Blacking out the rear

[Archangel]

Well, I'm thinking of blacking out the rear of my car, both the tail lights and the reflective strip between them. I know there is some sticky film that wil work for the tail lights, but I'm worried about the reflective panel - if I cover it with the film, will it still reflect the light in red as it is now? Will it reflect something at all? Also how legal is all that stuff, I've seen many cars done like that, but that doesn't guarantee me that I won't get in trouble with the cops... Any info/ideas please?

[Blaze86Vic]

Generaly it is illegal. Blacking out a reflector will cause a significant degridation in the brightness, as the light has to travel through the tint twice (once in and once out).

[Archangel]

Okay, then it's a no go - too bad, it would have looked good.

[85crownHPP]

They make a tint spray called 'nightshades' - perhaps a thin coat of this wont block too much light but still darken them up a bit???

[Archangel]

Pete, I was actually thinking of blacking all the lights on my car I already have pretty dark red tail lights, so I don't think the "Nightshades" will make any difference there - can it be used on headlights though?

[gadget73]

Tinting headlights redices nighttime visibilty badly. I've driven stuff with those crappy plastic tinted headlight covers and you have to drive with the high beams on just to see where you are going. In other words: teh suck.

[marquisman]

if you go onto www.jcwhitney.com, you can buy headlights that are black, but when turned on, they are clear as a bell!

[Archangel]

Gadget, I've never driven a vehicle with the blackouts up front, but I was still scpetical about them. Just had to ask.

Marquisman, I searched for the headlighst you speak of in that site, but couldn't find anything - do you have a link for a set that will work on a CV/GM/TC box?

[zwack88]

I have Niteshades on my tails. Never had any harrassment. You can smoke them no problem. It is the total blackout that is bad. I think I put 3 coats of niteshades on it and then like 6 coats of clear. They are perfect and they are noticable but still legal.

[marquisman]

well, acording to my JCwhitney catalogue, they are phillips color clear headlights and they are $19.99 each. the site aint working on my comp for some reason, so ill see later if i can get a link.

[merc6]

I wouldn't blacken the lenses of the headlights unless you have a HID conversin up you sleeve Tails are ok as long as it's not like 5% uber dark

[lsb532004]

rear reflectors

I am thinking about painting my rear reflectors black also.
I purchased a used one on Ebay to practice on.
I have noticed that the PI Crown Vics, Crown Vics, Taxi cabs, Maruauders all have black reflector strips. So what would be the harm to blacken one on a Mercury Grand Marquis. if i was to get pulled over for that, hope it would be a PI and ask them to look at theirs and hope it is black also.
Thoughts?
Len B
lsb532004@sbcglobal.net

[interceptor1985]

if you go onto www.jcwhitney.com, you can buy headlights that are black, but when turned on, they are clear as a bell!

THANK YOU I COULD NOT FIND THEM AND I WANTED THEM SOOO BADLY TOO!!! Ok im on the site but I cant find the damned things

[Archangel]

THANK YOU I COULD NOT FIND THEM AND I WANTED THEM SOOO BADLY TOO!!! Ok im on the site but I cant find the damned things

I couldn't find them either, back when I posted the thread. May have been in a paper catalog, dunno.

[marquisman]

well, there yo go, get the damn paper book, lol, its in there!