My new tinted taillights and emblems...

[galaxee]

whoa, i envy the black emblems. how'd you do that? and how much did it cost?

[oly_57mpg]

Those smoked lenses are FREAKING AWESOME! I remember when smoking tail lights was popular with Acura Legends back in the mid 90s.

I do have to ask though... A black car - in Arizona?! I have a white car in the PNW, where it's overcast 9 months of the year, so that I don't have to deal with the heat in the summer!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(treehggr @ Aug 14 2007, 06:09 PM) [snapback]495640[/snapback]</div>

[attachmentid=10640]
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Oh, this reminds me so much of the eBay kettle.
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Aug 15 2007, 12:23 AM) [snapback]495926[/snapback]</div>

I don't think that's legal in California so I'll have to pass.
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It's not legal in most states. Since just about every state has a federal highway, they all have similar mandates.

For California:
http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode...ile=24600-24616
VEHICLE CODE
SECTION 24600 (e):
Taillamps shall be red in color and shall be plainly visible
from all distances within 500 feet to the rear except that taillamps
on vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1969, shall be plainly
visible from all distances within 1,000 feet to the rear.

However, it's one of those bogus 'fit it' tickets that's nothing more than a cheesy tax - I'd simply pay the ticket and leave those nice lights on!

[Godiva]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oly_57mpg @ Aug 15 2007, 12:39 AM) [snapback]495967[/snapback]</div>

However, it's one of those bogus 'fit it' tickets that's nothing more than a cheesy tax - I'd simply pay the ticket and leave those nice lights on!
[/b]

My understanding of a fix it ticket is you have to take your car somewhere to show you actually fixed whatever they had a beef with. That gets pretty expensive when you're talking about replacing the taillight covers. He used his originals so he'd have to get new ones. Even if you put the tinted ones right back on again, that's going to get to be expensive switching them out and in each time, plus paying the fine. And is this one of the fines where if they see you keep doing the same thing....they double it each time?

It looks cool but it's not worth it to me.

[treehggr]

galaxee - The eblems cost me about 15-20 dollars and 4 days(including drying time) to complete. The process itself sucked and I will never do it again. I had to sand all the chrome off, put a few coats of primer on sanding in between coats then wet sanding them the last time before my first coat of paint. Then I put about 4 coats of paint on sanding in between coats once again then went on to about 2-4 coats of clear coat. The sanding is honestly the biggest pain in the you know what.

Godiva - I don't think it's legal anywhere. For now though I'm not too worried. They light up so bright and if I see a cop behind me during the day I'll just turn on my headlights...problem solved. Plus with the route I take to and from work I'd have to say within the last month I've only seen 4 cops maybe? Not bad.

oly_57mpg - Yeah a black car in AZ does suck but I like how black looks. And another thing, I think my chubby stomach looks a little better then the naked dude on the kettle...lol <_<

[GT in PA]

WOW!!! That is one of the most beautiful black cars I have ever seen. The emblems really set it off. Do you have any front views? What %tint do you have on your windows?

Thanks for sharing.
Gt

[oly_57mpg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(treehggr @ Aug 15 2007, 09:15 AM) [snapback]496054[/snapback]</div>

For now though I'm not too worried. They light up so bright and if I see a cop behind me during the day I'll just turn on my headlights...problem solved. Plus with the route I take to and from work I'd have to say within the last month I've only seen 4 cops maybe? Not bad.
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Plus, it'd be pretty easy to bend the rule and say - when the lights are activated you can see them from 1000 feet... I doubt that you'd ever have any problems. It looks so unique that hopefully the officer will admire (drool?) them as much as we do!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(treehggr @ Aug 15 2007, 09:15 AM) [snapback]496054[/snapback]</div>

oly_57mpg - Yeah a black car in AZ does suck but I like how black looks. And another thing, I think my chubby stomach looks a little better then the naked dude on the kettle...lol <_<
[/b]

I'd hate to have a black car, it sure does look nice!
heheh... Yes, a mostly clothed dude is certainly better than a fluffy naked one. hahaha...

[slair]

I thought about doing that on my black prius also. Since I already blacked out the windows I thought, why not go the rest of the way. I do like it, but not enough to do it myself. I'll just shave the emblems and keep it at that. I'm still looking at black wheels.

Oh ya, what about the 3rd brake light?

[Starbug]

OMG, that looks sweet! I've been toying with blacking out my taillights too ever since I saw a black Mercedes (can't remember now what model, it was a coupe) that had glossy black aftermarket rims, heavily tinted windows, and blacked out taillights. It looked sick! *drool* Now I know what a Prius would look like that way too. I love it.

[treehggr]

GT in PA - Thanks!! I get some front views posted as soon as my wheels come in. I have limo tint all the way around. Have to with a black car and this heat.


Slair - I would have just shaved them but the 07's have 2 holes under the front and rear toyota emblem and 2 holes under both the hybrid side ones. Sucks but what are ya gonna do. I guess toyota wanted to make sure everyone kept their emblems in place.

[slair]

The more and more I look at that, the more I like it. Was it a vinal overlay for the tail lights? If so, where did you get it?

Thanks