tinting lights

[jonxmartini]

I know lots of people here black out their tails with vht but i dont want them black i would just like them a bit darker I saw a pic of someone who had done what i want but i forgot who.

Secondly i wanted to know if anyone ever tinted their headlight reflectors (if you have ever seen a Harley Davidson edition ford pickup their headlights are this style) What would be involved in doing that

[harofreak00]

Most people that tint their taillights with VHT use 3 coats. If you don't want the dark look, use less coats.

Tinting headlight reflectors sounds illegal along with a decrease in light output. I wouldn't recommend it.

[2000Silverbullet]

Some have even been given warning tickets for painting their tails. Check your local laws.

Something about not being able to add anything that coats or covers the original lens.

If it isn't too dark, you might be able to get away with it but if too dark and they see you, watch out.

[00Beast]

Andrew, speaking of this, do you have any idea what MN taillight tint laws are?? I would do it on my car, if i knew what the law was, LOL.

[harofreak00]

No tint on taillights. I got a warning for it once with my 95.

[00Beast]

No tint on taillights. I got a warning for it once with my 95.

Hmm. I may get a spare set and tint them, just one layer of VHT and a few of clear, and see if i get any trouble. If so, I'll just swap and sell the tinted ones.

[jonxmartini]

the police are generally don't bug you to much unless u drive like a ricer and even when they do they usualy just give you a warning about it. But yeah i just want them slightly darker deff not so much darker that the police would give it a second look

[2000Silverbullet]

Try telling that to John's wife.

[JMH1950]

Try telling that to John's wife.

I think the officer that is bugging my wife is the exception rather than the rule.

We have both had police right behind us going down the highway on several different occations and none have said anything about the tinted tails except this one guy and he's never seen the car on the road with the lights illuminated.

Since RCMP get transferred on a regular basis, I can only hope his number comes up and he gets transferred soon.

[BonneMe]

My mom thought visibility had gone down a lot (mine were on the darker end of what's been around) but I had plenty of cops behind me at all sorts of times of day, been pulled over three times in the car with them, never got a ticket or talking about them.

I bought some new corner markers for my GTI that look flat black when off, and shine through brighter than my tails did when they're on. Some of that i'm sure is the reflector being designed recently as opposed to my Bonneville being designed around 1990.

If I did it again, I would do it lighter, and look for some brighter bulbs.

[dirtracr95]

I believe in IL you can have your headlights blacked out as long as they are not required to be in use at the time. So like on a sunny day it would be fine. Come dusk when the lights are suppose to be on they are not suppose to be tinted. I plan on tinting both my tail and headlights in the future reguardless of whether or not its legal and i will look up the laws then. Just so I dont get a BS ticket.

[Ragsdale]

Well - John's seen how dark the ones are that I had on my car car. I never got any disputes - and you think because of my age the cops would pick on me.

I think a nice even 2 coats looks nice - the red still shows but it's darker and gives the tail lights a nice crisp look.

[2000Silverbullet]

I believe in IL you can have your headlights blacked out as long as they are not required to be in use at the time. So like on a sunny day it would be fine.

Headlights are one thing but the taillights ie. brakes & signals, need to be seen in day as well as night. While they might show up nicely at night, they might be hard to see in the daylight.
I know from following behind other members who have cleared or darkened their back lights that this can be an issue.

[JMH1950]

I know from following behind other members who have cleared or darkened their back lights that this can be an issue.

Depends how dark you go I guess. I was following Matt around Seattle last month and his tail, signal, and brake lights were just as bright as most other cars around without tinted lenses.

However the ones I just put on the green car are a little too dark IMHO, I'm going to lighten them up a bit.

[RJGill84]

...if you have ever seen a Harley Davidson edition ford pickup their headlights are this style

Just as a note - the Harley Davidson F-150 headlights are tinted virtually identically to your 02 Bonneville (assuming thats the one we're talking about). The plastic on the INSIDE of the lens is tinted, not the lens itself - which is the way the Bonneville's are.





I plan on using VHT NightShades for the tails on my 01 SE. I will only use 1-2 coats and a few clearcoats to darken them up a bit - I want a stock look, rather than aftermarket. I would think you could tint the headlights with one coat of VHT and get away with it - but it will reduce light output, and I really don't see a benefit to it. Your 02 SE should already have blacked out headlights stock.

[jonxmartini]

they are dark but i dont think they are as dark as the fords lights but i wasnt planing on black them out just a light tint same with the tails. But i may buy a extra set of headlights just to test it out and see if its something i want to do or not

[RJGill84]

You're missing my point. If you use VHT NightShades, you will be darkening the plastic lens COVERING the internal plastic on the lamp. The F-150, as well as the Bonneville, has black internal plastic. The lens on the F-150 is NOT tinted.

Not sure how you can get any darker than black.

[jonxmartini]

You're missing my point. If you use VHT NightShades, you will be darkening the plastic lens COVERING the internal plastic on the lamp. The F-150, as well as the Bonneville, has black internal plastic. The lens on the F-150 is NOT tinted.

Not sure how you can get any darker than black.

Ok I get what your saying that the plastic is dark plastic not a light plastic that is tinted all i was try to say is i would like the same look as that not the the complete black out look a lot of people go for..in your opinion the lights on the bonneville and the f-150 are similarly dark but i steel feel the f-series specifically the super duties more than the f-150 have a darker plastic and would like that look on the headlights...sorry for the confusion

[J-ROD]

You might look at my thread http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... f=9&t=5387. I did this in August, I also bought the super bright Sylvania bulbs. I can attest to the fact that it makes them much darker. I did like the way that it looked especially with the color of my car, but the low visibility ended it for me. I didn't have any legal problems with them, I was followed by police officers on more than one occasion. I actually stripped the VHT off of the headlights this past weekend. In most case it works ok, if you're driving through town on well lit streets, however it you're on a highway, it is doesn't put out much light at all. It puts out even less in bad weather. That's my 2 cents.

[2003 SSEi]

i just never understood why you would want to reduce your visability.

i wouldnt suggest putting anything on the headlights