Tricked out tail lights

[happyclown]

Im wondering what stuff people used to 'black out' their brake lights and then cut out holes (circles mostly). I remember reading something about someone wrapping somethings around the break light then cutting holes in it and shrink wraping it on... I wanna do something to my car and i think brake lights would be cool and easy, and i dont really want altezas... anyone help?

[fry_81]

go for black altezza's, they will look 1000x better.

[Grants]

I'm with Fry

[happyclown]

One problem with that, i dont have any cash to spend on that kinda stuff right now, thats why i was wondering what it was that people used, cause it seemed cheep and easy.


I just wanted to try out the look :p

[VampireSix]

well, the one problem with going cheap and easy, is its going to LOOK cheap and easy... I would just save a bit and go with the altezzas (black of course!)

[RoundTop]

also cutouts like that are illigal in most places as they block the intended light that complies with SAE regs.

(note: most altezzas for our cars have the SAE stamp meaning they have been tested for the right light levels)

Also, tail light have to have reflectors in them of certain size, you risk covering those up.

[matt-gerrard]

don't be a rycer be a RIDER .....black altezzas will be much better than some
contact paper With cut outs !!!!!! ......take your time and save up

[Josh]

they were using vinel 9how ever you spell it). if done correctly it does look ok.

in most states except california they wont ever say anything as long as you have red brake lights, red and or yellow or ornge turn signals. and some sort of red reflector in the rear. in most states the laws on it arnt very clear, so you can get away with doing alot. but if you have cut outs they cant really say anything as long as you can see all of the above.

[Pearl-JapSpec]

tint them??

[millionflame]

Originally posted by RoundTop:
also cutouts like that are illigal in most places as they block the intended light that complies with SAE regs.

(note: most altezzas for our cars have the SAE stamp meaning they have been tested for the right light levels)

Also, tail light have to have reflectors in them of certain size, you risk covering those up.

SAE compliance doesn't mean it complies with the D.O.T. or N.H.T.S.A., which are the two I would be more concerned about.

[johnnyb]

Originally posted by RoundTop:
also cutouts like that are illigal in most places as they block the intended light that complies with SAE regs.

(note: most altezzas for our cars have the SAE stamp meaning they have been tested for the right light levels)

Also, tail light have to have reflectors in them of certain size, you risk covering those up.

I dont believe altezza lights were DOT approved either so they're illegal to have

[Josh]

Originally posted by johnnyb:

Originally posted by RoundTop:
also cutouts like that are illigal in most places as they block the intended light that complies with SAE regs.

(note: most altezzas for our cars have the SAE stamp meaning they have been tested for the right light levels)

Also, tail light have to have reflectors in them of certain size, you risk covering those up.

I dont believe altezza lights were DOT approved either so they're illegal to have

maybe in Canada, from what im told by several officers, and looking at the laws here in the states, you can have them and they cant say s***, because they meet all DOT requirements. the laws are to vague to enforce anything. like i said before as long as you have red brake lights and either red or yellow turns and a red reflector of some kind, doesent matter on the size you could have thoes reflector buttons that you stick on your license plate if you want too.

iv only had one cop say something and he nailed me for a clear licence plate cover. he told me my tails were illegal i told him he was full of **** and to give me a ticket for it, and ill take him and the ticket to cort and it will be thrown out cause they meet all DOT requirements. also washington state patrol told me even though they werent DOT they met all requirements so no one could give me a ticket for them.

[millionflame]

Originally posted by Josh:

Originally posted by johnnyb:

Originally posted by RoundTop:
also cutouts like that are illigal in most places as they block the intended light that complies with SAE regs.

(note: most altezzas for our cars have the SAE stamp meaning they have been tested for the right light levels)

Also, tail light have to have reflectors in them of certain size, you risk covering those up.

I dont believe altezza lights were DOT approved either so they're illegal to have

maybe in Canada, from what im told by several officers, and looking at the laws here in the states, you can have them and they cant say s***, because they meet all DOT requirements. the laws are to vague to enforce anything. like i said before as long as you have red brake lights and either red or yellow turns and a red reflector of some kind, doesent matter on the size you could have thoes reflector buttons that you stick on your license plate if you want too.

iv only had one cop say something and he nailed me for a clear licence plate cover. he told me my tails were illegal i told him he was full of **** and to give me a ticket for it, and ill take him and the ticket to cort and it will be thrown out cause they meet all DOT requirements. also washington state patrol told me even though they werent DOT they met all requirements so no one could give me a ticket for them.

The laws aren't vague at all.

In both Canada and the USA, the laws are very clear about what a taillight must have to comply with the D.O.T.; which is the main governing body you should be concerned about when making lights.

This link will show you what is required.

Not all altezza taillights, and other aftermarket taillights of sorts, comply; however, most do.

One main thing the D.O.T. would look for is a taillights ability to show the red light at a certain distance during the day time and night time. Obviously the day time is the hardest to copmly with since you have to deal with the sun's glare.

From memory I think the distance is 150 ft during the day. So that would mean, from 150 ft you would have to see the red taillight light up CLEARLY or else it fails. Obviously this is a rule created from safety than anything else.

Any light with a flutted lense will almost certainly pass, however altezzas use a clear red lense (most of the time) and then a clear lense again. The trouble with this is that the light bulb and it's reflector housing don't always display the light well enough to see during the day.

All the altezzas for our car I'm sure would just BARELY pass, but they could very well fail. Take a look next sunny day and see how un-clear the brake lights are. You have to really look for the red filament burning.

Another place where altezzas fail is not having a red side reflector. However, with our car we have that in the side marker light so we can get away with it.

To comply with a taillight you will need:

Brake light: Red only.
Back-up: White only.
Turn signal: Red or Amber only.
Reflectors: Red towards back, and red towards side.

[johnnyb]

Originally posted by Josh:

Originally posted by johnnyb:

Originally posted by RoundTop:
also cutouts like that are illigal in most places as they block the intended light that complies with SAE regs.

(note: most altezzas for our cars have the SAE stamp meaning they have been tested for the right light levels)

Also, tail light have to have reflectors in them of certain size, you risk covering those up.

I dont believe altezza lights were DOT approved either so they're illegal to have

maybe in Canada, from what im told by several officers, and looking at the laws here in the states, you can have them and they cant say s***, because they meet all DOT requirements. the laws are to vague to enforce anything. like i said before as long as you have red brake lights and either red or yellow turns and a red reflector of some kind, doesent matter on the size you could have thoes reflector buttons that you stick on your license plate if you want too.

iv only had one cop say something and he nailed me for a clear licence plate cover. he told me my tails were illegal i told him he was full of **** and to give me a ticket for it, and ill take him and the ticket to cort and it will be thrown out cause they meet all DOT requirements. also washington state patrol told me even though they werent DOT they met all requirements so no one could give me a ticket for them.

I'm sure you believe they're legal but most aftermarket companies dont even bother trying to make them street legal because it would up their costs. If they came in a box check the whole box and see if "for offroad use only" is printed anywhere on the box. Most lighting bolt ons say that because its too much work to make them legal for the road.

[Typhoonk]

In ontario, you only have to have one red tail light. One red brake that that is a different intensity from the tail light. The signals 'HAVE' to be amber. other than that you can't have ULTRA bright bulbs in either.
here are the pics of my tail lights - with the 'cheap' looking vinyl wrap.
<img src="http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_im ... 0_full.jpg" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_im ... 1_full.jpg" alt=" - " />