Tinting Headlights and Tail Lights

[97_Legnum]

Hey guys, I was playing around with some pics, and have decided that I wanna get my headlight and tail lights tinted. Anyone know where I can get them done?

[ShadyNZer]

i remember on another site there was a dude who tinted his lights, he used a spray, looked all good too....or u could buy some tinting paper from repco and try that

[97_Legnum]

i remember on another site there was a dude who tinted his lights, he used a spray, looked all good too....or u could buy some tinting paper from repco and try that
Yeah I could, only I don't wanna stuff it up...

[i3ooyah]

use tinting film, its piss easy to work with & if you make a mistake then you just rip em off

cost u around $40 with heaps of film left if you botch it up and you can get different %'s

[ShadyNZer]

yeah plus theres lil tutorials online in case youve never done it b4....should be easy enough...

[p1_]

:-policema Legal? Personally I'd check with WOF station, or friendly mechanic as to whether this is legal. Think rears should be okay.

cheers

[Kenneth]

I would be a little dubious about tinting my lights, as I very very highly value the light they put out when it is dark. maybe tinting + HID would produce sufficient light, but I don't like the idea of reducing the standards.

maybe you could get some "film" of some sort that where you can change the light that gets through... they do it on sunglasses and welding shields, but I don't know if you could reverse it for headlights.

Since we are playing, here is a pic of what my car would look like with tinted headlights :thumbsup:

[pagan]

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/vehicle-safety/get-your-lights-right.html

Tinting

It is illegal to apply any kind of tint film, tint paint or opaque sticker to any lamp which has a function other than decoration (eg non-cosmetic).

[97_Legnum]

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/vehicle-safety/get-your-lights-right.html

Tinting

It is illegal to apply any kind of tint film, tint paint or opaque sticker to any lamp which has a function other than decoration (eg non-cosmetic).
Thats the thing, some say it's legal and some say it's illegal. Yet one of the guys at work has both his rear and headlights tinted, and has an Onroad WOF. I asked him if he has to change them b4 a Wof and he sez nope.

[97_Legnum]

I would be a little dubious about tinting my lights, as I very very highly value the light they put out when it is dark. maybe tinting + HID would produce sufficient light, but I don't like the idea of reducing the standards.

maybe you could get some "film" of some sort that where you can change the light that gets through... they do it on sunglasses and welding shields, but I don't know if you could reverse it for headlights.

Since we are playing, here is a pic of what my car would look like with tinted headlights :thumbsup:
I like that look, the way you can just see the lens in behind.

[Kenneth]

I like that look, the way you can just see the lens in behind.

Thanks. It took me a few minutes with GIMP to create the semi-transparent overlay for the light. I chose that level of transparency because I too like to see that there is something under the black... A bit like a woman wearing semi-transparent underwear really :D

anway, before I get carried away...

I suspect it all comes down to what happens on the day. In saying that, if you get in trouble, they could count against you. ie: you have an accident at night and the other party says they couldnt see you because your lights are tinted.

[_simon_]

Speaking of womans underwear... You can get a similar effect from a pair of black stockings. A mate of mine did it to his car, looked pretty good, its only when you get close that you realise what it is. Plus I don't think it had much effect on intensity when the lights were on.

[mpau009]

Does anyone know about partial coverings? i was considering a white vinyl, but cutting it just enough so that the bulbs can still function to WOF standards? How much could i push the rules? iv seen a few cars around with similar, but don't know if they've had problems?

Iv read the legislation, and the only sticking point i can see, is the 'a lamp is insecure, "obscured", or contains visible moisture or dirt to enter' Does that mean the bulbs, the reflectors, within the measured limits/requirements, or the entire light?
Any advice would be great. Or has anyone done, or tried similar?

[Kenneth]

While I was having a break from work... lol

[Kenneth]

now tint the driving lights...

[97_Legnum]

now tint the driving lights...
That's just pure Evil

[bradc]

What about this?

I only did one side because I knew I couldn't make both sides symmetrical

[kornstar]

nah keep them rectangle, and if you were to tint the lights do the fogys aswell, wont look good otherwise.

[bradc]

ok, and this is part 2, most of the work is on the body for this one.

[Kenneth]

ok, and this is part 2, most of the work is on the body for this one.

Interesting, however I prefer the eyelids.

Each to their own though, if you like that look then feel free to do it to your car. couldnt have them all looking the same now could we? :)

[mpau009]

I was thinking something maybe like this?? although the slanted eyelid thing looks damn cool. The best thing is if you get any grief from the cops, you can just pull them off only losing a couple of bucks! I'm definately gonna get my hands on a roll.

[Kenneth]

I was thinking something maybe like this?? although the slanted eyelid thing looks damn cool. The best thing is if you get any grief from the cops, you can just pull them off only losing a couple of bucks! I'm definately gonna get my hands on a roll.

Can you convert it to JPG and post it? only thing i have that can open it is GIMP, but it comes out 2cm square, and I can't see any detail.

I have been talking to another member about the problem of police... His idea was to make a removeable "headlight guard". As you are more likely to be pulled up during the day when the mods are most visable you can then claim its a removable decoration that you take off at night. Dunno if that would help, but its gotta be worth a shot.

Then if you make the guards out of polycarbonate they are actually going to be effective as well.

[mpau009]

[QUOTE=Kenneth]Can you convert it to JPG and post it? only thing i have that can open it is GIMP, but it comes out 2cm square, and I can't see any detail.

Try this one, i think i tried to reduce the size too much, and it all went wrong. Its not the highest quality, and the colours don't really match, as i'm still learning the program, but you get the idea.

As for the legal thing, the reason the vinyl appeals to me, is that you could change it whenever you feel like it, for buggerall money.

[ShadyNZer]

http://stx5796.cool.ne.jp/r134a/member/sipa2004.jpg
or could find ones like these

[bradc]

well you and me are fairly unique because we have facelift ones ;)

What about these pics, instead of tinting the rear lights, just paint out the unused section in the middle.

[ShadyNZer]

seen a couple of 97 legnums like that....

[mpau009]

What about these pics, instead of tinting the rear lights, just paint out the unused section in the middle.[/QUOTE]

Thats another thing iv been wondering about, iv got the prefacelift '97 STR, but it came as in the picture, without any badges, bar the V6 one on the side. and with the middle piece of the lights in white.

Is that normal, or is it likely just repaired crash damage, or something, and they couldn't be bothered puting it back on? Although i have seen a couple of similar age with the same white part (never any other colour strangely enough) but usually with badges still attached. Does anyone out there know of the significance? also i see the older indicators had a smoked finish anyway, and i didn't realie they had gone back to clear?

Has anyone got the same missing badges? damn i wish i knew the japanese history of my car, as last week i pulled about 20 meters of heavy gauge wire from all sorts of wierd places, like goin up the pillar between the doors, and into the headliner and all sorts, truly bizarre, yet when i got it it was standard as can be?

[i3ooyah]

sounds like they just debadged your car for a cleaner, smoother look

maybe they had a big car audio install and a tv in the roof?

[mpau009]

maybe they had a big car audio install and a tv in the roof?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, thats what i thought, judging by the amount of pioneer fuses and things i found, and it had no headdeck when it arrived off the boat, but the door speakers are put back factory, and the interior was mint, no cuts or screw holes or anything, all the cables were run through the proper channels and spaces, certainly didn't look like an aftermarket job, i guess they would have direct access to specialists who know the cars inside and out. -Wish they had left it in though /yes

[westy]

now lookslike a seat toledo!???wrong /grr

[Pete M]

Our 97 Legnum had the L E G N U M badges removed from the white bar below the hatch window when we got it too. It still has the front and back VR-4 badges though. I like the cleaner look and wouldn't put them back. I always wondered whether it was an option, or someone de-badging it. Some early Legnums had this bar in dark metallic grey too.

[NAUSED]

how dark are you aloud to have the headlights because i did my backlights and never did the headlights thinking i wouldn't get WOF.

[97_Legnum]

how dark are you aloud to have the headlights because i did my backlights and never did the headlights thinking i wouldn't get WOF.
Well I'm thinking of doing a smoked black look, not too dark. But now Ken and I are thinking more along the lines of making up tinted headlight protectors. That way if need be, we can just pop them off.

Do you have any problems with having tinted rear lights? ie cops or testing stations?

[NAUSED]

i don't have problems of having tinted backlights i can get WOF and cops are cops but the can't do anything but i was just wondering do you think i could do my headlights as dark as my backlights??????????????????????

[bluey]

Our 97 Legnum had the L E G N U M badges removed from the white bar below the hatch window when we got it too. It still has the front and back VR-4 badges though. I like the cleaner look and wouldn't put them back. I always wondered whether it was an option, or someone de-badging it. Some early Legnums had this bar in dark metallic grey too.

i fully de-badged my leggy. i love the clean look!

[eeknz]

So I was reading this post when it was fresh and I ran out and got me some tinting spray and clear coat. I did the side indicators good and black as they are cheaper to replace if I messed it up. That went well. I pulled the tail lights out of the tailgate and masked off the centre section and blacked out the edges. Well I did one then it snowed so the other one will get done this weekend. While my painting skills really suck, I like it. Going to carry it through to the sides so there is a thin line of red and above that a thin line of indicator, with the rest heavily tinited. I read up on how illegal it all is, but there are tons of WRX an Levin drivers round here with fully tinted out lights so I think I'll be OK. If not, how much can it really cost for a set of WOF day lights.
I stick up a pic or 2 when I'm done, and finish getting painting lessons from a painter buddy.

[NAUSED]

so is tinting your headlight alowed or not

[eeknz]

If you check the link to the LTSA, you can't even change the wattage of the factory bulbs. Legally there is nothing you can do at all, but I'm going to rely on the slackness of the testing stations to let it slide. That's the main reason I'm leaving an untinted stip in the middle of the tails. It should be enough to keep them off my back.
As for the front, tinted covers is the way to go as they can be easily removed. Just a matter of finding some.
Even Eyelids are technically a no go, but look around. There's heaps of cars on the road with lids on.

[MR.VOODOO]

and no it is not photo shoped !

[richy rich]

and no it is not photo shoped !
looks good. how much was it for the tint and extra trim on bottow of bumper.

[You See]

how much was it for the tint
Isn't that spray paint? /Hmmm

[eeknz]

If Mr Voodoo used spray, then it's $17 at Repco. It is an excellent example of very cool but very un-LTSA. If I thought I'd get away with it I'd do mine the same, but I'm sticking with the stripes.

[MR.VOODOO]

just good old matt black spary paint light coats

[MR.VOODOO]

the whole body kit cost me £745

[Josh2xsv]

HEY I HAVE DONE THIS - ---- -
AND GOT A WARRANT AT VTNZ... :evil2: :chugchug: