I was wondering if anyone has cleared headlamps - i like this look but as far as i know you have to do it yourself or have a custom shop do it for you - aka no kit. ive heard rumors that if you dont seal them right you've got "goldfish lights". anyone who has done this and that has had a problem?

 

Yeah I had a friend do mine last week and yesterday I saw a littlie moisture inside on the driver side headlight but it's not a big deal all I have to do is take it apart and re-seal it.

 

Well, hello there Tom....cleared headlights done correctly work. Unfortunately, I don't think any of us have the equipment to do it with. Moisture gets in there and they get foggy.

 

Also, clearing the headlights, meaning taking that orange reflector out is illegal. It looks nice, but unless you have some orange reflective device on front side, it's a ticket.

 

Really????
I didn't know about that..... as long as I have clear or orange on the front, I think I am OK....
I had to take it apart 3 times.....because it gets foggy after I wash my car... But it's OK now....

 

I hear Ron@streeteffectz can do them

 

It's not really illegal. As long as you have the orange bulbs in to replace the white ones. They look better like that anyway. Nissans use to come with clear headlights and orange bulbs...

 

nissans did have clear corners but they had a orange reflector on the bumper.....

Evan

 

It is alright to have clear/white/amber bulbs in front for signals. But you gotta have orange/amber reflectors in front side to not get a ticket. This reflector can be on the headlight housing, or bumper, etc. For cars that come with clear stock heads, there's always a yellow refector somewhere else. Now, to be sure, check with your local DOT.

 

I know in NJ there is a sign headlights on & radio off, at state inspection. When they lights are on you cant really tell that the reflector is missing.

 

they look really good cleared.

I did mine myself and have ABSOLUTELY NO fogging up or moisture... ever!

 

got cleared out...I took out the bulbs and put in hi-temp silver paint and now it doesn't look amber but when it blinks it' still amber...so no probs with the authorities

 

Nice pics, Joey!!!

 

so you painted over the yellow part then?

 

As some have pointed out here, clearing the headlights or sidemarkers themselves is not illegal. However, per DOT requirements (and that's federal so it applies to all 50 states) a car must display (read: reflect) orange from the front and red from the rear at night without power. This is so if your car is broken down on a dark street and you battery is dead, if someone approaches your car from the front, side or rear it would still be visible and hopefully avoid a collision. Also, the orange reflection has to be visible from a certain angle on the side at the front and red visible from the a certain angle on the side at the rear (like side markers). That's why you have the orange reflector bit in the '02 marker lights. The orange bulb satisfies the DOT requirement for orange on front/side under power and the reflector satisfies the requirement when the car is off. This is also why clear tails can be illegal. Having just red bulbs under clear tails is illegal. You need to have a DOT-certified reflective lens back there as well. Look at the IS300 tails--it's a clear outer lens but the actual bulb is covered by a smaller red lens (to satisfy the DOT requirement).

Some places/jurisdictions either don't know or don't care about the DOT requirement, but it *is* illegal and you can be cited for it.

 

i wasnt looking to start no debate! but thanks for all the info - i wont get my car for a little while so i got time - but i live in michigan and the thing is as far as i know there aren't even auto inspections - its about as un-regulated as it gets - so i won't have to much to worry about i dont think.