2G JDM/EDM Tail Differences

[InfiniteGSX]

Well I'm been researching this for a while. And have found that there were 3 styles of 2g Tail Lights, USDM, JDM and EDM. We all know what USDM look like. JDM tails are identical in physical shape, but have an amber blinker, with a total of 3 bulbs, two for brake, one for signal. EDM Tails are different. Some people like Project2G has EDM Tails, some others have JDM Tails. EDM Tails consist of the same Amber/Red lens that JDM Tails have, but have a different setup on how things light up. EDM Tails have Reverse Fog Lights. Its mandatory in Euro Spec Countries. I'm not sure on how many bulbs EDM Tails consist of, because there are soo many different pictures that confuse me. But so far, the outside, next to the blinker is the actual brake/parking bulb, and the inside is rear fog light. I am yet to find pictures of the rear fogs actually lit up. And I have been trying to ask Project2G if he could share a photo.

I have 4 pictures, 2 for JDM and 2 for EDM. Lit and not lit. You can see the differences.

JDM Spec Tail Lights:

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EDM Spec Tail Lights:

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See the shading differences in the EDM Tails? The inside section is alot brighter, this is the rear fog light. The center, I am unsure as to what the hell it is. At first I thought it was the Brake Light, and the outside by the blinker was the parking light. But I found two video's that showed the Parking/brake light to be one in the same.

The JDM Tails are what I'm about to get a hold of, even tho I want EDM Tail Lights.

JDM Tail Lights should be a direct bolt on for our cars, but will require the Talon/EDM Harness modification, which is very easy to perform, I did it on my 2g.

As for the EDM Tails, as soon as Project2G Answers me, I will know. But if it is anything like a VW, the plugs are totally different.

I hope this is clear for everyone to understand, and if you have questions, just ask. I'm still undergoing the differences in JDM/EDM Vehicles.

 

[Talesin]

As far as I know, there is no such thing as a 'JDM' DSM, given that they were all built over here, and very few were ever imported to Japan. Kind of like claiming that there's a 'USDM' R32 Skyline.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

As far as I know, there is no such thing as a 'JDM' DSM, given that they were all built over here, and very few were ever imported to Japan. Kind of like claiming that there's a 'USDM' R32 Skyline.

Exactly! There is NO such thing as a JDM DSM. Every DSM Made from 89-99 was made here. But things had to be prepared and changed for vehicles used in JDM and EDM Countries. There are JDM and EDM Spec DSM Parts, but as for the car themselves, they were all universal. DSM (MMMA) designed extra parts in accordance to those special countries that the Eclipse would be driven in. Such as the different 2ga (non facelift model) headlights, The fender blinkers, the foldable mirrors, and the tail lights.

IF you wanted a Skyline here in the US, things would have to be changed to allow it to be approved by our DOT. I was told that bringing a vehicle here from Japan, would require the windows to be replaced with shatter proof glass, since they dont use that over there, and the tail lights must have red reflectors in them. Also full out JDM Spec would have the vehicle be RHD. Which is why you don't see any RHD DSM's. If the Eclipse was actually in fact built in Japan, it would have RHD properties.

I'm sorry if I made it seem like I was saying there are JDM DSM's. There are not, just parts built for legality in those countries.

 

[NeMiZiS]

Do y'all know where to buy them at?.

 

[titoortiz76]

I know where to get'em.
PM me if interested
Anyway, In our tail lights there are some internal separating plastics that the Jdm version do not have.
I remember that one guy from the italian eclipse crew managed to remove'em(dunno how) and the result was great! looked like yours when the light was on, but with the amber colour on the side. As far as bulbs we have 3, that work exactly as infinite gsx said.
I've always wondered if our euro lights are illegal in the States. Here in Europe for example you cannot put the JDM tail lights because when you turn on the left or right, you are less "visible". Letting alone the law I must say that's true: I rescued being collided by some people who tried to overtake me while i was turning on my left . That alway happened in the morning. Maybe we're just not used to that; but I must say it's very dangerous.
Also a lot of ppl here have gotten a ticket by the police

 

[Defiant]

So far as I understand, Europe has required amber turn signals since the sixties; the drillheads who make up our lighting laws finally realized that might be okay to do on this continent in the late seventies; we weren't allowed to have sculpted headlights, nor separate bulbs and reflectors until the eighties- this was based on archaic experience of the twenties and thirties when the silvered reflectors of the day would corrode and lose much of the bulb's output. That old hazard has been replaced by the modern one of elementally-reactive polycarbonate lenses turning yellow and opaque.
When American manufacturers finally did go to amber rear turn signals, most of them insisted on mounting them inboard of the brake lights, unlike Europe's placement outboard (closest to the adjacent traffic, and more likely to be visible two and three cars back). Because most of the motor car laws here are asinine (DRLs, third brake lights).
I've been running illegal Carello replacements since the seventies. Upping (and, correctly aiming) lighting is one of the first things I do when I get a car.

Do European DSMs run fog taillights?

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Yes, European DSM's have Rear Fog Lights.

Do y'all know where to buy them at?.

JDM Tails, I don't know. I know I'm about to buy some from a DSMTuners Member. Euro Tails you can buy from contacts all over, but mainly MachV sells the Euro Tails. It might be possible since MachV imports them, that they might import the JDM Ones to.. But they are soo damn expensive.

 

[BoostedinSoFla]

How hard do you guys think it would be to convert USDM tails to Euro tails? I've been giving this some thought but I'm completely stumped. Would there be a way to make the amber turns? Of course, I know a lot of custom shit would be involved. Can the red be removed at the ends? Sanded? Repainted amber? Yeah, it seems like a long shot but if you guys have opinions/suggestions I would really appreciate it.

 

[titoortiz76]

Do European DSMs run fog taillights?

This is not the first time I see something like that on the site...the thing is that here such thing as "reas fog lights" does not exist on euro eclipses!WTF
What bustendinsofa says is really crazy! You won't believe it but a lot of ppl here have had the opposite idea: repainting the whole taillight red. Two ppl i know have done it with great results..
There's also another little difference between Euro and USDM tails: there's a kind of separating line between the amber and the red light, that you don't have...and that here people hate!!
It's very THIN but that still makes a little difference between red-painted euro tails, and USDM original tails.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

titoortiz76, your post was kinda confusing. Are you saying Euro Eclipse's don't have rear fogs? Cause I got a bunch of Germans telling me otherwise.

Ricky, there is no custom work needed to be done except to the Harness. And the modification is VERY VERY easy. I did it to my car. All you do is unplug a wire on the signal control box behind the stereo, and move the signal wire over to the blinker bulbs, and then run a new brake wire. There is a how to in the forums.

Besides that, all you have to do is bolt on! JDM Tails would be the easier ones. EDM Tails are a tad different then the JDM Tails, and the JDM Tails are identical to ours except have the amber lens and a blockoff for the amber.

 

[GSX]

InfiniteGSX,

I have the EDM tails, currently installed in my car without modification of the USDM wiring - do they don't work properly as of yet. I can tell you the housings are exactly the same as the USDM, although when I received mine I had to remove the bulb housings/wiring/connectors that plugged into the harness.

Let's talk via PM and figure this out, I can send pictures to address your questions.

Thanks,

 

[laserspeeddemon]

I'm sorry but I've lived in Germany for 3 years and I've been around quite a bit of EDM DSMs, none of them had the rear lights on like this.

This has to be modded. I can check with Raph to confirm.

 

[BoostedinSoFla]

Ricky, there is no custom work needed to be done except to the Harness. And the modification is VERY VERY easy. I did it to my car. All you do is unplug a wire on the signal control box behind the stereo, and move the signal wire over to the blinker bulbs, and then run a new brake wire. There is a how to in the forums.
Besides that, all you have to do is bolt on! JDM Tails would be the easier ones. EDM Tails are a tad different then the JDM Tails, and the JDM Tails are identical to ours except have the amber lens and a blockoff for the amber.

I dont think you read my post correctly. Read it again...

How hard do you guys think it would be to convert USDM tails to Euro tails? I've been giving this some thought but I'm completely stumped. Would there be a way to make the amber turns? Of course, I know a lot of custom shit would be involved. Can the red be removed at the ends? Sanded? Repainted amber? Yeah, it seems like a long shot but if you guys have opinions/suggestions I would really appreciate it.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Oh, haha no... all you can do with USDM Tails is convert the harness to have the seperate blinker.

LSD, EVERY EDM Eclipse I have seen, has tails JUST like that!

Maybe the tail lights with the fogs were an option. Because All the Euro DSM's I've seen has those exact tails, with the different deviders, and they light up with the small square instead.

The other tails, This is the first I've seen them, ever!

GSX will be taking pictures of his tails he had shipped from Italy. And Project2G, I'm still waiting for the same from him.

I'm also working with some people on the German forums to see if one of them can take pictures of thier tails. I also have a video of a german guy's stock Eclipse with an exhaust.... If you watch closely you can see that they light up the same way, just a small little square by the amber blinker.

 

[laserspeeddemon]

Well, don't hold out on me. Show me the VIDEO!!!!

**edit** Ok, I'm a tool. For some weird reason I thought that dark picture was a 1g and we were talking about 1g tails.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

HAHA, no... Look in my EDM Headlight thread, it has a pic of a 1st gen EDM Tails with fog lights.
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[Defiant]

Germany's renown for some odd traffic requirements- Jaguar wasn't allowed to sell the original S there because the sails coming from the rear edge of the roof to the boot deck were "too sharp", and posed a "hazard to pedestrians". So I'd not be surprised if they were the only EC country requiring rear fogs.

 

[titoortiz76]

I confirm.
In Italy we don't have rear fogs.
I've had a lot of euro taillights coming from germany also, but they're identical.
Maybe something in the wiring/bulbs changes, but i'm not sure.

 

[vaboys2ndgen]

so did i miss it someplace in here or What's a site you can order them at!?

 

[GSX]

InfiniteGSX,

I have the EDM tails, currently installed in my car without modification of the USDM wiring
Thanks,

Here's a picture of them lit up to show the difference:

 

[rich3389]

Can someone clarify what a "rear fog light" is?

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Can someone clarify what a "rear fog light" is?

You never seen tail lights on a VW Rolling around your town, that while he's driving there is a light thats on brighter then the rest of the tail lights? Kinda looks like he's riding the brakes until he actually hits the brakes? thats the reverse fogs... just in case someone in your area has done it. All USDM VW's have the hole and area waiting for a bulb, to install reverse fog lights. They just are never hooked up.

Oh here's something you might have seen, Audi's... They come with Reverse fogs installed on USDM Cars, I see them all the time with thier rear fogs installed. Also, high end Mini Coopers have rear fogs.

 

[GSX]

Was there anything to light up the center portion? The light on the left side, is the parking/brake light, and the one on the right, is the reverse fog light I believe.

Nope, the center portion is shielded off with the same type of dividers that separate the turn signal from the brake light.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Nope, the center portion is shielded off with the same type of dividers that separate the turn signal from the brake light.

And there's no hole to it, or some kind of indention that shows where to cut a hole out? I don't understand why they would ditch all that space? The outside devider by the blinkers are made for brake and parking light, the inside is made for fog... so wtf was that inside portion supposed to be...

 

[GSX]

Just checked, nope no hole or indentation. Actually, right where that space is is where the white plastic clip is mounted where the bulb housing wires merge to clip into the harness.

As for why the space, not sure either. But what else you gonna do with the tail? I mean, it's not like they could eliminate that part of the tail ... still has to look like an eclipse even though the tail has to operate differently under European law. Also, that portion still serves the reflector... Wierd, I know.