Export Tails: Discussion

[Wood's 5.0]

...some people act like like it will add 50 hp and get you laid daily...

They will get you laid but only if you are into other import dudes as they are the only ones that will notice.

That's some funny stuff right there...NOT! LOL!
The accurate part of those uuuhhh...statements is just how many people do NOT notice the difference. I've had mine at MCA National shows all over the country and, as the nice gentleman so eloquently pointed out ( @ttocs), only a very few people actually noticed and even fewer knew what they were. I put mine in around 2002 or so (see below) just to be a little bit "different" and NO WAY was I going the ricer or F&F route as was trendy during that time! When I found this set in VA, I think (PPI, maybe?) they were already obsolete, already crazy expensive, and extremely hard to find. I got the tail lights and fender flares at the same time so I was just lucky, I guess. The remember the guy telling me he had a pallet of each and I got in on one of the last few sets. However, in efforts to answer the op's question on why the aftermarket has not reproduced expert tail lights; @delling3 pretty much summed it up.
BTW - I think 50 HP is a little bit optimistic. I was thinking in the 15-20 range .

 

[sorscode]

I just was browsing eBay manually last night when I ran a crossed someone trying to sell 99/01 Cobra tail lights for $1750! I mean come on! I have 4 sets of those new in box. I'm thinking maybe I need to sell a set or two for $3k/each. /sarcasm

People are nuts...

I didn't realize they increase HP. I need to install a set....

 

[white95]

I just was browsing eBay manually last night when I ran a crossed someone trying to sell 99/01 Cobra tail lights for $1750! I mean come on! I have 4 sets of those new in box. I'm thinking maybe I need to sell a set or two for $3k/each. /sarcasm

People are nuts...

I didn't realize they increase HP. I need to install a set....

$1750 is ridiculous but $700 is within the realm of possibility. Sold two tail light harnesses for 99/01 lights @ $150 each last week.

 

[ttocs]

I guess I worded it wrong as its not so much that it adds hp, but it lightens things up(your wallet) and with the reduced weight and thickness it makes the a certified butt-dyno read at LEAST 30 hp more.

 

[MyLittlePony]

I just was browsing eBay manually last night when I ran a crossed someone trying to sell 99/01 Cobra tail lights for $1750! I mean come on! I have 4 sets of those new in box. I'm thinking maybe I need to sell a set or two for $3k/each. /sarcasm

People are nuts...

I didn't realize they increase HP. I need to install a set....

I hate it when some moron lists something at astronomical prices, and then people assume it’s worth that. What it “sells for” is a better estimate of value. These are still pretty pricey, but no where near that expensive.

I remember once seeing an old floor phonograph player at an antique store. The seller actually printed off an auction they found of the model and it’s price. His price was cheaper, thus making it seem like a good deal. But that was the listed price. For all I know, HE was the eBay seller. It’s only worth what someone would pay for it, and there was no evidence of that, just what someone listed it for.

eBay has made listings much easier, and free to list. It used to cost money for a single listing. So people will list things for insane prices they think it’s worth, and just let eBay automatically relisted after they’ve expired for YEARS. I don’t know if they were told to sell it, and this was their way of saying “see, I tried” or setting up auctions for money laundering (though if it doesn’t sell, then clearly not). Or stupid investments thinking that someday someone might actually pay that, or they’re not truly interested in selling, but if the price is right, they might.

 

[evilcw311]

I hate it when some moron lists something at astronomical prices, and then people assume it’s worth that. What it “sells for” is a better estimate of value. These are still pretty pricey, but no where near that expensive.

I remember once seeing an old floor phonograph player at an antique store. The seller actually printed off an auction they found of the model and it’s price. His price was cheaper, thus making it seem like a good deal. But that was the listed price. For all I know, HE was the eBay seller. It’s only worth what someone would pay for it, and there was no evidence of that, just what someone listed it for.

eBay has made listings much easier, and free to list. It used to cost money for a single listing. So people will list things for insane prices they think it’s worth, and just let eBay automatically relisted after they’ve expired for YEARS. I don’t know if they were told to sell it, and this was their way of saying “see, I tried” or setting up auctions for money laundering (though if it doesn’t sell, then clearly not). Or stupid investments thinking that someday someone might actually pay that, or they’re not truly interested in selling, but if the price is right, they might.

What are you considering an old floor phonograph player and what was the price?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MyLittlePony]

What are you considering an old floor phonograph player and what was the price?

It was some old record player. One of those small wooden chests from maybe the 30s or 40s. This was many many years ago, but he wanted like over $2000 for it, showing a listing for around $5000. I wasn’t interested in purchasing, but was indeed curious about its value. I think something similar, if not the exact model was a couple hundred. The listing he used never sold.

The car community is probably the worst offender of this. Let’s say you spent $50k on buying and restoring a vehicle. You naturally want to make a profit. The car isn’t worth $50k. But you spent the money restoring it anyway. You want to make some profit from it, so you list it at $55k-$60. Car is still not worth that though. You keep it listed until it sells, which it won’t. I then discover your listing. I have a similar car, in similar condition, but I only paid $20k for the vehicle, parts, and labor. Now I start thinking my car is worth $55k. Some stranger actually offers me $40k, which is double than what Ive got into it. I get offended at such a “low ball offer,” claiming it’s worth at least $55k. But this does inspire me to list the car on eBay as well. It’s worth “at least $55k” so that’s what I set my reserve or buy it now at. That’s lower that the other guys. Seems fair. Well, now there are two similar cars on eBay listed at $55-60k. The process continues until you have several listings at similar insane prices, none of which ever sell.

 

[ttocs]

my mother still has a functioning record player that plays the roll records(like a toilet paper roll)

 

[sorscode]

$1750 is ridiculous but $700 is within the realm of possibility. Sold two tail light harnesses for 99/01 lights @ $150 each last week.

I think $700 is still high for the 99/01 Tail Lights. I just bought a set off of an 99 Cobra for $375 shipped to my house. Also I believe I bought the 96-98 Export harnesses from you a couple weeks back. I needed them for a set of NOS Exports. Price is always set for what people will pay for them.

Another thing people seems to sell for high dollar is the head rests for the Recaro LX Seats that the Saleens from 94-97 had. I found someone who had a set (another thing I collect) and he wanted over $500 for a set of head rests because he knew they were used in the Saleens. With a little searching I found someone outside the US who had a few boxes full of them all new. I bought the entire lot shipped to my house for less than $500. Once I got them, I sent him some photos of the 15 sets I just got. I know that seems mean but I did offer him a real price of $200 for the set and he laughed.

I've never been a fan of profiting on parts. I log everything I have purchased and what I paid. When I sell a specific item, I look up what I have invested in it, and sell it for what I have into it. Anything to help out my fellow Mustang friends.

 

[sorscode]

my mother still has a functioning record player that plays the roll records(like a toilet paper roll)

Is it an Edison Funnel player? I have one as well that still works. I also have a CED Player I use to watch the original and the only way to watch the original Star Wars movies that were not edited from what was played in the theaters.... CED are Vinyl Records but actually play video & audio instead of Audio only like normal Vinyl Records.

 

[MyLittlePony]

Wax cylinders? Same shop had a couple. I wanted to buy one just to have a piece of audio history. That, and I’m a fan of obsolete media and technology. But they had it packaged as a set. Meaning instead of selling many at an affordable price, now they have to pay the antique store several months worth of their rented floor space for a chance to sell an entire collection. Imagine if all the people selling vinyl records did that? But the worst thing about this is that this was Texas. What are the odds that those cylinders were kept in an air temperature controlled storage facility, never ever in an attic or garage? I was going to buy knowing that not only did I not have a device to play it, but I probably wouldn’t be able to if I had.

I usually treat antique stores like museums, rarely buying anything. If something is priced to sell though, I may take the bait. I recall once buying two gnarly looking iron toy cars. They were the size of micro machines, which I LOVE collecting as a child. I decided that I would return to buy more, as there were tons. Unfortunately the historic building the antique store was in burnt to the ground a week later. Everything was a total loss. Including everything that had sat for years unsold because the owner believed it was worth more. I had been going for years, so yes, I knew what had been sitting.

 

[white95]

I think you’re describing a Victrola record player.

 

[ttocs]

this is what the cylinders looks like

 

[MyLittlePony]

this is what the cylinders looks like

that is absolutely horrific to watch! ...so why am I laughing?

 

[JoeAsheville]

Not that the thread has gone completely off-topic, but...

I got a pair to put in the R model, along with the folding mirrors. Both are NOS. Might be gilding the lily. But the 03 Cobra has folding mirrors and those sure help when I hit them accidentally with my hip when I'm trying to get around the car in the garage. Why not put a pair on the other car too. When I accidentally contact non-breakaway mirrors, either in the garage or trying to get by a car in a parking lot, it hurts like hell.

As far as the export taillights, it's a preference thing. I wanted the rear turn signals to match the front, amber and amber. It's always irked me that American manufacturers have nearly always taken the easy way out that the DOT gave them years ago, namely that red tail lights are OK in the USA. I've always believed that all turn signals should be amber.

 

[sorscode]

I have a lot of people who get upset with me because I own so many sets (Mirrors & Tail Lights for all years 94-2020) that I won't sell. The thing is I do sell them, but only to people outside of the US. People outside the US have tough times not saying impossible, but tough times getting their vehicles legal in their country because they needs specific parts. People in the US from what I can tell were buying them to turn around are resell for a profit. I help those people overseas get the parts they need. Because of that I have made a lot of good friendships over the years where I've actually ended up getting tail lights and mirrors back (buy back) if the car is wrecked. Because of this people usually help me find parts that I need for builds.

 

[Walt]

I saw an online article about adding the export taillights to the early SN95's. So long ago I can't even remember if they were the early ('94, '95) horizontal or the later ('96) vertical ones.

I thought they were really cool. Factory, but yet still unusual. In the search for a justifying reason, they are also safer in that when a turn signal is active, you don't loose almost half of your brake lights.

So, when I bought my 2003, I changed out to the export (aka Cobra '99, '01) taillights. Back then, the prices weren't bad for new ones (certainly not $1,750 ). Re-wiring was simply comparing the domestic wiring diagrams with the export wiring diagrams, and making the required changes.

I had an animated GIF of them blinking, but I lost that when my ISP killed all private websites.

EDIT: Found it using the Way Back Machine.

 

[JoeAsheville]

Sorscode, if you're located in Tennessee we know each other. You sound like the guy I picked up a set from, you did have plenty of unusual parts. I'm the guy with the black cobra that already had a set of exports installed.

 

[sorscode]

Sorscode, if you're located in Tennessee we know each other. You sound like the guy I picked up a set from, you did have plenty of unusual parts. I'm the guy with the black cobra that already had a set of exports installed.

I'm actually in Missouri.

I decided to grab a bunch of trunk harnesses, the harness that the tail lights plug into along with the fuel inertia switch and fuel pump wiring. This way for anyone wanting to do the swap there is no wiring modifications needed. Just swap out the harnesses and then change out a relay and should be good. I haven't tested yet but will be soon.

 

[Bitza]

I saw an online article about adding the export taillights to the early SN95's. So long ago I can't even remember if they were the early ('94, '95) horizontal or the later ('96) vertical ones.

I thought they were really cool. Factory, but yet still unusual. In the search for a justifying reason, they are also safer in that when a turn signal is active, you don't loose almost half of your brake lights.

So, when I bought my 2003, I changed out to the export (aka Cobra '99, '01) taillights. Back then, the prices weren't bad for new ones (certainly not $1,750 ). Re-wiring was simply comparing the domestic wiring diagrams with the export wiring diagrams, and making the required changes.

I had an animated GIF of them blinking, but I lost that when my ISP killed all private websites.

EDIT: Found it using the Way Back Machine.

Where did you find the export wiring diagrams? I've got a 95 GT export version and can only find domestic market wiring diagrams.