Phase 1 rear lights

[Ren5Clio]

Hi everybody.

Hope you're all staying safe, perfect time to fiddle with the V6 eh.

Just picking brains on Phase 1 rear lights.......

I know the first Phase 1s with the small black tailgate button surround had the all red rear lights but what year were the rear lights with the clear part of the lense fitted ? I think they were fitted when the larger colour coded tailgate button surrounds were used in.

As i understand it the partial clear lenses were fitted to the later Phase 1s & then of course on the Phase 2s but just wondered the change over year / month. I could of course be wrong and all Phase 1s originally had the all red lenses but from what i have seen it only seems to be early cars with the small black tailgate button.

My 52 plate Phase 1 has the later type lights but want to have it original if it should have all red earlier type

Can those with 100% original cars from new shed some light on this, if someone has a 52 plate car with red rear lights from new i have my answer

Many thanks & stay safe :race:

 

[Budgie895]

Hi Jules, I know I will get corrected, but I was of the understanding all phase 1’s have the all red tail lights, mine has and is on a 02 plate, and has the silver tail gate button,
Keith

 

[Jamesv6]

[mention=1292,#2b2b2b]Duncan[/mention] My typing isn’t good at the minute.

 

[Williams]

It’s also my understanding that all Ph1 cars were fitted with red only rear light clusters.
It was a very popular and straight forward modification back in the day, to fit ph2 rear lights on Ph1’s. I’m sure Duncan will be along shortly to clarify though. As a pretty reasonable gauge of reference.. the blue and red cars were produced very late in production, so take a browse through pics of them maybe if you have time on your hands like many of us. :salut:

 

[Duncan]

All phase 1's left the factory with red rear light clusters, regardless of year.

Only the phase 2s had the clear section in the rear lights.

It was popular to put phase 2 lights on a phase 1 10 years ago (I'm guilty of doing it! [smilie=icon_eek.gif] )

 

[Ren5Clio]

Thanks for all the help with this, i've sourced some phase 1 all red rear lights now so back to lovely original, i think they look nicer too [smilie=yay.gif]

 

[Ren5Clio]

Hi all. Just as a follow up & advise for this thread...... I Have fitted my phase 1 with it's original rear all red lenses rather than the phase 2 versions that were fitted to it. But if anyone is going to do the same, you have to change the pins around in the bulb holder plugs on the wiring loom as the wiring order on Phase 1 & Phase 2 bulb holders is totally different. If you don't it plays havoc with the rear lights & dashboard wiring system !! It's an easy change though, you just have to clip open the cover on the plug, remove the terminals by gently releasing each tab on the back of the plug. Then you can swap the terminals around (they all need to be swapped over). Compare the backs of each bulb holder & you can reference where each wire has to re fitted (make sure the side light + & brake light+ are the right way round for the twin filament 5/21W bulb). For anyone thinking of buying some Phase 1 rear lenses without bulb holders bear in mind that the bulb holders between Phase 1 & Phase 2 also have a different mounting design so make sure you buy the lenses with the bulb holders. On Phase 1s you might notice that there is a lump in the wiring loom about 15cm from the plug under the insulation tape where the wires have been joined, this i'm pretty sure is from the TWR factory when they "cobbled" the Phase 1s together, maybe they used another Renault loom & had to splice in Clio rear light plugs. Anyway.......... just a heads up for anyone thinking of changing their Phase 1 back to original all red rear light lenses or from all red lenses over to phase 2 versions. I'll try and put up on here the original colour wiring order for the plugs for Phase 1 red lenses. Hope this helps :race:

 

[Brett]

Think you’ll find that the tape is where a previous owner has “cobbled” the ph1 to ph2 conversion. Was common to switch them years ago. I bought my car in 2008 and it was already done by the previous owner so changed them back.

 

[Ren5Clio]

Hiya. Yes i thought that at first too but the odd thing is the colour on the wires under the tape where they were joined were all matched up correctly with the phase 2 lights fitted, if the wires had been switched around at the joints to convert to phase 2 lights the colours would not be lined up & matching wire for wire. If who ever had done the conversion had not realised you can take the pins out of the plug & had cut & joined the wires the colours would be all mixed up at the joints. I personally think it's more likely that the pins in the plug were changed over & the joined wires are from the factory where they made up the looms. Perhaps some looms had to be modified or shortened during the build. The joints were done very neatly as well & looks like a pro with wiring did it. As we all know these Phase 1 V6s were kind of "Friday Afternoon" cars & were all hand built so modifications & "making do" to get them out of the door was rife. I guess the thing to do next time i'm at a meet with other Phase 1s with factory original rear lights is to check to see if they have the joints in the loom by the lights.

If any other phase 1 owner members reading this have all original red lense rear lights that have been on the car from new & have never been swapped, have a look at the wiring loom at the back of the lights (accessed through the boot left & right side) & see if you have the bulky joined area under the black insulation tape. It would be interesting to get to the bottom of the history of it.

 

[Szabotage]

From the Knowledge Base there is http://v6clio.net/manuals/cluster_guide.pdf
Not sure if it is something for reference or it is exactly what needs to be carried out.