Smoked Headlights & Tail Lights

[Caspeed]

You could always wear very dark sunglasses 24/7. It'll have the same effect on your ability to see at night.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Caspeed

You could always wear very dark sunglasses 24/7. It'll have the same effect on your ability to see at night.

Properly made smoked lenses can actually have way less effect on light level than you may think. Put a light meter (I have all sorts of cool meters at work) on ones I had in a previous car and they were only 4% less than the stock ones. They were however actual smoked lenses not painted ones. Other guy's truck that we checked was almost 30% less with a painted smoke.

[Captain.K]

Originally Posted by Devante

So I'm waiting for the 2016's to come out in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, I'm making my build on my spreadsheet.

I just got some horrible news. Blackened taillights (and headlights too?) are illegal in CA.

I love those Valenti or Spyder tail lights in blackened.

Any way around this? Any kind of tips or ways to make them not as smoked out?

i live in LA and haven't gotten a ticket yet for having smoked tails, i have the valentis black editions and i just turn them on whenever i see a cop during the day and they are pretty bright that you cant really tell that they are smoked believe it or not, but either way your going to take a chance

[continuecrushing]

pay to play.

Buy smoked ones and keep the stockers for backup...

[NyC Zn6]

why dont you bake open the headlights and cut open the taillights then paint them?

[Caspeed]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Properly made smoked lenses can actually have way less effect on light level than you may think. Put a light meter (I have all sorts of cool meters at work) on ones I had in a previous car and they were only 4% less than the stock ones. They were however actual smoked lenses not painted ones. Other guy's truck that we checked was almost 30% less with a painted smoke.

That's the problem, there is no way to know what you're getting when you buy them. It's not only the tint but also the light distribution that counts. You know the hoops that you have to go through to certify brake parts for OEM usage. The same applies to lighting components.

Buy them if you want, just know that your car may be less safe as a result.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Caspeed

That's the problem, there is no way to know what you're getting when you buy them. It's not only the tint but also the light distribution that counts. You know the hoops that you have to go through to certify brake parts for OEM usage. The same applies to lighting components.

Buy them if you want, just know that your car may be less safe as a result.

Exactly! As cliché as it may be this is a case of "you get what you pay for". The expensive ones have been tested and inspected and pass all the requirements. The cheaper ones ...Not so much.

[Devante]

Just to let everyone know, I'm waiting for Valenti REVO's for tail lights and getting Winjet JDM for headlights.

Was just planning on getting them smoked and got hit with the news. ha

My town is very small so I'm sure it'd attract more attention of officers with nothing better to do than it would in L.A. or something.

Especially since I may be getting red (if not asphalt).

Thanks for the replies, guys.

[Devante]

Originally Posted by tyrantcf

Where in CA are you? I've never been given any trouble over mine but this isn't LA. Most people who get the trouble are the ones who literally paint or tint their tails to the point that light transmission is heavily reduced.

Hanford, CA.
Very small town.

[Devante]

Originally Posted by Turbo95eg6

Ahhh making your dream build list without having a car... To feel young again.

Ha well...

I know for certain I'm getting the car, so just doing the research on everything since I'm waiting for it to come out.

On the other hand, I could just sit here twiddling my thumbs, get the car, and have wasted valuable work time actually working when I could have been researching exactly what I want to do with my imminent vehicle. ;>

That and imgur, of course.

[Sideways&Smiling]

"making my build on my spreadsheet" -> talks about ricey headlights.

ugh.

[Vincenttam]

Originally Posted by Devante

So I'm waiting for the 2016's to come out in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, I'm making my build on my spreadsheet.

I just got some horrible news. Blackened taillights (and headlights too?) are illegal in CA.

I love those Valenti or Spyder tail lights in blackened.

Any way around this? Any kind of tips or ways to make them not as smoked out?

Just look for a 13 sitting at a lot somewhere. Save like 1 grand unless you want that god awful looking sharkfin.

[billwot]

I don't know about headlights (never researched it) but most sta.tes, including NC, just have a visibility standard for tailights. In NC and many other states, they must be visible at 500 ft

[JEDI]

I'm just going to go clear side markers (illegal?) and maybe red overlays on my stockers. As much as I want headlights and taillights I can't pay $700+ for the quality parts. I've had this car 4 weeks and my first illegal mod probably will be a catted uel header which I will have no problem paying $700+ for. On another side note where can these laws be looked up?