bgsm1th

Well, I decided to go ahead and tint my taillights, although I've never really seen the 01's done before. I think it actually turned out pretty good and the light still shines through pretty well. I used this tinting spray called Niteshades made by VHT. It was very easy to use and it is made specifically for your taillights and turn signals. I'm thinking about putting it over my road lamps as well since me grill is black, but I'm thinking it will chip too easily. Unless I put some clear film over it or something.
Anyway...here are the pics:

Before the tint:

After the tint:


After the tint with the lights on:


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bgsm1th

Dammit! wrong spot.....MODS, please move to pics...THANKS!!

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CL-S2003

Looks clean! I like it. Good Job. I was thinking about doing the same but only tinting the top part of my car.

bgsm1th

Thanks!
There are quite a few 03's that have their upper tails tinted. I think it looks pretty sweet. I would probably do that if I had the 03' tails. Go for it!

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NiteQwill

dukmahsik

i liek the all red better myself but cool!

bgsm1th

NiteQwill -
I love your car man, I've seen it numerous times on this site, and although I'm not a huge fan of white, you changed my view on white cars. Very sweet!

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MisterMehoff

cool!!!! I was also thinking about doing that. very cheap, affordable mod. How many times did you go over each taillight?

gingerbread

same debadge as mine!! i tried tinting my tail lights but i did a sloppy job so i took it off with some turpentine. but yours look really nice, i may reconsider and try doing it again.....

bgsm1th

Thanks!
I put four LIGHT coats of it on, followed by 2 coats of glossy clear enamal spary to keep it protected from getting scratched or chipped....I think it turned out pretty well, but not as glossy as I would have hoped.

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MisterMehoff

how can u make it more glossy?

bgsm1th

I'm not really sure about that one....I'm sure if I were to use a different sort of clear coat, it could have been done, but I don't know my paints very well. It's still plenty glossy, but it doesn't quite match the clear coat of the car.

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MisterMehoff

I wonder if you were to make it too glossy, could you still see the taillights light up in the daytime?

gingerbread

Mr, are you looking for something to match your stealthy headlights?

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

this has already been done...

i helped 187_FAQ w/ this DIY last year sometime... he was selling his tail lights in Black Market section... looks good except i never liked the idea of a 'spray on tint' compared to a film...

sucks that ur car has to sit in snow like that tho...

gingerbread

this is the first time we've seen them on a car though....

shineynitelite

lookin good..

MisterMehoff

Yeah, I've been looking at doing them for sometime now. It would look way pimpish on my car, too.

I didn't know if I had to remove the taillights and spray them. I saw a white TL from our summer bbq meet out in Va that had his taillights spray tinted...looked pretty damn sweet.

MQMH_03

looks nice...makes the car look unique! by the way i see that you have a UST on your license plate..do you go to university of st thomas or are an alumni there? I have quite a few friends from hs that go there now

bgsm1th

Graduated from UST in 2003.

JaredGMS

Curious, is that last pic with the headlights on, or is the brake applied?

If the former, can we get a pic with the brake lights on (and another with the reverse lights engaged?)

THANKS!

sxsublime

i think i might do this, is this legal to do? can you use film?

phipark

any pics of the brake lights and reverse lights? Looking good.

MisterMehoff

Yeah, its legal from what I know. As long as your brakes flash red and your reverse lights flash white, its legal.

bgsm1th

I have been told that any mod that DIMS the tail lights in anyway is ILLEGAL. My windows are way too dark for MN laws anyway, so I just said the hell with it and took my chances.
I do not believe that this mod is 50 state legal, but I could be wrong.

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bgsm1th

That picture is with just the headlights on.
I took one pick with the blinker on, but it turned out crappy, so I did't show it.
I will take some pics with the break and reverse lights on later today or tomorrow for you. I have noticed that the reverse lights are noticeably dimmer when I back up.

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MisterMehoff

If that was the case if any mod dims the taillights, then vendors wouldn't be selling smoked taillights and covers.

bgsm1th

If I understand your statement correctly, I believe you are reffering to the film available on CCC.net.
In the case of that film, it is only intended for use over the reverse and turn signal lights, and is NOT intended to be installed over the actual red break light portion of the taillight and I believe that JuniorBean himself has instructed buyers to use over the break lights at their own risk.
The Nite Shades spray tint, which is what I used, also says that is it "For Offroad Use ONLY!" Implying that is in fact, illegal for use over your tail lights.

But again, I could very well be wrong, I just don't want to be responisble for someone getting a ticket for thinking that this was completely legal.

I'll check my local MN laws for further clarification.

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bgsm1th

Here is a portion of the brake light laws that MN currently has in effect:

Subd. 4. Alteration of stop lamp prohibited. On a
vehicle that must be equipped with stop lamps under federal motor vehicle safety standards, and on
any other vehicle equipped with a similar stop lamps, a person
may not alter the stop lamp by the addition of an overlay or
other device, or install a replacement lens, if the alteration
or installation alters or obscures any portion of the lamp or
affects the intensity of light emitted.

That being stated, this type of mod IS in fact illegal in the state of Minnesota, and I would suspect it is also illegal in just about every other state as well. But check your local laws to know for sure.

hope this helps clear some misuderstandings up.

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DarkSithCL

iTrader: (1)

kewl look...laws are bent until you run into the wrong police officer...i have mostly been stopped for DWB....
























Driving While Black

jj87

Man, i nice rear wing spoiler and you're all set man. Smooth. Love the tires.

bgsm1th

Yeah, I'm not too worried about it, I figured I'll get stopped for my windows quicker than I will my tails, and I have had my windows that dark for about 5 years now with only one problem. I took my $120 ticket and paid with no problem, if I only get stopped once every 5 years, I really couldn't care less.
Now, if I start getting stopped once every five days, something will be changing.

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bgsm1th

Thanks!
The only spoiler I really like on the CL that I have seen so far is the M5 lip spoiler, that would be the only one going on my car, but I'm not keeping it much longer, so I don't want to put too much $$ into it.
tire are stock sized Continental ContiExtremeContacts. I love em'!

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CLeanATL

didnt want to resize, you might want a good wallpaper

DarkSithCL

iTrader: (1)

Enjoy it...it looks way kewl...and yur rite, every 5 days is another matter...

ccannizz11

So THAT's what your car looks like. I may have seen you downtown at some point last year. I remember seeing a black 01 CL debadged without the spoiler down there one night. Where did you take those pics at?

Anyway, I like it If mine was black, I'd probably do that too (had my old black TA blacked out the same way). Nice job!

Jput

That tint on the taillgiths look great. Especially because of the color of your CL.

bgsm1th

I do remember one instance in particular, in the fall I believe, where I came up on a silver Cl with cleared or painted headlights (or something to that effect)....it was a Friday or Saturday night. Just look for the funny looking MN License plates, I believe I'm the only CL with them.

BTW.....Nice car

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EDIT: Pics were taken outside the Mister Car Wash in Saint Louis Park by Knollwood Mall.

ccannizz11

I thought I recognized that BigLots in the background.

CLeanATL