Euro style (amber turn signal) tail lights for 99 Suburban

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rodek

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Hi!

I've been searching for tail lights with European style amber turn signal indicators. Naturally ones with clear lenses would do since I can install amber bulbs.
Seems to me these are hard to find even though they have been produced by GM for Holden Australia and suburbans in Brasilia. Even found out that some military models had these installed new.

Anyone have any info where to get these?

I've contacted Holden and Brazilian companies (with limited success), all parts discontinued.
I found these but apparently they fit like crap: ebay lights
Any experiences with these?
 

vaporlock

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I have the euro tails, my truck was built in Canada but made specifically for Sweden but even here they're extremely rare. I think I've only seen one truck other than mine with them.
It doesn't say but I'm guessing you're in the US, and truck is made in the US? In that case even if you find a set they most likely wont work with your 'burban. My truck and taillights are wired different from the US once. Mine has 5 wires coming from the truck connecting to 5 pins on the taillight, US trucks/taillights only has 4 wires. If I remember correctly brake and turnsignal is in the same wire for US trucks, which is why it won't work. I bought a set of Anzo tails and I have to make a whole new harness for it because of that.

The taillight
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The wiring
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BoxerPitMix

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I always thought those tail lights were cool. Definitely different.

The problem with switching to Euro tails is that there is a separate wire to power the amber turn signal. U.S. spec tail lights simply use the brake light on either side. I'm sure it could be done if someone wanted to put in the effort, though.
 

rodek

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Hejssan Svensson!

I live in Finland, that's why the question. I need pass my DMV inspection when the truck arrives from California in the beginning of January 2016, apparently need the amber turn signal lights. Hey, why don't you sell me the ones you are changing out? :)

I'll have to check the wiring as you said, not sure whether the turn signals in the rear are supplied with separate wire. I remember seeing some wiring diagrams where this was the case but again don't know yet. I can get the signal from the front indicators easily if there is no separate wire in the back and supply the brake lamps via CHMSL.

Thanks for your input all!
 

vaporlock

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Haha hej från Sverige! Welcome to the site, btw :)

Oh I see, my friend has an -90 RCLB but with the regular taillights, what they did on that truck (and most trucks I've seen here) is to have a seperate turnsignal mounted in the rear bumper (disconnecting the regular one). He hates it and the bumper is pretty rusty around the housings now...

I have a different idea tho, this is what I'll be doing with my new tails, I'm rewiring mine so top and middle bulbs are rear light and brake and the lower is reverse and turnsignal using a white and amber switchback LED. I got the idea from another truck with regular tails that I saw and it looked really good.

Since it's a US truck it most likely doesn't have a seperate turnsignal wire, it can be done obviously since we have quite a lot of these trucks here and amber turnsignals are required (you don't get very far with red turns here) but I don't know how. There are a few companys here in Sweden that specialize in making US cars legal here, there should be companys like that in Finland too.

I don't want to sell them, sorry! :) But they wouldn't work anyway since they require all seperate wires to work properly.

Got any pics of the 'burban? I hope you're happy with it when it arrives, January isn't that far away! :)
 

rodek

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That's one good option Ms Swede! I'm assuming you are referring to these? What's the best place to get them? Do you use red LED's or just red bay15d bulbs?

I'll have to wire the rears as the euro-us trailer harness conversion (which I need to do anyways since I'll be pulling a trailer every now and then).
Turn signals directly from the front circuit.
Brake from pedal or from CHMSL
Other lights (park/reverse) from the original rear harness.

I have only few pics from the freight forwarder, here is one
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Happened to find a clean -99 454 K2500 loaded with basically everything.
 

vaporlock

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I thought so too. :)
I bought these but the once you linked work the same. I bought mine from Summit, they had the best price and a friend of mine gets a pretty good discount from them.

I'm using red LEDs for rear lights and brake and white + amber switchback LEDs for reverse and turnsignal, all of them are 3157 sockets (BAY15d is for the front turns and pos). But if you can find regular red bulbs that'll work too.
Just remember, when using LED bulbs for turnsignals you'll most likely need to replace the turnsignal relay to one that is for LEDs to avoid hyperflash, I got this one (OE relay is EP 29 and the one for LEDs are EP 29 L, I think it'll work on your 'burban too)

It's best to use the same color LEDs (red behind red lens, amber behind amber lens and so on) otherwise with white LED's behind colored lenses the light will look washed out.
Like this:
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Okay so it's a pertty easy fix then? Mine came with a trailerhitch from factory.

Wow, looks really nice! I was lucky too, mine was ordered (not bought of the floor at a dealership) by a guy and he pretty much got everything.
 
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Elcaminolv

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Greetings from Latvia!
I have a 1995 K3500 GMC Sierra and I also need to convert to amber rear turn signals, so I was wondering how did you guys solve ir? Route the brake light from the central brake light and turn signals from the front?

Sent from my SNE-LX1 using Tapatalk
 
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