Black Housing Tail Lights (FR-S) - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

sw20kosh · 07-21-2012, 02:26 AM

Hello all!

Just thought I would share this modification with the forums. Many have asked about modifying the stock tail lights as they are hideous stock. The problem is the lights are fused shut and you cannot simply bake them open. You have to dremel the housing open - meaning you need to cut through plastic. I must admit I took a big chance on this as I have never operated a dremel before and I have never opened up a tail light or head light.

I thought about just red tint'ing them or doing overlays but decided to try something a bit more interesting.

Here is the result:

Lights off.

Lights on!

Hazards/turn signals functional!

Best shot

With the lenses sealed on

Close up with lense on

Without the lense and before adding some tint to the red pieces

Stock garbage altezzzzzzaaaaazzzzzz

Ended up tinting the red pieces a little bit. It is subtle. Also did not use the Black paint for the compartment housing the yellow bulb. Instead I just tinted that area so that it is more of a black chrome now. Hopefully it will still be pretty functional.

It is fairly simple if you have the time. This was a 6-7 hr project.

Black Housing DIY article (actually it doesn't have to be "Black" =) )

Cheerz!

StevenEngage · 07-21-2012, 02:46 AM

FINALLY, i think a lot of people have been waiting to see this, looks much better. now show us them on the car and in use! lol

Wes · 07-21-2012, 02:50 AM

yes finally! been waiting for this! that looks pretty good, although i'd be pretty scared to pull this off myself, cant wait to see this on the car

StevenEngage · 07-21-2012, 02:55 AM

In his little member info on the left says he has a black fr-s so I bet this will look amazing on the car. just sitting there they look a little funny because of how much the clear lens sticks out but next to more black...

sw20kosh · 07-21-2012, 12:40 PM

updated with installed pics

StevenEngage · 07-21-2012, 12:55 PM

AMAZING, I will absolutely be doing this. that makes the car (at least in black) look much more exotic. great job man!

industrial · 07-21-2012, 08:13 PM

That looks amazing on a black car. Good job man.

kendalldwhite · 07-21-2012, 08:42 PM

great job must have a lot of practice in this kind of stuff

RZ86 · 07-21-2012, 10:23 PM

that looks SO good!

mezdup · 07-21-2012, 11:06 PM

that looks amazing, man. great work. looks much nicer than tinting imo and it doesn't ruin the visibility at all. awesome.

Prava · 07-21-2012, 11:27 PM

I want to do this to my Raven but I'm so scared!

sw20kosh · 07-21-2012, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kendalldwhite

great job must have a lot of practice in this kind of stuff

I've only tinted a tail light lens before. This was totally new but glad I did it!

Generally I am more of a "go" rather than "show" guy when it comes to cars, but the first thing i told myself I would do after buying the car was look into tail light options...

FRSGT86 · 07-22-2012, 12:40 AM

Good job, they look fantastic!

Kuzuri · 07-22-2012, 09:33 AM

Looks great! this is on my list now.

07-21-2012, 02:26 AM	#1
sw20kosh Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: 2013 Black FR-S Location: SF Posts: 3,030 Thanks: 881 Thanked 2,014 Times in 990 Posts Mentioned: 153 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Black Housing Tail Lights (FR-S) Hello all! Just thought I would share this modification with the forums. Many have asked about modifying the stock tail lights as they are hideous stock. The problem is the lights are fused shut and you cannot simply bake them open. You have to dremel the housing open - meaning you need to cut through plastic. I must admit I took a big chance on this as I have never operated a dremel before and I have never opened up a tail light or head light. I thought about just red tint'ing them or doing overlays but decided to try something a bit more interesting. Here is the result: Lights off. Lights on! Hazards/turn signals functional! Best shot With the lenses sealed on Close up with lense on Without the lense and before adding some tint to the red pieces Stock garbage altezzzzzzaaaaazzzzzz Ended up tinting the red pieces a little bit. It is subtle. Also did not use the Black paint for the compartment housing the yellow bulb. Instead I just tinted that area so that it is more of a black chrome now. Hopefully it will still be pretty functional. It is fairly simple if you have the time. This was a 6-7 hr project. Black Housing DIY article (actually it doesn't have to be "Black" =) ) Cheerz! Last edited by sw20kosh; 07-21-2012 at 08:22 PM.

07-21-2012, 10:23 PM	#9
RZ86 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 2012 Toyota GT 86 Manual Location: Melbourne, Australia. Posts: 193 Thanks: 37 Thanked 77 Times in 44 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	that looks SO good! __________________ Current: '12 Toyota GT 86 Pearl White Manual Previous: '96 Toyota Supra SZ-R

07-21-2012, 11:06 PM	#10
mezdup #1362 Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 2014 Ice Silver WRX Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,081 Thanks: 480 Thanked 404 Times in 228 Posts Mentioned: 16 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	that looks amazing, man. great work. looks much nicer than tinting imo and it doesn't ruin the visibility at all. awesome. __________________ Car Journal (06/17/12-03/08/14) \| FR-S/BRZ Photoshop Template 3.2

07-22-2012, 12:40 AM	#13
FRSGT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 2013 Raven FR-S, 2005 Dodge Ram Location: California - Bay Area Posts: 379 Thanks: 60 Thanked 97 Times in 76 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Good job, they look fantastic! __________________ 2013 FRS 6AT in Raven!

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07-21-2012, 02:46 AM	#2
StevenEngage Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 1995 Nissan Sentra Location: Modesto, ca Posts: 104 Thanks: 27 Thanked 32 Times in 21 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	FINALLY, i think a lot of people have been waiting to see this, looks much better. now show us them on the car and in use! lol

07-21-2012, 02:50 AM	#3
Wes Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: JRSC'd Asphalt FR-S Location: SoCal Posts: 1,317 Thanks: 868 Thanked 436 Times in 260 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	yes finally! been waiting for this! that looks pretty good, although i'd be pretty scared to pull this off myself, cant wait to see this on the car

07-21-2012, 02:55 AM	#4
StevenEngage Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 1995 Nissan Sentra Location: Modesto, ca Posts: 104 Thanks: 27 Thanked 32 Times in 21 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	In his little member info on the left says he has a black fr-s so I bet this will look amazing on the car. just sitting there they look a little funny because of how much the clear lens sticks out but next to more black...

07-21-2012, 12:40 PM	#5
sw20kosh Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: 2013 Black FR-S Location: SF Posts: 3,030 Thanks: 881 Thanked 2,014 Times in 990 Posts Mentioned: 153 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	updated with installed pics

07-21-2012, 12:55 PM	#6
StevenEngage Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 1995 Nissan Sentra Location: Modesto, ca Posts: 104 Thanks: 27 Thanked 32 Times in 21 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	AMAZING, I will absolutely be doing this. that makes the car (at least in black) look much more exotic. great job man!

07-21-2012, 08:13 PM	#7
industrial Add lightness! Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: 17' WRX Location: Boston Posts: 1,253 Thanks: 380 Thanked 888 Times in 411 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	That looks amazing on a black car. Good job man.

07-21-2012, 08:42 PM	#8
kendalldwhite Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: Mint-Tiffany blue FRS Location: Beaumont TX Posts: 896 Thanks: 200 Thanked 187 Times in 132 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	great job must have a lot of practice in this kind of stuff

07-22-2012, 09:33 AM	#14
Kuzuri __(X)__ Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: '11 Legacy, '89 190E, '78 GS1000 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 958 Thanks: 300 Thanked 697 Times in 332 Posts Mentioned: 24 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Looks great! this is on my list now.

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