Well like the title says...if you went to Japan and got a set of 1996+ circular rear lights and had a set of converted lights...what would be the difference? I thought I noticed that the inside of the 1996+ lenses (area around circles) were thicker so it didn't look so "flat/1 dimensional" when the lights were on.

 

I did the fake conversion on my tail lights. Personally it turned out so well I can't tell any difference between my tail lights and the authentic ones.

 

Who did your lights and mow much did it set you back?
Thanks,Erik

 

But where have you seen the real ones? I mean maybe you've seen the real ones in person but a lot of people haven't and just assume they look the same because of the 3 circles...I'm sure there's more to the 1996 lights than that? Obviously not from far, but I mean can someone who's held these lights in their hand or been to Japan chime in on this?...

 

Here are some great pics from an ebay auction....look much different at first view imho

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2468036670

 

There was a thread about this not too long ago.

I believe the difference was that the lights themselves sort of "bubble" out on the authentic lights (rather than just having painted circles). So, you'd have to be right up on the lights to see that difference.

If you search, you should be able to find the thread.

 

Mahjik, thanks for the additional info. I tried to search too but couldn't come up with much because there were so many threads on 99 spec front lights, rear conversion, etc. I'll keep checking though.

tt2323 - thanks for the pictures from ebay...I saved them to my comp. You can clearly see a nice difference there.

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Ah an edit to this post...I found a thread...I think the one Mahjik was most likely talking about and just thought I'd link it from here for anyone else interested.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ce+tail+lights

 

Well mine are rotor shaped, thats a pretty big difference....

 

I've owned both, and the only difference I've noticed is the thicker black interior panels with cutouts instead of a thin layer of paint. They may look like they bulge because of those panels, but I don't remember the interior of my '96-spec lights (in 1997) being anything but flat.

 

Yeah, and you're more than welcome to them.

BTW, were any finished pictures posted?

 

Looks like a goldang jack-o-lantern!

 

I found this picture on my comp of a Japanese Rx-7. You can see the depth to the lights. It appears there are circles on the outside and also on the inside of the lens. Did they ever change the rear lights again after 96?...and if not what do you think makes this image appear this way?

 

I've seen a few (location helps) and some side by side - the biggest thing I can think of is that the 95- lights (yes: 95, not 96 or 99) seem to have a lighter cover (ie: the first type seem more tinted).

I have a set of rebuilds from RS Pantera - and, while an improvement, they don't seem identical to the factory version.

 

DaiOni - Hmmmm interesting information. Although what do you mean you have rebuilds from RS Pantera?...is that a shop in Japan? Do you have any pictures?

 

These are the ones I did myself on my car and I cant tell the difference myself.

 

No offense to the people who have done the self-modifications or even sent your lights in to someone, but don't you guys see the difference from the pictures I'm posting and the others? You can see inside the circles of the 96+ lights (like it looks like the outside lens is clear) and on the interior of the lights there's red (or orange for turning). I don't know, maybe these aren't normal 96+ lights and maybe this is what DaiOni was saying...that there's no tint to them or something. Here's another example of the depth of the 96+ lights:

 

'96 Spec lights...

 

Anybody got some insight into these other lights that don't seem to look the same as the ones we see everywhere?