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A bit of history first so that anyone unfamiliar can better understand the modification we're trying to do:
Like the better known automotive lighting company Hella, Valeo manufacture oem light units for Volkswagen. The units are VW marked and approved and carry the oem part numbers. A while ago some of us discovered that we could buy Valeo LED tail lights for our Mk5 Golfs. Their style, not casing shape, is the same as VW have used as standard for the Passat, Golf Plus, and Polo, and is also the same in that the inner 2 units on the bootlid are moulded and surfaced to receive LED bulbs but none are installed! I don't know exactly why this is but think that VW possibly commissioned their design but later decided to save costs. Or it could be just to achieve a more cohesive style across all 4 units. The production line Mk5 Golfs don't even have LED outer tail lights. The Mk6, or should I say Mk5.5, does but it's a different shape and design, so not usable.
^ VW Golf Plus casings with Valeo LED outer units and 'dummy' inners.
^ VW Passat casings with Valeo LED outer units and 'dummy' inners.
^ VW Mk5 Golf casings with Valeo LED outer units and 'dummy' inners.
^ Valeo and standard oem inner unit comparison on Mk5 GTI.
^ Oem inner units (bootlid) with Valeo fully functional LED outer units.
You can just plug 'n play the mix while your inner units are away being modified.
It has been quite a long journey so far sourcing what is needed so that everything will pass MOT and is practical and viable to produce. Currently, my friend Chris has sourced a control unit which is wired for all combinations and Neo aka cmdrfire is liaising with him to design and source PCB boards. We are using Osram LEDs the same as Volkswagen use and signal strengths will also match.
Resulting functionality can be as follows:
1) - The 2 outer units will remain exactly as they are.
2) - The 2 inner units will have Osram LEDs so that they can have:
- Legal red tail lights resulting in quad display.
- Legal brake lights resulting in quad display.
- Legal strength rear foglights resulting in twin display (optional).
- The central lenses of both inner units can display legal white reversing lights (optional).
We have decided it's far too tedious and potentially expensive to attempt matching 'amber yellow' indicator lights to result in quad display. Our thinking is to be able to offer a service to modify other people's Valeo tail lights in small batches. Until my 'prototype' is complete we won't know cost or viability but it's now looking good thanks to Neo's input.
Valeo LED tails can be sourced from Kunzmann, Germany but if anyone knows additional sources, please let me know:
http://www.kunzmann.de/shop/en/tuning-styling-vw-golf-5-v-led-rear-lights-set-candy-red-for-vw-golf-5-v.htmHere is the updated list for folks registering a serious interest so that we have some idea of how many PCB's to have manufactured etc. Adding your name to this list is not a commitment at this stage - You'll need to know the cost.
1 - RedRobin
2 - cmdrfire
3 - Weston
4 - DanishmkVgti
5 - GTsport
6 - richardgti
7 - Bodger
8 - PND
9 - markymark
10 - apollo13
11- JamboV6
12- Big Al
13- GTIain
14- Edd666999
15- heavyd
16- Gti Mad