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WTB Kouki Taillights

3K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  sinistar 
#1 ·
I’m looking to buy a complete set of Kouki Taillights with center panel.
 
#12 ·
The SW20 has a lot of remarkable and memorable external features and styles. From the low slung hood line, barely there front arches and slight cab forward design hinting at mid-engine placement to the 2 seat/2 door concept as a personal luxury sports coupe, it's unique in many ways - especially in the 90s and even endures today.

IMO, the Zenki lights add very little to that. While they're functional, they appear almost out of place, generic, seem like a hasty afterthought and date the car even more than the pop-up lights do. In fact, the '91 - '93 tails look very similar to the tails on my old '85 Civic S (a fun car). They're fine as is, but they're not remarkable. Toyota engineers knew this, which is why they redesigned them after only 3 model years and never redesigned them again during the rest of its 10 year run. They got it right the 2nd time.

The Kouki lights modernize the car and elevate it to a timeless vehicle. Truly timeless as the following anecdote underscores (many here have read it before). What started off as a one-off episode a few years back is now an annual event for me (I've used my deuce as a daily for almost 18 years, so lots of public exposure). I have someone once a year - usually a well dressed younger dude who isn't as old as the car - stopping me to ask which dealership I bought my car at because he wants to go there right now and buy it. Their jaw drops and I get strange looks when I tell them it hasn't been sold in North America in over a quarter century. The Kouki tails, IMO, help the enduring legend hide its age.
 
#15 ·
I agree, everyone has their own taste. And of course, there's also rationalization too. Everyone can be bought out from under their taste.

My '94 tails were bought & installed for about $250, not 4 times more at $1K. So I'm sure an owner's taste would 'change' based on that cheap price.
 
#17 ·
I never had an issue polishing my tails, they are nice & shiny and easy to keep that way.

And coincidentally, my '94 tails also go nicely with my '91t just like my '94 wing also just happens to match the body too. I'm sure the '98 wing also does a pretty nice job as well.
 
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