# DIY Tinted Tail Lights **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [December 23, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946 "2011-12-23T07:26:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/1 "2011-12-23T07:26:34Z")
So I finally tinted the tail lights on the old bird. These are expensive if they need to be replaced so I put this off for a long time. I practiced on the fiance’s Ranger and got a good idea of how dark I wanted my tail lights. I dont think I will do this full write up style unless some one requests it. Hopefully I will get finished and installed pics soon as I have a project for the center tail filler too. Opinions welcome. ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1675.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1675.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1677.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1677.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1678.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1678.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1679.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1679.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1680.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1680.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1685.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1685.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1699.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1699.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1701.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1701.jpg) ![http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1702.jpg](http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/PontiacGTA0316/Parts/IMG_1702.jpg) I still have to sand down the other tail light and polish both of them. Orange peel would look really weird on tail lights so this is a must! ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 7:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/2 "2011-12-23T07:29:58Z")
All pics were taken in near identical florescent light with camera on manual and settings kept consistent to give a better idea of how dark the tint became. The clear actually brought some depth and darkness to the tint as well. All done with VHT Nite Shades and Plasti-cote Lacquer Clear. ---
**Author:** ![ReDevil](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redevil/32/6385_2.png) [@ReDevil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ReDevil)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 7:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/3 "2011-12-23T07:37:53Z")
Looks good! Not stupid, overly blacked out. ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 7:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/4 "2011-12-23T07:41:10Z")
yeah. I like the OEM+ theme. Want people to argue if its stock or not after I drive away. LoL Also dont want to be rear ended because my lights are BLACK! ---
**Author:** ![bwe45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bwe45](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bwe45)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/5 "2011-12-23T15:39:34Z")
just keep an eye out for cops, mine were only 2 layers of VHT(came out to be just about the same as the ones pictured) and i got pulled over by a trooper for it, its a fix it ticket, but its a pain in the ass. just fair warning to anybody who does it. ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/6 "2011-12-23T15:49:40Z")
> [@On another topic](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/47422/5): > > just keep an eye out for cops, mine were only 2 layers of VHT(came out to be just about the same as the ones pictured) and i got pulled over by a trooper for it, its a fix it ticket, but its a pain in the ass. just fair warning to anybody who does it. I have a pair of older tails off a V6. They were in worse condition and if the one wasn’t leaking I would have tinted them instead. If need be I can rock those for a week or so to clear up any tickets. I would like to get brighter bulbs to help with the light output but I don’t know where I would get such. A least so the brake filament is brighter. Thanks for the heads up tho. I know its not technically legal but I hope their are not enough of these running around to make it obvious they are tinted like a Civic or a Cobalt. I also have 25% window tint, loud exhaust, and never have a front plate. I’m sure I will be speeding too. Don’t even look under the hood at the missing EGR or Air injection pump and plumbing. LoL ---
**Author:** ![20wrx09](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/20wrx09/32/6532_2.png) [@20wrx09](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/20wrx09)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/7 "2011-12-23T15:54:29Z")
i dont see these being a problem with police. i had vinyl tint on my lights for almost 2 1/2 years and didnt get pulled over for them and they were darker than these. as long as you can still see the lights from a certain distance (not sure how far) you will be fine. as a matter of fact, it took me a little while to tell the difference between untinted and tinted. ---
**Author:** ![bwe45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bwe45](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bwe45)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/8 "2011-12-23T16:30:10Z")
it all plays down to the officers digression. this cop just happened to be bored the night i got pulled and got me for it. Ive had them before on my car and never had issues, just happened to run into the 1 cop who had nothing better to do. guy was a real douchebag too when he had me pulled over. I was there for a while, couple other reasons haha. ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 5:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/9 "2011-12-27T05:43:06Z")
I may install one smoked tail light and one stock for comparison of light output in daylight and dark. ---
**Author:** ![20wrx09](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/20wrx09/32/6532_2.png) [@20wrx09](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/20wrx09)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/10 "2011-12-27T07:09:41Z")
If you think they are going to be too dark even with that light smoke, just replace the stock bulbs with led lights. Problem solved ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/11 "2011-12-27T07:18:05Z")
I don’t think LEDs will work well in these. I have seen the reflectors removed with full boards of LEDs in place but a few bulbs… I’m not so sure. I think it will be perfectly fine. I just want to do it to show evidence of the difference whether its big or small. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/12 "2011-12-27T07:19:45Z")
It’s looking very good! ---
**Author:** ![ramairetransam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@ramairetransam](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ramairetransam)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 7:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/13 "2011-12-27T07:23:25Z")
noooooo, i have a shitty dark one i would have traded you for that wouldnt look dark now. ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:21am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/14 "2011-12-27T08:21:22Z")
Which side is it? I got a shitty dark one too. If you have 2 dark ones they will match… Water gets in them and makes the chrome turn dark. I made sure mine were sealed with clear RTV. I tried to remove the lens from one to repaint the chrome on the reflector side. I broke it and melted the reverse light lens. If you have to take these apart they have to be cut apart and glued back together. ---
**Author:** ![MillzB5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@MillzB5](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MillzB5)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/diy-tinted-tail-lights/261946/15 "2012-01-02T20:26:54Z")
Mine are retarted dark and I have LED bulbs in them. They don’t do a damn thing for how bright they are. Might have to splurge on SMD bulbs if you want brightness, but the good ones (that will actually last) are pretty expensive