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Old 12-10-2011, 11:30 PM
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Mods for Europe!

So, being in Tech School for the USAF, I have gotten my orders for my first base, and my wife and I are off to England! So, in preparation for that, I have some changes to make. My first completed project being the rear fog light. EU lighting codes state that you must have a red rear-facing indicator light, mounted between 250-1000mm from the road surface, for increased position visibility for cars behind you in foggy conditions. The idea is an extra light, low enough to get beneath most of the fog, to help vehicles behind you keep tabs on you better. So, first mod, complete.

Please ignore the fact my car is FILTHY, but I've been rather busy, and the weather has been all over the place. When it isn't wet out, it's too dang cold to wash a car haha.

This gives you the feel of where it sits. Wish I could have found something more attractive, but this gets me legal, and I can try to find a better light later.

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Light turned on, running lights on. It's a bright little thing! Never mind the green rag, forgot PhotoBucket lets you edit lol.

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Attached on the underside of the bumper, a single bolt, and slotted the foam inside so the bolt can sit in it. Doesn't protrude as bad as I'd originally thought it would.

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A close up down low, light off, with flash (note lit reflectors lol). Yeah it kinda just hangs out down there, but whatever.

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Old 12-10-2011, 11:34 PM
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Ah, the rear fog lights, they do work...but remember to kill it when you're in clear weather because they are awful annoying to following cars.

On that Delphi connector you were looking for, I almost forgot to tell you that my vendor is looking at a 12-14 week lead time just for samples...cripes! So sorry I can't help you with that aspect of converting your HHR to European/DLVA standards.
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Old 12-10-2011, 11:50 PM
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Holy smokes! Well, I have some pins on the way, I will just do a couple layers of heat shrink to each wire to insulate them from each other, and stick them in and wrap it in electrical tape. That ought to hold it pretty good without destroying the connector or wiring.

As for the light, I have an illuminated switch mounted to the dash (guess I should have gotten a pic of that too haha), so it lights up when its on, and it's decently bright, so I will see it, but not too bright so as to irritate me.
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Old 12-11-2011, 04:07 AM
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Not a bad idea.
If you plan to get the yellow turn signals - this is a reference to the Russian forum http://www.bigmotors.by/forum/viewto...=108&start=110. The guys have developed a simple method to comply with European regulations. They use white / yellow LED bulbs. Google will help you with the translation.

PS To isolate the electrical contacts, I suggest to use plumbing sealant http://kvartirakrasivo.ru/articles/i...-o-germetikah/. He waterproof, thick, tenacious. After hardening - like soft rubber. It is easy to remove - a cut and pull, it will remain in your hand and not leave traces on the surface of contact.
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Old 12-11-2011, 11:15 AM
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boy that's a hard read haha. Google Chrome translated it for me, but apparently didn't recognize some words, so it's Russian with English characters, but due to being a straight translation, it appears as messed up grammar lol. Is there a specific page where they detail how the wiring works for the white/yellow? That's quite interesting they managed to get the white and amber out of the same light. Personally I want to try to keep my LED tails, so I may just do external turn signals anyway. Didn't realize I was going to need resistors though, glad I read that.

As for the plumbers sealant, that's a good idea, thanks!
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Old 12-12-2011, 06:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Yonash
boy that's a hard read haha. Google Chrome translated it for me, but apparently didn't recognize some words, so it's Russian with English characters, but due to being a straight translation, it appears as messed up grammar lol. Is there a specific page where they detail how the wiring works for the white/yellow? That's quite interesting they managed to get the white and amber out of the same light. Personally I want to try to keep my LED tails, so I may just do external turn signals anyway. Didn't realize I was going to need resistors though, glad I read that.

As for the plumbers sealant, that's a good idea, thanks!
Yes, our grammars is different. In English, you can not rearrange the words - to change the meaning of the phrase. In Russian, you can do it. I did not know that Google can not cope with the translation.
Wiring diagrams exist. If you move to the next page of theme, you see them. http://www.bigmotors.by/forum/viewto...=108&start=120
The guys used the two-color bulbs. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-3157-60-SM...#ht_3760wt_983
Your LED tail lights - a problem. But a solution exists, if you are ready to act a soldering iron.
Now I have carefully considered ass your car. I see - you have a 4 lamp "Stop / Turn" and there is no "reverse" pointers (correct me if I'm wrong). Perhaps you can remove red LEDs of the pair of lights. In their place, instal the white and yellow LEDs. White LEDs connected to the "reverse", yellow LEDs connected to the front turn signals.
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Old 12-12-2011, 12:10 PM
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ah, i see. haven't seen those switchback bulbs, very neat. My tail lights are the IPCW LED tails, red rings around them for running lights, the center of the top lights up red for brake/turn, and the lower is full of BRIGHT white LEDs for reverse. In the future, I may consider modifying the lights and replacing some of the white ones with amber, but it certainly won't be until after I get to England. I appreciate your help though! I never would have thought to do some of these things otherwise. The lights I have found that i will be ordering as soon as I get paid (Wednesday) are not intrusive, they only require 3 small holes be put in the bumper for mounting, so I could get them plastic welded and repainted later so you won't see the holes after I change out some of the LEDs.
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