How the PRO taillights should have came from the factory!

I like the PROS.. but the gloss black is a little flashy for me, plus there is too much red.
Here is my custom take on them(and a little more goodies)
Whatcha guys think?


Next to Factory PRO

 

Good job. Now I hate my Pro lights.

 

Nice work.

 

How hard was it to.split the housing open?

 

Nothing a dremel can't do

 

I prefer the originals.

Make sure you seal them up real good on the re-assembly.

 

Ewwwffff, I'd ruin mine in about .0987621 seconds then...lol

 

Btlm uggg more ideas just what i need.

What did you use to reseal?

 

Yeah, not for everyone. I just have a problem with keeping things factory
I have been running mine for a couple weeks... sat outside during thunderstorms, and went through a few car wash's. So far so good

Lights were plastic welded back together, then a bead of black RTV for added insurance.

 

Locally every murdered out tails and headlights on Benz amg and M cars are all Armenian gangsters

I don't want mine to look like theirs like @0210

To each their own

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but they are the way they are because of legality/DOT reasons. Blacking them out is asking for some cop intervention I'm sure at some point. Nice mod and looks good though.

 

Also if you get rear ended , be damn sure lawyer will sue you (in CA it's big business suing modified cars in a rear ender)

 

Guess depends on where you live.
My wife has screaming loud exhaust.
Always has on her past few civics
(Has always been Illegal in my area)
10+ years not one ticket.
The Again...she's not cruising the "strip"
@ 2am.

 

Blacking out is illegal in CA. These are not blacked out. This is "black cherry" which would be perfectly legal here.

Brake light housings can be clear, as long as they illuminate red and have a red reflector (size not specified, could be the size of a penny) and its legal.

No problems for OPs mod.

 

^ Not sure about DOT. if anything my LED mod will be brighter than the original bulbs..

Believe it or not, the RED lens center has NOT been painted(besides the side reflector).
It just looks darker because the chrome reflection bowl behind it was painted.
Case in point;


Different then people spraying lens tint OVER the outside of their lens.(degrading visibility)
This mod has not affected the light transmission through the OEM lenses in any way.

Ya, they look a little dark inside. But out in the sun it's not too bad.

edit. if I wanted to "brighten" up the red, I could paint the inside LED panel chrome. I just might to keep you internet nazis happy

 

As long as they have a red tint in daylight they're legal.

So far as I know, DOT is an inspection mark only showing they approved the design.

 

Gawd our taillights are such an ugly design. Definitely something the 2009+ 2nd gens did right.

 

26101
(a) A person shall not sell or offer for sale for use upon or as part of the equipment of a vehicle any device that is intended to modify the original design or performance of any lighting equipment, safety glazing material, or other device, unless the modifying device meets the provisions of Section 26104.

(b) A person shall not use upon a vehicle, and a person shall not drive a vehicle upon a highway that has installed a device that is intended to modify the original design or performance of a lighting, safety glazing material, or other device, unless the modifying device complies with Section 26104.

(c) This section does not apply to a taillamp or stop lamp in use on or prior to December 1, 1935, or to lamps installed on authorized emergency vehicles

26104.

(a) Every manufacturer who sells, offers for sale, or
manufactures for use upon a vehicle devices subject to requirements established by the department shall, before the device is offered for sale, have laboratory test data showing compliance with such requirements. Tests may be conducted by the manufacturer.


(b) The department may at any time request from the manufacturer a copy of the test data showing proof of compliance of any device with the requirements established by the department and additional evidence that due care was exercised in maintaining compliance during production. If the manufacturer fails to provide such proof of compliance within 30 days of notice from the department, the
department may prohibit the sale of the device in this state until acceptable proof of compliance is received by the department.

 

RLY?


They got the LED portion right, but I hated my 2nd gen tails..reminded me of an AutoZone special.

What I do like about the 3rd gen tails is the shape.

 

Performance hasn't been altered.

The unilluminated appearance has been, which serves no safety function as it isn't meant to do anything but turn red when brakes are applied, using a clear bulb.