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Tinted Tails/ Side Markers

Old Feb 7, 2007 | 10:58 PM
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Default Tinted Tails/ Side Markers

So I have been toying with the idea of tinting my tails and side markers for awhile. I finally PS a rear view and I think it looks fairly good. I dont think I want to use NiteShades, as that is very permanent, and if law enforment or something ever has a problem, I don't want to have to buy all new lights. What do you think?
Attached Thumbnails Tinted Tails/ Side Markers-tinted-tails-lq-.jpg  
Old Feb 7, 2007 | 11:08 PM
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Sorry...not a fan.
Old Feb 7, 2007 | 11:09 PM
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Personally, I wouldnt want to tint my tails in a car that allready almost gets run over on a daily basis. I do want to make mine all red though, a guy on Ebay sells a kit that I have seen in person, and looks really good IMO. The black looks okay, just not my thing.
Old Feb 7, 2007 | 11:15 PM
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i think they're a little dark, but looks pretty good. The side markers are perfect though.
Old Feb 7, 2007 | 11:22 PM
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I'd like to have smoked...not black though.
Old Feb 7, 2007 | 11:24 PM
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Hmm.. I kind of expected you all would like it.. O well I'm still not sure about it, but I think they look kinda neat.
-Michael-
Old Feb 7, 2007 | 11:37 PM
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I kind of like it. I think it looks alot better than most of the euro tails made for the miata.
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 12:06 AM
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I hadn't seen those red ones til I just looked. Maybe I will do something along those lines. This look any better?
-Michael-
Attached Thumbnails Tinted Tails/ Side Markers-red-tails.jpg  
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 12:14 AM
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Originally Posted by TheBandit
I hadn't seen those red ones til I just looked. Maybe I will do something along those lines. This look any better?
-Michael-
I HATE those lol.

Try doing like a smoked look on them, like the euro e30 BMW tail...like...50% of the blackness.
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by TheBandit
I hadn't seen those red ones til I just looked. Maybe I will do something along those lines. This look any better?
-Michael-
I think that looks way better, doesnt scream "LOOK!". I plan on making the reverse red too. A faculty member at my school who had them has a red hardtop too, looked great, couldnt tell they werent supposed to be all red. The red tint was near perfect in direct sunlight.
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 12:23 AM
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I dunno, I kinda like just covering up the orange with red, that way I wouldn't have to tint all the lenses. I'm very torn.. I like both of them.. I think if I did the red it would just be the orange not the reverse. I think the white gives it a bit of contrast. Did your buddy get the ones from the guy in Canada?
-Michael-
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 12:32 AM
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No clue, he instructs the Toyota program there which I didnt take, so I haven't ever talked to him. They look identical to the Ebay kits though.
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 08:14 AM
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I prefer the red version (reverse still white). It actually may look good on my white car, I'll check it out.
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 09:33 AM
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I like the look, but I've already been rear ended once... and it hurts like hell.
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Arkmage
I like the look, but I've already been rear ended once... and it hurts like hell.
Ouch, my thoughts on the smoked tails exactly..
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 01:33 PM
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use lamin-x, then if you ever want to go back to stock, all you do is pull it off. I used the yellow on my front turn signal lenses and the smoke on my side markers.

http://www.lamin-x.com/ has some precut kits for the miata tail lights.

Edit: If you click on the picture in my vB garage, you can see the smoked front side marker lights better...
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Arkmage
I like the look, but I've already been rear ended once... and it hurts like hell.
Same here, but I do like the look!
Old Feb 8, 2007 | 06:39 PM
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I did the nightshades thing on my tails, and just painted my sidemarkers
Old Feb 9, 2007 | 12:50 AM
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Maybe I'm off the mark here, while tinted lights can and do look good doesn't this detract from the whole idea of tail-lights? Ie the car behind you should be able to tell when you are braking. I have been behind cars with tinted tail-lights and I nearly rear ended them beacuse I could'nt tell when they had the brakes on. Also makes the car harder to see in poor light conditions.

/rant off
J
Old Feb 9, 2007 | 02:29 AM
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I've got a can of VHT Nightshades in my shed and have been procrastinating doing this.
I don't like the look of the tails tinted real dark unless its a Black car - but, on other colr cars, I like the 50% smoked look as suggested above.
Personally, what I really like is what I'm going to do - my center peice between the tails is black (red car) so when I smoke the tails about 50% they won't look painted but they will blend in with the black much better.

I'll kick myself in the **** and do it tomorrow and post pics when I'm done.

-Ryan

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