led

I think that would look good on a black or dark colored car.

IceShark

Ringo, I've seen the thin lines of white/clear for reverse in two design styles. In one the lines are horizontal and the other is diagonal. I sort of like the diagonal and will try it out if I decide to change from solid red. If you make numerous thin white lines it more or less looks the same as all red without the lens lit up.

If you used the Testors paint, it will come off easy enough with acetone so you can monkey around with styling. I don't like the rectangle you did because it is so noticeable. But, it is all personal taste in the end.

I don't think a black out spray is such a good idea guys. BTW, is just the stuff that was used on DIY window tinting.

ringo951

Glad to know I can use acetone to remove it, because I feel like I used a little too much paint on the turn signal part. I may remove it and use fewer coats this time. It's hard to tell from that picture but I did use a mask with rounded corners so it is not a perfect rectangle. I think that looks better than the squared off ones I saw. Also I thought all red was a little much with a red car. Put some pics up of the ones you do with the thin lines.

IceShark

Ringo, you probably did apply too much paint to the turnsignal the first time around. I did and had to strip it off after it dried and I looked carefully.

It doesn't take much transparent paint to make them look correct.

Maybe someone can photo shop the reverse lens style? I don't think I will be changing mine anytime soon.

Ken

I like Ringo's style, but if I was going to do it I'd leave a thin strip accross the top of the reverse light instead of a block in the middle. I think that would look better, IMHO.

Sami951

Leaving the reverse lights untouched is not too bad IMHO.

<img src="http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/asujamaa/oipan_tbo1.jpg" alt=" - " />

Ken

This is what I'm talking about:

<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/oipan_tbo1-edited.jpg" alt=" - " />

zehnd

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Sami951:
<strong>Leaving the reverse lights untouched is not too bad IMHO.

<img src="http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/asujamaa/oipan_tbo1.jpg" alt=" - " /></strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I'm thinking of painting mine as well. I don't mind that at all. It may give a good break on a red car.

ringo951

Yea, I like the look on Sami's too. Of course, that rear euro bumper. OOOOhhhh...

Carl Nall

Ringo, do you get mostly white light from your backup lights or is it predomitantly reddish?

I might consider the thin strip at the top of the lens like Ken's pic of Sami's car, if it would actually give effective backup lights.

IceShark

Carl, that thin white strip at the top is going to throw out predominately red light. If you put in a halogen bulb that is brighter than the stock 21 watt you will be able to see good enough to back up.

The real issue would be the warning status that you are backing up. Better than all red, but I'm not so sure how your average driver would react to one thin white line at the top.

Carl Nall

I'm now using the halogen bulb behind the painted lens. The painted backup lens puts out a bright light, but tinted red, obviously. I assumed that the white strip would not throw white light because of the entire lens (red and white portions) is being back lighted. Since leaving a strip is not really a functional option... given the choice, I'll just leave the entire thing red with the option of returning the entire section to white, if necessary.

Maybe the red portion of the lens could be blanked out in some way but that would be more trouble than it's worth.

Thanks.

IceShark

Carl, the backup lights have two functions. Provide the operator with enough light to see where they are backing up at night. And warn others what the car is doing.

You have solved the "enough light" portion with the halogen bulbs. It is the "warning sign" part that you want to play around with. What I was saying is I'm not sure that one thin white strip on the top would suffice or not as a warning sign to the average person.

Remember, average IQ is 100. There are a lot of people below 100. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Carl Nall

Oh, two functions...? You don't say!

No problem, just as in Lake Wobegone, all our Austin drivers are above average. They'll just have to react to a bright pink backup light!

Ken

Since it's been said that too many layers of the red paint would stop light from going though, maybe you could just heavily paint the bottom portion of the lens. This way, most of the light would be forced out the top white part. Sound reasonable or no?