2005 tail lights in my 1997 xk8
 

After lots of cutting, voila!

Attachment 171722

good modification, so exactly how much 'cutting' required? I do like the jewel tail lights better.

Literally a hole the size of the tail light.
The jewel tail lights mount quite differently to the body.
Yours screw to the body, while the newer version protrude through the hole that the old would have screwed to, and have a bracket of sorts from the back side.. like a drywall screw approach.

Really freshens up the look i think... although subtle.

I made brackets out of aluminum, but i think they can be sourced directly from Jag.

Looks excellent, much more modern. If I might suggest some Philips Silvervision indicator bulbs now to remove that 'egg yolk' look? Cleans it up even more :)

1 thing convenient about the swap is that the new tail lights use the same plug, so it's plug and play I think. Actually I haven't tested the new version with the battery attached just yet... but the plug does in fact plug in.

Sorry to say but every wire but the fog is in a different place, I can give you all the changes if you like.

I also do composite rear back plates, for a 3rd of the price of Jaguar if you are interested

Attachment 171719

Damn, I was worried about that.
That'd be awesome to let me know the wire swap!
I haven't looked close enough, is it a cut and mend ordeal, or easy enough to remove pins?

I will post the wiring changes up tomorrow when I am back at work

You're a gentleman.. thank you sir.
Kudos!

I just checked the PDF, ignore it and see my edited post, I will post the correct changes up later

Isn't there a chrome ring that can be purchased for the older models? Would be a lot easier than replacing the whole assembly. Think I saw the parts at some spare part / accessory retailer.

(am I the only one who doesn't want the extra chrome bits? :icon_razz: )

Yes and yes.
But it wouldn't look as good as with the clear lenses in my opinion.
Granted the difference is subtle.

I wouldn't say it was subtle, I would say it is a big difference, the older lights look very dated, I never hesitate to change them!


Attached is your wiring changes!

Nice mod , very modern and updated

+1. They make your car look 10 years younger. Huge difference, IMHO, and well worth doing.

Thanks again.. but can you just verify how I am to read this?

i.e. where is the plug 1 position?

Someone will cuss you in 20 years when they want to restore it to stock but it does look very good. Big improvement.

Look on the plug, on the side wires go into each hole is numbered, to remove the pins you will need to remove the red plastic insert, look to the side of the plug and you will see a couple of red tabs sticking through, with a small srewdriver push them in and up at the same time.

Take all the wires out except the orange/black and then put them back in the relevant hole positions as described, one connection does not get used.

Fitting the original light back in would be quite simple, I dread to think when they see what I have done :icon_wink:


Not so simple when you cut a hole like this.....

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...rsion-8084.jpg

XKRacer, yours is so unique , I would love to have XF lights if I had an XK