats badass. Nice write up, and thanks for the tip!

oh and, where's punjeb?

The rears are single filament though... so what I did was I shaved down the top nub and put them in... but you have have to note which way you put them in because there are 2 ways to put them in. one way will make them blink faster, because it will light up the dimmer filament, and the other way will be normal because it lights up the brighter filament.

And yea, they appear to be silver, but they light up orange/amber

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

the US spec HELLA smoked turns (now discontinued) have the orange reflector inside which are hard as fuck to find (luckly i got a set woo!).

anyways most companys today sell the ones w/ out the orange reflector, its the bulb that makes them orange

same here but, i cant look at the bulbs righ tnow because its cold as hell outside. does anyone know what size the front &rear turns are? or what site i can view our cars bulbs sizes. also, does anyone know if they come in silver/yellow?

oh and, where's punjeb?

FS: Brand New Miro M02

FS/FT: Kuhmo V710 on snowflakes

Your rear turnsignal lights can be red, white or amber. They cannot be blue because thats used by service vehicles. Your fronts can be white or amber but not red or blue.