Tail Lights - Tinting Reversible Mod

[mhikeboy]

Been thinking of a way to make my tail lights unique and have seen other threads here custom painting the whole assembly black. It looks great and all. but it surely would be a lot of work, if not impossible to bring it back to stock.

As I always prefer mods that can be reversed back to stock, I would like to share this very simple, very unique look and yes! very reversible mod using red shade films on your tail lights.

You just need a piece of tint film (whichever color you like or whichever is easily available to you) then cut it to fit and then install them as usual, using a spraybottle with soapy water and i used a credit card to swipe out and remove the bubbles.

Here are pics of the before and end result: NOTE that I have made a template for easy cutting and please let me know if you are interested with it so I can upload the PDF file.

Before:

After:

Once you get tired of the look. you can change colors or you can simply remove the film and clean it up the glue residue with goo gone or goof off in less than 5 minutes!

Hope you like it! comments or suggestions appreciated. Thanks

 

[briteboy]

What is with the 3 Buick side vents on the front right quarter panel? Haven't seen those on an Ex before. Is that something you did, or did it come from the factory that way?

 

[DIBeX]

Very nice! Do you have any pics with the lights on? I'd love to see what the red film does to the amber lights.

 

[JETZ]

I love FAKE stuff, makes me want to get some 'caliper covers'!

What is with the 3 Buick side vents on the front right quarter panel? Haven't seen those on an Ex before. Is that something you did, or did it come from the factory that way?

 

[mhikeboy]

What is with the 3 Buick side vents on the front right quarter panel? Haven't seen those on an Ex before. Is that something you did, or did it come from the factory that way?

Hahaha! its actually stick on side vents, it was chrome before and I painted it black and tried it on, looks good to me and decided to keep it. might not work for others but IMHO it makes my Ex look more aggressive, besides, even up close it does not look like a stickon. lol!

Her'es a close up shot:

http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg590/mhikeboy/20121126_150710_zpsa0765912.jpg

Here's some other shots:
http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg590/mhikeboy/20121126_165440_zps723405bd.jpg
http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg590/mhikeboy/20121126_150633_zps32547e61.jpg

Cheers!

 

[mhikeboy]

Very nice! Do you have any pics with the lights on? I'd love to see what the red film does to the amber lights.

Hi Dibex,

Here's some burst shots of the signal lights turned on, IMO it did not affect the color much and surprisingly even the brightness!

http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg590/mhikeboy/20121126_102440_10_zps2d7fd2b7.jpg
http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg590/mhikeboy/20121126_102440_11_zps47983617.jpg
http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg590/mhikeboy/20121126_102440_12_zps1afb81c1.jpg

 

[briteboy]

I'm pleaantly surprised by how well the signals work thru your tint on the tail lights.

Where did you get the stick on side vents for the front quarter panel?

Thanx

 

[mhikeboy]

I'm pleaantly surprised by how well the signals work thru your tint on the tail lights.

Where did you get the stick on side vents for the front quarter panel?

Thanx

I too was glad it turned out that way Got the side vents from a local auto accessories shop here for $7, or you might be interested ordering it from here:

http://www.carid.com/side-vents/port-holes-75471.html

Cheers!

 

[snm805619]

Did you put the red film over the entire tail light (parts that are already red), or just the signal (and back up) sections?

Thanks!

 

[mhikeboy]

Did you put the red film over the entire tail light (parts that are already red), or just the signal (and back up) sections?

Thanks!

Only on the back up lights and the brake/signal parts (the clear colored parts)

 

[LakersCentral]

Been thinking of a way to make my tail lights unique and have seen other threads here custom painting the whole assembly black. It looks great and all. but it surely would be a lot of work, if not impossible to bring it back to stock.

As I always prefer mods that can be reversed back to stock, I would like to share this very simple, very unique look and yes! very reversible mod using red shade films on your tail lights.

You just need a piece of tint film (whichever color you like or whichever is easily available to you) then cut it to fit and then install them as usual, using a spraybottle with soapy water and i used a credit card to swipe out and remove the bubbles.

Here are pics of the before and end result: NOTE that I have made a template for easy cutting and please let me know if you are interested with it so I can upload the PDF file.

I think I like that. Looks good in the pics anyways. You still have that template? I'd like to give it a shot! What kind of tinting film did you use?

p.s. i like that you tried coloring the pillar black. Am I correct in assuming thats flat black plastidip out of the spray can? I still cant decide how I feel about the overall look, but I may try somethin like this myself. Ever try and do both the pillar *and* the roof black?

 

[SkrApUNB]

The tint looks pretty good on the tails. Im more interested in what you used for the chrome strip across the rear lift gate.... going to be doing the grill and that piece of the wifey's XLT soon.

 

[LakersCentral]

The tint looks pretty good on the tails. Im more interested in what you used for the chrome strip across the rear lift gate.... going to be doing the grill and that piece of the wifey's XLT soon.

I'm fairly sure that strip, his grill, rims, and door handles were all done with black plastidip spray. Its about $6 a can from home depot or pep boys.

 

[SkrApUNB]

I'm fairly sure that strip, his grill, rims, and door handles were all done with black plastidip spray. Its about $6 a can from home depot or pep boys.

Thanks. I figured it was that. I have a friend who does body work/paint. Im going to most likely end up having him paint that stuff for me. Just trying to get an idea on what the best way to go about that type of stuff is.