VT -> VX or Monaro tail lights retrofit conversion

This web page describes in detail how to fit Holden Monaro / VX Commodore tail lights to your VT series Commodore. Special thanks go to Steve from NSW for supplying initial wiring instructions and pictures of the White VT.

• Wiring Loom Adaptor (Updated: 1/10/2002)
• Monaro Tail Lights or VX tail lights
• New plain Boot Garnish (VX Exec)
• New rubber boot seal for garnish
• Registration light globe mounts
• New Registration plate globe mounts that clip to the Garnish
• Optional badges for the boot - SS for instance etc.

Overview of work involved & instructions

Physically fitting the lights

When you pop the boot open you will see two screws on each light, unscrew these. Then gently wiggle/push the light outwards from the side of the car until the clips unfasten. To install Monaro / VX lights simply push them back in with the new clips provided with the new lights. If you use the VT mounting socket connectors the new light wont sit 100% flush with the side panel of the car

The boot "Garnish"

VT Garnish on left, VX Garnish centre (unpainted), VX Garnish painted right.

With a VX, the garnish is already one plain color if it's a standard SS or Executive. All VT commodores have the reverse lights in the boot garnish and see through plastic for lighting. This does not match the color of the Monaro lights pr layout of the VX lights, so we thought the best idea would be to replace the garnish all together. A VX Executive garnish will fit straight in place of the VT one, but you will either have to purchase a brand new unpainted one and get it painted, OR, perhaps obtain one from a wrecker.

Due to the garnish containing the reverse lights, the wiring loom needs to be modified so that the reverse lights can be re-wired directly to the tail lights. I found in my particular VT that the rear-right tail light was already pre-wired for the reverse light as part of the loom though, so ensure you check your loom before re-wiring.

1/10/2002 - I have recently found out that you need to purchase a wiring loom adaptor now to fit the Monaro lights. I have also been advised that Monaro lights aren't always sold with the globes and they have to be purchased separately. I don't have any further details, but the loom is about $15 per light.

The VT keylock can remain mounted on the boot if you like, it will sit underneath the garnish. The number plate globe mounts need to be purchased separately and then clipped onto the new garnish, then it's just a matter of mounting the VT rego plate light globes straight into the VX garnish globe mounts.

The original VT garnish is made up of 2 pieces, the main piece with brake and reverse lights and the bottom "lip" which is the bit with the badges etc. This piece is individually removed and is screwed on with 3 screws. This is a good source part for color matching. The VX garnish is one single piece, the 2 pieces of the VT garnish is simply just one whole piece on the VX. The VX garnish simply "plugs" straight in to where the VT one was mounted. Below is a list of dot points describing the various screws to remove/loosen and procedures to follow

• Remove registration plate from original garnish
• Unscrew 3 screws along bottom lid of boot & retain the screws (these fasten the 'bottom' lip in)
• Remove 2 socket set screws from each side of the garnish & retain them as well (picture below)


• Undo two gold colored nuts & retain the nuts, these fasten the garnish in place
• There are two clips, you need to press the clips inwards to pull them through the panel (don't bother unscrewing)
• Disconnect the registration plate light & globe assembly
• Ensure the new rubber garnish seal is firmly applied onto the garnish
• Line the new garnish up and mount it in, the clips should clip straight in (4 clips this time)
• Screw side screws, gold nuts and bottom lip section screws back in

Re-wiring the reverse lights

There are differing ways to do it, so I've put multiple suggestions wherever appropriate.. First you need to purchase some 10amp wire (green color for consistency sake if you want).

• Take the reverse lights out of the VT garnish & cut the LIGHT GREEN wire and solder the newly purchased hookup wire to it.
• Run to the edge of the boot where the factory loom is, we suggest you use electrical tape to keep the wires neat and hidden on the RHS boot hinge
• Run one wire to the RHS ( find the easiest path )
• Run the other to the LHS through the parcel shelf (there are some holes to run the wires thru)
• Splice in to the light side of the plug, into the DARK GREEN WIRE.

• FYI: First image below is the wiring loom connector for the LHS tail light


• Unscrew plastic lip from boot mount and loosen, refer to 2nd image below to see which part I mean


• Splice new 10amp wire into the RHS tail light loom wiring, the GREEN wire. (3rd image below shows green wire spliced - the flash made the wire look a lot brighter green than what it actually is)


• Run the spliced wire along underneath the lip all the way to the other side of the car to the LHS tail light
• Splice this wire into the GREEN wire on the Monaro light loom (see black wire spliced to green wire in 4th image)

Part Number and description list

First two are standard Size, 2nd two are double size