VS8

iTrader: (4)

does anyone know if smoked tail lights are legal in texas

http://carcustomz.com/osc/mazda-rx8-c-13_14.html

i want the dark smoke but i dont know if light or dark smoke are legal but if they are should i get light or dark

uncivilracer

As long as you can see the reflector to the rear without the lights being depressed then it is legal in Texas. So as it isnt the blackout model then u are ok.

w0rm

I went with a full kit (head / fogs / tails) and let me tell you; The tails are a bitch.

You will need a heat gun and multiple sets of hands to get it to stretch. You learn from experience quickly but only really get one shot at it.

Looking back it would have been easier to order the blank peices for the rears and heatgun them on then cut off the excess. While the pre-cut parts are nice they don't apply very easily. I cannot stress enough you will need to use a heat gun.


http://lamin-x.com/ecommerce/os/cata...p?keywords=RX8

Lil_Gato

yeah woulda been useful reading what worm said about the tails.. haha.. but yeah had to heat up and stretch the film to fit..
but lamin-x, only 50 bucks for the tails.. not bad at all. and it looks pretty good too.

uncivilracer

Too many places sell them already done now. I would rather just buy them already smoked myself.

jones75254

iTrader: (2)

My advice, forget the covers, they are a PAIN and trust me when i tell you if you are particular and want it to look flawless, IMO i would take them to get painted. They can put light coat and smoke them out and it will look 10x better than a heat gun, stretch session would look. Prob cost $150 or so for both but will look great.

magikone69

i bought a set of smoked tails on ebay, i only seen them one other time afterwards...might want to check it time to time to see how often they are available. mine were a perfect set, pretty dark tho, but they wer nice and glossy with a smooth texture.

DrewMan

anybody though about just getting the spray on stuff?

Lil_Gato

theres a spray on??

Blue_Batmobile

The great thing about my Overlays is that the reflectors are still quite visible!

Bat™

DrewMan

yep


search on ebay and theres quite a few to choose from


theyre fairly popular in japan

04Black8

you can just go to your local hobby shop and buy model spray tint. its the stuff they paint R/C Car windshields and stuff. thats what i did. it would be even better if you bake your tails and spray the inside but i didn't know how, could anyone tell me how?

Lil_Gato

man, ima have to go get that model paint stuff, it will probably look way better than how my tail lights actually turned out.. got some wrinkles around the edges.

Flashwing

I've used the model paint which does work but I have been experiencing problems with the stuff lasting. First attempt used just the spray on tint with no clear coat resulted in the paint coming off slowly until the tint was almost non-existant.

Second attempt we put in a layer of clear coat which has protected the tint but I've started having issues with the clear coat coming off of the lights. Either the humidity or direct sunlight.

Lil_Gato

anyone else having some fun with backing up at night?

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

why hasnt anyone let the circles of the white backing up lights stay untinted? i think that'd be pretty sweet looking imo. i was thinking of buying the overlays and simply cutting out the circles for the rear lights with a circle cutter.

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

it will look like a random circle considering the whole area lights up ... would look kinda weird imo.

magikone69

i seen somethin similar to what you are saying and i honestly didnt like it, it just looked ricey imo, looked unfinished. i say get the smoke tails, but if you are worried bout the law or safety, do i vey light coating and polish it nice so it looks more OEM than something that was done in a garage...

jus a lil sameless plug to show mine off

04Black8

I'm gonna bake my tails and paint different parts on the inside and leave the lens clear. that way it will have the dark look inside and nice and shiny on the out.

Lil_Gato

cutting out an area for some light to shine through for the back ups wouldnt be a bad idea.. but yeah it would take away from the clean look, and plus i didnt even cut out the key hole in my tail light, tired of the damn water seeping in. and key holes are dumb, but i kinda needed it the other day, so dumb idea on my part.

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

if you somehow get it to work, pics and details!

proficientone

OMG those pre cut tints ARE A PAIN IN THE A$$. Don’t doo it, WoW!!! I tried to put them on the other day after ordering them off eBay and Boiii it looked like crap. Soooo difficult and I had a heatgun and all. I just gave up and put it in the garbage. TRUST ME just use the spray!!!!

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

precuts are a lot harder to put on cuz you gotta work with the size they give you. i tried it and got some stretch marks in the film. spray or bulk film would be lots easier.

Lil_Gato

yeah, pre cuts.. not the best idea in the world.. they should have a warning on the box about it.. cause mine look good from a far, but far from good.. well in certain spots. no good do it yourselfer!.. which is me.

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

lol, what annoyed me the most was having to stretch them to fit. having to put it on, it dries, pull it off and stretch it, and bam, stretch marks.

i'll make the warning: size too small, be prepared to mess up