Tinting Tailights ??? Options

[Sh0gunkid8721]

How do you tint the tailights? Not smoke them with the can. I see that some people got them tinted

[Coomer]

So some people actually put window tint film on their tail-lights? Why would you want to do this rather than smoking the tail-lights with transparent smoke spray paint?

Also, if you choose to go either route, there are how-to articles on how to tint windows and tail-lights.

[Cragspider]

Well I can tell you from experience that its not hard to remove the paint on your tail lights. I did it once already cause they were chipping off. I just used fingernail polish remover and it came right off. Plus window tint goes on the inside of your window not on the outside. IMO painthing them is your best bet.
Bryan

[95STCelica]

I was thinking about doing something just like Bryan is talking about but im not sure if it will look right, and/or the way i want it..so i guess i am better of leaving it the way it is

[jumpinccv]

yeah id like to do the tinting of the taillights but I'm a little afraid of doing this. Don't want to mess up my tailights..

[95STCelica]

that's whats holding me back, i think it wouldn't look right with my car being silver anyway..but it definitely looks good on Bryan's car..check out his profile

[ghostdog]

just so you guys know, you can also buy the redout (for turn signal) and tint (for reverse) kits from bluebat on c.net

I'm planning on getting them once I get my car painted.

[FallenHero]

I wonder if i could smoke just the bottom left of my tails... then they would look like the Curren ones. ESPECIALLY if I added red to the top!!!

[Cragspider]

QUOTE (jumpinccv @ Mar 9, 2003 - 7:17 PM)

yeah id like to do the tinting of the taillights but I'm a little afraid of doing this. Don't want to mess up my tailights..

Ok even if you some how mess them up you can take the paint off and the tails will look fine. Theres only 1 way to find out if you like it or not. Just try it. Im gona smoke out my front turn signals some time this week.
Bryan

[Neipas09]

Whether you paint or use window tint, your either gonna not get it dark enough the first time or too dark. And then when you go to redo it you risk of not getting it right again, and possibly scratching up your lights while removing the previous tint. Not really worth it in my eyes, but to each his own.

[95STCelica]

Yeah, i am afraid of messing it up..i'll keep them the way they are for now

[gizmo_96GT]

Im planning to tint my taillights this week, cuz i think that they look bad ass them i'll see how me front signals would look

[Neipas09]

Be careful with your front lights. You could get pulled over and given a ticket for it.

[FallenHero]

QUOTE (Cragspider @ Mar 9, 2003 - 10:18 PM)

Ok even if you some how mess them up you can take the paint off and the tails will look fine. Theres only 1 way to find out if you like it or not. Just try it. Im gona smoke out my front turn signals some time this week. Bryan

Let me know how and with what you did your tails. Did you spray the outside only? Also, how easy is it to get the paint off, and do the tails still shine, or are they dull.

ahg, too many questions.

[Cragspider]

QUOTE (FallenHero @ Mar 10, 2003 - 2:11 PM)

QUOTE (Cragspider @ Mar 9, 2003 - 10:18 PM) Ok even if you some how mess them up you can take the paint off and the tails will look fine.  Theres only 1 way to find out if you like it or not. Just try it. Im gona smoke out my front turn signals some time this week. Bryan Let me know how and with what you did your tails. Did you spray the outside only? Also, how easy is it to get the paint off, and do the tails still shine, or are they dull. ahg, too many questions.

Ok the paint that I used was the transparent black window tint from testors (Model Masters). Yes I just sprayed the out sides only. When I redid them it wasn't that hard to get the paint off. I used finger nail polish remover. Just took some rubbin back and forth to get them all clean. When I first painted them they were dull, but when I redid them I put some clear coat on over them and they are shinny now. You can get the paint at your local hobby store or have them order it for you.
Bryan

[FallenHero]

when you hit the brake, are they red and amber? Or ....what?

[liquor]

Instead of painting your taillights why not only put some transparent (removeable) vinyl over it?
Thats what I did to cover the ugly amber color on the side and im pretty satisfied with the results


before:


after:


I used red transparent vinyle (Oracal series 8300). Except for the few wrinkles i did
while putting it on im pretty statisfied. It blinks red also when the light is on.

[FallenHero]

I think I'm gonna paint mine like the curren, then have a local tint shop make a BLACK overlay to outline the color devisions. Sorta like how a hatch has three blakc lines going vertical on their tails.

[Neipas09]

QUOTE (liquor @ Mar 17, 2003 - 9:12 PM)

Instead of painting your taillights why not only put some transparent (removeable) vinyl over it? Thats what I did to cover the ugly amber color on the side and im pretty satisfied with the results before: after: I used red transparent vinyle (Oracal series 8300). Except for the few wrinkles i did while putting it on im pretty statisfied. It blinks red also when the light is on.

Looks like you washed your car too!

Where did you buy vinyl overlay for it at? Did you have to use a heat gun to make it stick on?

[95STCelica]

Yah, i like the way that looks but I sure would like the GT4 tail lights more and holy crap, how did you ever let your car get that dirty?

[liquor]

QUOTE (95STCelica @ Mar 18, 2003 - 7:36 PM)

Yah, i like the way that looks but I sure would like the GT4 tail lights more    and holy crap, how did you ever let your car get that dirty?

yeah but gt4 taillights are so expensive... 375$ US (min) just for stupid taillights - i would rather
buy a greddy catback or brospeed header. Putting this red vinyle on cost me 10$ and one hour
of my time. PLUS you can remove easily if you don't like it or for whatever reason.

You can get more information on this special vinyle on the manufacturer's Web site:

ORACAL® 8300 Transparent Colored Film (in products - Oracal transparent Films section )
http://www.oracal.com

I bought it from a guy on ebay and he has done a clear how-to:
http://www.4sided.com/rsx/

Be very careful and patient if you try this because the celica's taillight side is curved and its
very easy to end up with small bubbles and wrinkles. Mine isnt perfect and maybe im gonna
remove and re-install new vinyle this summer...

*** By the way I live in Montreal (Canada) and winter means streets full of snow, salt and dirt so its impossible to keep a clean car except if you leave it in the garage

This post has been edited by liquor: Mar 20, 2003 - 8:40 PM

[0Re0]

I don't know on how its done but heres a pic of it


This post has been edited by 0Re0: Mar 30, 2003 - 6:16 PM

[jayi12-15psi]

liquer those taillights look sweet, but oreo, I'm not feeling the tails on the white celi, just my opinion. Is that one of bats overlays on the white celica?

[Cragspider]

Jay you are correct. That is one of bats overlays. I think that jason is going to do something different to his tail later. Also as you can see in the pic the smoked out tails on my car. That how dark they really are.
Bryan

This post has been edited by Cragspider: Mar 31, 2003 - 12:03 PM

[0Re0]

I found that pics somewhere.