some Custom Tail Light Options for CAMARO's and how-to's
01-09-2010, 04:12 PM
#1
some Custom Tail Light Options for CAMARO's and how-to's i've gone through a lot of different tail light styles over the years, and many people have asked about some of them, wanting to know where i got them and what not. and there are always people looking for different things to do with their lights, so i figured id just start a little thread specifically showing some very simple, easy to do, custom tail light designs.
not saying i'm the first to do any of these, just presenting some of the things's i've done.
I'll start it out with the things ive done to my 98+ lights.
Red Outs -my current set up -design credited to whistler, and Mark, mister 6LE.
-wet sand with 600
-apply 3-4 coats of Tamiya red translucent spray paint
-(optional) apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
-Same process for pre98 lights
Blacked out with clear reverse lights -this is from a couple years ago. i only did this on 98+ lights because at the time i didnt have money to buy another set of pre98 lights. so i made due with what i had.
-wet sand with 600
-mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
Classic Black Outs (picture courtesy of cobrahunter) -i have no pictures of when my car used to have these, but when i did, i used the black out covers. i got a new cond. used set cheap on ebay- like $15
There are several options for blacking out your lights
1) many people (like me) just use the covers. very easy to use.
2) in the picture below, cobrahunter is using tinting films.
3) or you can use VHT nightshade.
each has their own pros and cons.
-Covers can easily be removed and applied as you please. only negative i can think of is that there is only one option as to how dark they make your lights. and they can also be stolen- a friend of mine had hers taken
-tints can also be easily removed to go back to the stock look. only negative would be the same as for the covers- unless you can choose different percentages for the precut ones. (i'm not sure)
-with vht you have complete control of how dark you want the lights. negative- they aren't as easy to go back to stck, but it can be done with a little sanding/buffing. i have done this several times
-IF you choose to use vht nightshade...
-wet sand with 600
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
--Same process for pre98 lights
Pre98 Blacked out with clear reverse lights -i did these and the completely shaved "berger" for my brothers a while ago
-wet sand with 600
-mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
Pre98 Black Out / Red Out fusion -version 1 -the tail light on the right -i think i may be the first for this one -This was SPECIFICALLY designed for a red camaro with the black "berger" panel done
-wet sand with 600
-mask off everything EXCEPT the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of Tamiya red translucent spray paint. LET DRY
-remove masking tape
-now mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
Pre98 Black Out / Red Out fusion -version 2 -i think i may be the first for this one as well. i did these for my car to replace the red outs. since the black blends with the car, it gves a new shape to the light, since you mainly notice the red.
-wet sand with 600
-mask off everything EXCEPT the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. LET DRY
-remove masking tape
-now mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of Tamiya red translucent spray paint. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
INFO / WHERE TO BUY
the best places to look are hobby shops. check their site for their list of local dealers: http://www.tamiyausa.com/ -thats how i found the places i got mine.
and if the shops dont have them stocked, they can custom order it for you easily.
they sell both "translucent" sprays and "clear" sprays
-they both pretty much do the same thing, i'm not sure exactly what the difference is (EDIT**trans are for polycarbonates / clear is for plastics---doesnt make a difference with the lights). the color of the reds is slightly different, but not much. the translucent red #37 is slightly darker, closer to stock. the clear red #74 is more of a true red, a little on the brighter side. i only know this because i've seen them next to eachother, if i hadn't i'd never know a difference.
translucent list- http://www.tamiyausa.com/search.php?q=translucent+spray
clear list- http://www.tamiyausa.com/search.php?...x=12&image.y=8
VHT night shade can be bought at Pep Boys, my local Kragens and Autozone did not carry it. you can also get it on ebay for a decent/lower price.
HOW THE LIGHT LOOKS WHEN LIT
VHT DOES NOT change the color of the light output. amber will still look amber, reverse will remain white, red will still be red
Tamiya red paints WILL change the color of the light output. so you will NEED TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL WHEN BAGGING UP, other drivers will not be able to see the white and know you are reversing. so just make sure everything is clear before reversing.
- i didn't even think about this until i had had them for weeks. my parents just happened to be driving behind me when they saw me bagging out of a parking spot at the store and could not tell i was reversing since it lit up red. I have had the red outs for about 8 months now with no problems. you just have to be cautious.
.
not saying i'm the first to do any of these, just presenting some of the things's i've done.
I'll start it out with the things ive done to my 98+ lights.
Red Outs -my current set up -design credited to whistler, and Mark, mister 6LE.
-wet sand with 600
-apply 3-4 coats of Tamiya red translucent spray paint
-(optional) apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
-Same process for pre98 lights
Blacked out with clear reverse lights -this is from a couple years ago. i only did this on 98+ lights because at the time i didnt have money to buy another set of pre98 lights. so i made due with what i had.
-wet sand with 600
-mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
Classic Black Outs (picture courtesy of cobrahunter) -i have no pictures of when my car used to have these, but when i did, i used the black out covers. i got a new cond. used set cheap on ebay- like $15
There are several options for blacking out your lights
1) many people (like me) just use the covers. very easy to use.
2) in the picture below, cobrahunter is using tinting films.
3) or you can use VHT nightshade.
each has their own pros and cons.
-Covers can easily be removed and applied as you please. only negative i can think of is that there is only one option as to how dark they make your lights. and they can also be stolen- a friend of mine had hers taken
-tints can also be easily removed to go back to the stock look. only negative would be the same as for the covers- unless you can choose different percentages for the precut ones. (i'm not sure)
-with vht you have complete control of how dark you want the lights. negative- they aren't as easy to go back to stck, but it can be done with a little sanding/buffing. i have done this several times
-IF you choose to use vht nightshade...
-wet sand with 600
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
--Same process for pre98 lights
Pre98 Blacked out with clear reverse lights -i did these and the completely shaved "berger" for my brothers a while ago
-wet sand with 600
-mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
Pre98 Black Out / Red Out fusion -version 1 -the tail light on the right -i think i may be the first for this one -This was SPECIFICALLY designed for a red camaro with the black "berger" panel done
-wet sand with 600
-mask off everything EXCEPT the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of Tamiya red translucent spray paint. LET DRY
-remove masking tape
-now mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
Pre98 Black Out / Red Out fusion -version 2 -i think i may be the first for this one as well. i did these for my car to replace the red outs. since the black blends with the car, it gves a new shape to the light, since you mainly notice the red.
-wet sand with 600
-mask off everything EXCEPT the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of VHT night shade. LET DRY
-remove masking tape
-now mask off the reverse light section
-apply 3-4 coats of Tamiya red translucent spray paint. let dry
-remove masking tape
-apply 2 coats of dupli-color auto clear coat
-wet sand/buff for a glossier finish
INFO / WHERE TO BUY
the best places to look are hobby shops. check their site for their list of local dealers: http://www.tamiyausa.com/ -thats how i found the places i got mine.
and if the shops dont have them stocked, they can custom order it for you easily.
they sell both "translucent" sprays and "clear" sprays
-they both pretty much do the same thing, i'm not sure exactly what the difference is (EDIT**trans are for polycarbonates / clear is for plastics---doesnt make a difference with the lights). the color of the reds is slightly different, but not much. the translucent red #37 is slightly darker, closer to stock. the clear red #74 is more of a true red, a little on the brighter side. i only know this because i've seen them next to eachother, if i hadn't i'd never know a difference.
translucent list- http://www.tamiyausa.com/search.php?q=translucent+spray
clear list- http://www.tamiyausa.com/search.php?...x=12&image.y=8
VHT night shade can be bought at Pep Boys, my local Kragens and Autozone did not carry it. you can also get it on ebay for a decent/lower price.
HOW THE LIGHT LOOKS WHEN LIT
VHT DOES NOT change the color of the light output. amber will still look amber, reverse will remain white, red will still be red
Tamiya red paints WILL change the color of the light output. so you will NEED TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL WHEN BAGGING UP, other drivers will not be able to see the white and know you are reversing. so just make sure everything is clear before reversing.
- i didn't even think about this until i had had them for weeks. my parents just happened to be driving behind me when they saw me bagging out of a parking spot at the store and could not tell i was reversing since it lit up red. I have had the red outs for about 8 months now with no problems. you just have to be cautious.
.
Last edited by crimson_bird; 05-03-2010 at 10:23 PM.
01-09-2010, 04:59 PM
#7
On your stock lights, how did the signal like look when lit when you had the translucent red paint on them? I hate the amber on the back of my car and I want to tint them red then clear, but I don't know what color the signal will be. (amber lense, not bulb).
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01-09-2010, 06:49 PM
#11
I've got these:
Pre98 Black Out / Red Out fusion -version 2 - But these look good too! (well, on a black car at least....looks angry!
)
And Trust...Do the Viper's tails all red!!! You've inspired me and now i'm looking to get my blue GTS by the end of the year too!
Pre98 Black Out / Red Out fusion -version 2 - But these look good too! (well, on a black car at least....looks angry!
)And Trust...Do the Viper's tails all red!!! You've inspired me and now i'm looking to get my blue GTS by the end of the year too!
01-10-2010, 10:49 AM
#15
I saw what you put about the backup lights, but I was wondering if the signal/indicator lights shine a different color. Having the amber white bulb, amber lense, and red tint, any drastic change in color when signaling? I don't care if my signals are red, but if they go purple or something (obviously they won't, but as an extreme example) I'd at least like to know what color I'm signaling.
Do it man! Even though it is slow right now, this car is a BLAST to drive, and it gets a lot of odd stares/points too, lol.
Do it man! Even though it is slow right now, this car is a BLAST to drive, and it gets a lot of odd stares/points too, lol.
01-10-2010, 12:35 PM
#17
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Here is a pic of what they use to look light and what how they look now.
Here is a pic that shows they are not blacked out just tinted.
Last pic is of the tail lights on (not the brake lights) and the 4 way flashers on. You can see they flash red now not amber. The turning signals are the bright ones.
