captconnels
20+ Year Contributor
- 151
- 0
- Aug 19, 2002
Here ya go guys, it took me a long time to figure out how to do this, and the tutorial on 2GNT was not exactly helpful, so this is to save all you guys like me a lot of time.
TALON to ECLIPSE Rear end conversion......
This was just done this weekend so it should be almost completely accurate. Make sure you have a FULL day to work on this. It takes a while. Good luck.
Here's what you need:
1. 95-99 OEM Eclipse Bumper (I chose 97-99 because I liked the style better)
2. 95-99 Eclipse Tail lights (OEM, Altezzas, Clears, whatever your choice may be)
3. "L" brackets (4-8, your choice)
4. Nuts and bolts (to attach the bumper to the L brackets
5. 5 ft. of wire for reverse lights
6. Eclipse reverse lights
-Take out the moulding on the interior so you can easily get to the tail light assembly.
--There are 2 long side peices that unscrew then unsnap pretty easily.
--The center peice will come out with some easy pulling and tugging.
-Unbolt and remove tail light assemblies.
--The center peice MUST come out first! Trust me it will save you alot of grief and possibly breaking part of the light. The center peice is also a royal pain in the ass to get out unless you have a long barrel 10mm socket. If you don't, find one. Go get one from Autozone for $.99. It is worth saving the half hour it took me to get the centerpeice out, trust me.
--The 2 side lights come out relatively easy compared to the center one. If my memory serves me right there are 7 nuts holding in each one, then they should slide right out. If you want to save time later, label each of the lights as they come out.
-Extend reverse light wires.
--The Talon reverse lights are in the tail lights themselves, BUT the eclipse ones are in the bumper. This will require you to splice in approximately 1.5-2ft of wire to get them to reach.
--Tuck the new wires away for a while, you won't need them just yet.
-Take off old bumper.
--Now here's the first of many royal pains in the arse. While you have the tail lighs out, you will have access to many of the bolts holding the bumper. Take them all off and set them aside.
--There will be approximately 3 bolts/rivets in each wheel well.
--Where the bumper meets the fender in kind of an "L" shape on the side, There will be 2 bolts inside the trunk, and 1 accessible from the wheel well.
--There are 2 obvious ones on the very bottom of the bumper. But look up toward the middle and you will see 2 more.
--There is 1 bolt which I am convinced is only possible to get to by pulling the top of the bumper back in the middle, Take a look and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.
--That should be it, I don't think I missed any, the bumper should be able to slide right off now, if it doesn't find the bolt(s) you missed.
-Prep for new bumper.
--There are a couple things you'll need to do before attemping to attach the new bumper.
--First, get the 2 metal brackets off the sides of the Talon bumper and attach them in there respective places on the new bumper.
--Next, you'll need to fasten the "L" brackets to the car. To do this, I suggest having a friend hold the bumper where it needs to be. Then holding a bracket up where you need it and marking where to drill the hole. You WILL need someone to help you at this point. Now attach the L brackets to the sheet metal. About 4 brackets on the top should be good.
--Get the license plate and reverse lights where they need to be for quick installation once you start to put the bumper on.
-Install your new bumper.
--This is the fun part. The bumper should go on without and bending, shaping, pulling or tugging at all.
--First, install the license plate and reverse lights.
--Next, fasten the bumper to the L brackets you have just put on.
--The bumper will not match up the holes underneath the 2 side lights, this is not a big deal. Its your decision if you want to put more brackets there to hold it up.
--Bolt on the 2 sides of the bumper, then work your way back to the middle.
-Install your new tails.
--Now the 2 side lights will bolt right on, no problem. But the center one, you will need to drill 3 more holes. Just hold the center light up and mark where you need to drill, there should be places for the holes, but they were just never drilled.
--Attatch the center tail peice.
--Install the bulbs in the 2 side lights, and test them before you put your interior back together.
--Put your interior back in just the way it came out.
Now take a picture (mine will be here tomorrow), post it here, and go cruise with your new setup.
TALON to ECLIPSE Rear end conversion......
This was just done this weekend so it should be almost completely accurate. Make sure you have a FULL day to work on this. It takes a while. Good luck.
Here's what you need:
1. 95-99 OEM Eclipse Bumper (I chose 97-99 because I liked the style better)
2. 95-99 Eclipse Tail lights (OEM, Altezzas, Clears, whatever your choice may be)
3. "L" brackets (4-8, your choice)
4. Nuts and bolts (to attach the bumper to the L brackets
5. 5 ft. of wire for reverse lights
6. Eclipse reverse lights
-Take out the moulding on the interior so you can easily get to the tail light assembly.
--There are 2 long side peices that unscrew then unsnap pretty easily.
--The center peice will come out with some easy pulling and tugging.
-Unbolt and remove tail light assemblies.
--The center peice MUST come out first! Trust me it will save you alot of grief and possibly breaking part of the light. The center peice is also a royal pain in the ass to get out unless you have a long barrel 10mm socket. If you don't, find one. Go get one from Autozone for $.99. It is worth saving the half hour it took me to get the centerpeice out, trust me.
--The 2 side lights come out relatively easy compared to the center one. If my memory serves me right there are 7 nuts holding in each one, then they should slide right out. If you want to save time later, label each of the lights as they come out.
-Extend reverse light wires.
--The Talon reverse lights are in the tail lights themselves, BUT the eclipse ones are in the bumper. This will require you to splice in approximately 1.5-2ft of wire to get them to reach.
--Tuck the new wires away for a while, you won't need them just yet.
-Take off old bumper.
--Now here's the first of many royal pains in the arse. While you have the tail lighs out, you will have access to many of the bolts holding the bumper. Take them all off and set them aside.
--There will be approximately 3 bolts/rivets in each wheel well.
--Where the bumper meets the fender in kind of an "L" shape on the side, There will be 2 bolts inside the trunk, and 1 accessible from the wheel well.
--There are 2 obvious ones on the very bottom of the bumper. But look up toward the middle and you will see 2 more.
--There is 1 bolt which I am convinced is only possible to get to by pulling the top of the bumper back in the middle, Take a look and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.
--That should be it, I don't think I missed any, the bumper should be able to slide right off now, if it doesn't find the bolt(s) you missed.
-Prep for new bumper.
--There are a couple things you'll need to do before attemping to attach the new bumper.
--First, get the 2 metal brackets off the sides of the Talon bumper and attach them in there respective places on the new bumper.
--Next, you'll need to fasten the "L" brackets to the car. To do this, I suggest having a friend hold the bumper where it needs to be. Then holding a bracket up where you need it and marking where to drill the hole. You WILL need someone to help you at this point. Now attach the L brackets to the sheet metal. About 4 brackets on the top should be good.
--Get the license plate and reverse lights where they need to be for quick installation once you start to put the bumper on.
-Install your new bumper.
--This is the fun part. The bumper should go on without and bending, shaping, pulling or tugging at all.
--First, install the license plate and reverse lights.
--Next, fasten the bumper to the L brackets you have just put on.
--The bumper will not match up the holes underneath the 2 side lights, this is not a big deal. Its your decision if you want to put more brackets there to hold it up.
--Bolt on the 2 sides of the bumper, then work your way back to the middle.
-Install your new tails.
--Now the 2 side lights will bolt right on, no problem. But the center one, you will need to drill 3 more holes. Just hold the center light up and mark where you need to drill, there should be places for the holes, but they were just never drilled.
--Attatch the center tail peice.
--Install the bulbs in the 2 side lights, and test them before you put your interior back together.
--Put your interior back in just the way it came out.
Now take a picture (mine will be here tomorrow), post it here, and go cruise with your new setup.
