My Blacked Out Prius Project

Hey, Guys

New to the forum -- I just picked up my Prius on Thursday and just began starting to black it out. I have since removed the Toyota emblems in the back, had the stock wheel's painted black, and tinted the tail lights (35%). The next step is window tinting and painting the chrome toyota emblems black. What are your thoughts?










Thanks,
Graham

My thoughts...

1. Name it Night Rider
2. Get a license plate that reads NITE RDR
3. Move to a state with a darker license plate

I'll also add...

4. Remove the bumper sticker on the left front of the car
5. Get a shark fin antenna

Looks good...where did you get ur wheels done, how much was it, and is it pretty good quality?

PS Matt...those little yellow stickers are golden in CA haha

That is a really cool Prius you got there. My opinion, I guess you should also tint your headlights, but for safety purposes, yellow tint would be a better option.

__________________
traction bars

Just check to see if everything is legal. At least one owner here has had to reverse some of his tinting.

Otherwise, looks very cool.

I'm also wondering about the effect of the 35% tinting on the rear lights. Are the rear running lights and brake lights still visible enough? Especially important are whether the brake lights are visibile enough in bright sun.

Better yet, move to a state that doesn't require a front license plate. Kentucky is a good choice !

Who died?

Ha, you could move to AZ..no front plate required but then again all the black might kill you making pat's statement true.

Yes, a San Diego member had to remove his front tint and light tint from a ticket so be careful and watch out.

I would rather tint it black just like the tail lights. It will look so cool.

Thanks for the compliments!

sdtundra,

I actually did the wheel's myself with Duplicolor engine paint -- it came out very nicely. It's an experience I'll never do again -- it took me a little over 12 hours to do all four wheels because of the preperation of I did -- I wanted it to look as professional as possible.

In Los Angeles, it seems that every other car has some sort of illegal tinting -- just from my experience in the past, cops won't pull you over just for tinting. They usually tend to write a fix-it citation in addition to a moving violation.

They shine through fairly well, fortunately. I can't stand the look of anything less tinted than 35% because the tail lights are bright white, otherwise it gives a smokey-gray look and doesn't seem to blend well with the rest of the car.

Thanks,
Graham

I had also considered tinting the head lights -- I'm still debating whether or not to go that route, just from a safety standpoint. How does the vinyl tinting do with the high beems on?

Graham

Looks good.

Sorry, but not my cup of tea. I like to see at least a smattering of distinguishing / contrasting objects on a car. To me, your blacked-out Prius looks like a sinister black slab, especially if you do the windows and headlights.

From a safety standpoint, I think it's nuts to intentionally do something to reduce the baseline level of safety features built into the car. Headlights and tail lights are a safety feature. (Different story if you tint the covers and replace the bulbs with much brighter ones such that the net effect is canceled out.)

Hi, everyone

Here's an update since my last post. I've since tinted the windows 15% all around, blacked out the emblems, and added a vanity plate. I'm still not sure of the headlights -- I'm leaving it as is for now, but might try it in the future.

Yep, all you have left is to black out the headlights and license plates and the cops will never see you!

Dude, you are going to get pulled over. Those Wyland plates ain't going to save you from California cops fulfilling their quotas. You will get hit with at least with two violations. One for your tail lights and one for the front windows. You have to fix the violations and then pay the City/State $25 for each violation. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

I agree with Arctic,

It looks great but it is a ticket magnet! I'm putting a bet down that the rear tailights being blacked out gets you first.

Just in case you didn't have the info on the actual regulation. Source: V.C. Section 24600 - Taillamps

Taillamps

24600. During darkness every motor vehicle which is not in combination with any other vehicle and every vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with lighted taillamps mounted on the rear as follows:
(a) Every vehicle shall be equipped with one or more taillamps.
(b) Every vehicle, other than a motorcycle, manufactured and first registered on or after January 1, 1958, shall be equipped with not less than two taillamps, except that trailers and semitrailers manufactured after July 23, 1973, which are less than 30 inches wide, may be equipped with one taillamp which shall be mounted at or near the vertical centerline of the vehicles. If a vehicle is equipped with two taillamps, they shall be mounted as specified in subdivision (d).
(c) Every vehicle or vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles, subject to subdivision (a) of Section 22406 shall be equipped with not less than two taillamps.
(d) When two taillamps are required, at least one shall be mounted at the left and one at the right side respectively at the same level.
(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.
(f) Taillamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January 1, 1969, shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than 72 inches, except that a tow truck, in addition to being equipped with the required taillamps, may also be equipped with two taillamps which may be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than the maximum allowable vehicle height and as far forward as the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in the rearmost position. The additional taillamps on a tow truck shall be lighted whenever the headlamps are lighted.

Amended Ch. 924, Stats. 1988. Effective January 1, 1989.

I'd put some shinny silver wheels on that

Just keep your tank full at all times.. when they try to pull you over.. just keep driving.. the cops will surely run out of gas before you and TADA!! No tickets..lol JUST KIDDING.. it looks cool..If your gonna murder it out.. might as well get the tinted license plate covers..