blackout s13 lights

[Tom25666]

so I blacked out my tail lights on my s13 hatch the other day, and I decided to make myself useful and pass along some information. It was pretty damn easy to do, and the whole job cost about $6. I think it looks awesome, I wish I had done this a long time ago.

Step 1:
Get a can of Pactra RC294 Window Tint; I got mine from a local RC Hobby Shop for $5.99. I could not find this or anything like it at Hobby Lobby or Michael's.
Step 2:
Either decide if you are going to take the housings out of the car, or tape everything off and paint them while they are still on the car. Mine are siliconed in place, so I went with the tape and spray method.
Step 3:
Clean the surface of the housings thoroughly with any cleaner/degreaser. Move the car or the lights to a well-lit and well-ventilated area suitable for spray painting.
Step 4:
The painting itself isn't really hard, you just have to know how thick to make the coats. Obviously, the more coats you put on the lights, the darker it will be. I did two good coats and they are almost black, but still let the lights shine through. You just have to be careful because this paint is fairly thin and will start running pretty quickly.
Step 5:
After you get the lights as dark as you want them, seal them with clear coat. Almost any kind will do, just make sure it is suitable for outdoor use.

Follow the directions on the can, though I didn't sand in between coats. Let it dry, take your tape off (or reinstall into car) and enjoy your blackout (or just smoked) lights. You can do the bumper lights, side markers, brake light, windows, yay!

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj66/chickenheadFoSho/pacr3694.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj66/chickenheadFoSho/100_4774.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj66/chickenheadFoSho/100_4775.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj66/chickenheadFoSho/100_4785.jpg

[ds13]

sanding and waxing will make them more shiny and cleaner looking

[s13boy89]

:goyou::duh::barf:sorry just not my style

[wow-thats-a-cool-car]

just stop being cheap and buy kouki lights

[karl wasabi]

LMAO. Couldn't you have at least taken the lights out?

[whiterps13]

Instead of using paint made for RC/model cars, theres is a product designed for automotive applications.
VHT Nightshades.

But it looks like shit either way.

[soreballz]

I don't understand why people do these things...

[ThatGuy]

Nothing like making your car harder to see, and drawing more attention to yourself from law enforcement.

[The Chad]

Yeah, I mean i appreciate the write up...but this has been covered before with people using the "nightshades" product. I don't personally mind a shade darker...but black-outs in my opinion are kinda out of date/style. But to each their own.

[shmiddy]

the stock lights look better imo

but +1 for the write up atleast

[nosanhere]

Clearing them along with the sanding and polishing makes them look 100% better

[Monooxide]

Clearing them along with the sanding and polishing makes them look 100% better

Agreed.

Nothing like making your car harder to see, and drawing more attention to yourself from law enforcement.

I have seen VHT used and the visibility of the taillights doesn't really decrease an awful lot.

[sileighty83]

wuts with this so called blacked out trend. It's a Scion TC and ricer Altima thing. lets leave it at that.

[amdnivram]

nice write up, but i like the stock look better

[projectRDM]

Nothing like a flat finish on something that's supposed to be glossy. That looks like pure shit. Seriously.

[Otto347]

lol doo doo bay bay

[punxva]

honestly before i got my koukis i used automotive clear coat, and mixed black into it until it was just a little hazy and sprayed mine, you see that is tinting them, because they were still opaque, and actually glossy... then again most people dont care enough to do stuff right

[J240sxxx]

:ddog:fail..

[d3m14n]

Fail. I'm trying to look for replacement tail lights because previous owner s13-failed like OP and blacked out his lights...

[Flicktitty]

Meh, not a fan of the way the look, but how do they look and WORK at night?

[ericcastro]

just stop being cheap and buy kouki lights
You dont even have a running 240, let alone anything on it thats worth money, so shut the fuck up Devin.


Its cool mang,
Me and Jay-Z used to roll our murdered out 240's in the Touge.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s242/castro_castro/Forum%20pics/my240blk.jpg

[karl wasabi]

Meh, not a fan of the way the look, but how do they look and WORK at night?

Like shit...

[Flicktitty]

Like shit...

hahah,

i got the clear/red smoked tails on a coupe, and i've been pulled over a few times for too dim of taillights :(

[ericcastro]

Meh, not a fan of the way the look, but how do they look and WORK at night?

Like shit...

I think thats the point.
Or it was for me.
I wanted the least amount of reflective surfaces on my car so it would be hard to spot at night.
Or at 3am in a mountain or industrial area.
But I used to get pulled over all the time for the way my car looked.

Here they are now.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s242/castro_castro/LA004358.jpg

But i didnt tint the center part.
I have a little line across the middle that breaks up the giant black light.
my car has tons of black to pull it together.
My windows are tinted black as well, so it all matches.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s242/castro_castro/l_761fa051ea074f5c80dc8093a6a80be4.jpg
not as dark as you would think. Daytime shot.

Think they look like shit on your car though.
If your car is stock, it makes it look rice.
Kinda like Altezza's can be done on a heavily modded car, but stock.......

good write up though.
Post it over on NICO too.....

[g6civcx]

FYI, that's illegal under most state laws as well as federal law.

The only thing you can paint is the 240SX garnish minus the reverse lights.

[Flicktitty]

.

are you just running stock bulbs?

I had some older stock bulbs and it was still dark, got some AZ led's and still got pulled over, just trying to see what others run.

[Tom25666]

everything on my car is "illegal". this is alabama. nobody gives a fuck here

[!Zar!]

Fyi if a car rear ends you during the night and you don't have reflective tails, you are liable.

[Otto347]

Fyi if a car rear ends you during the night and you don't have reflective tails, you are liable.Good point :w00t:

[ericcastro]

are you just running stock bulbs?

I had some older stock bulbs and it was still dark, got some AZ led's and still got pulled over, just trying to see what others run.
Mine are still stock.
i used some $30 can of stuff that you spray on from some JDM store.


Fyi if a car rear ends you during the night and you don't have reflective tails, you are liable.
I think my tails are still considered relective.
If they didnt have a reflector behind the globe, then the lens wouldn't be as bright and even. They just happen to be tinted.

Of course, having no rear bumper support and a pure fiberglass body is a whole different story :keke:

[projectRDM]

everything on my car is "illegal". this is alabama. nobody gives a fuck here

So that makes it alright to make you car look like shit? I mean, you could take dog turds and smear them down the side like racing stripes and get it away with it, but would you really want to?

[The Chad]

^^^^^HAHAHA....nothing else to say but laugh hahahah^^^^^^

[Matej]

The light output from the stock taillights already sucks.

[ZX88]

nico children will go nuts for this.lol

honestly blacked out tails look like shit regardless the car they are on.

[!Zar!]

UGH that place...

I've been on there all day and am getting a headache.

[pete_07]

Nothing like making your car harder to see, and drawing more attention to yourself from law enforcement.

werd ! and it seems its darn dark..

[DDDsquad_s13panda]

LMAO. Couldn't you have at least taken the lights out?

:Step 2:
Either decide if you are going to take the housings out of the car (http://zilvia.net/f/#), or tape everything off and paint them while they are still on the car. Mine are siliconed in place, so I went with the tape and spray method.:

i guess blacked out tails is his thing. I'd hate to be behind you during day time!:naw: