s5 taillights *modernized* (pics)
 

I've never quite accepted the s5 tails as being perfect in their stock form. Ever since I forumulated the purchase of my own pair, I knew that I could not keep them stock and be satisfied. Since I've had a lot of experience using such "tinting" products as VHT Niteshade, I knew that I had at least one type of alternative route (i.e. tinting).

Before even having the money to purchase, I spent several sessions with a pimp VW enthusiast photoshopping different ideas, including:

Painting the black housing and liscence plate bracket stock white and tinting the tails.

Tinting the tails but perfectly masking off the radius's of the 6 circles to remain red (and amber respectively).

I've toyed with a third-gen'ish look etc.

But after finally receiving my set this August and messing around with them in person I decided that my possibilities would be more limited than my photoshop experiences suggested. I couldn't mask off the circles perfectly because of the 3/4" dimple running horizontal across the face of the lenses. Also, masking the curved lens for the amber turn light would be impossible and would distort the "circle nature" of the light. I (not being a fan of 'orange') also toyed with the idea of using a transparent candy red to paint the entire face of the lenses with, but I rejected this idea because I had discovered something; although not revolutionary--I had never seen it done.

I discovered after taking the taillight apart (very difficult to do) that the textured look of the stock tails was not on the inside of the cover, but was actually a clear diffuser sandwiched between the housing and the lens. Once removed I achieved the look you see in these pics of my finished product. I believe the uniform red face would be too opaque to get the modern look you see in these pics (see link to Corrado). Anyways, what do you guys think?

http://images.snapfish.com/342%3A8%3...A299%3A4ot1lsi

http://images.snapfish.com/342%3A8%3...A2%3B658ot1lsi

http://images.snapfish.com/342%3A8%3...%3C4%3C6ot1lsi

http://images.snapfish.com/342%3A8%3...A2%3B955ot1lsi

http://images.snapfish.com/342%3A8%3...%3C5%3C6ot1lsi

If you're wondering why the mirrors, spoiler, fender (and front bumper) are primered, it's because I had removed them from the TII while it was being rebuilt to put on my N/A and primered them to match. I have a set of red s5 mirrors, a replacement fender and s5 trim, all of which need to be painted. I was also jacked $230 by a former forum member who "sold" me s5 front and rear bumpers and a s5 spoiler that I had planned to do a conversion with.

yeaaaahhhhh....!!!!

Corrado taillight comparison pic:

http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publi...icle_845.shtml

I dont like how they look, but your workmanship looks solid.

I think the way to do it would be to make filled circles out of LEDs then put a diffuser in front of them so you uniformly bright ciricles.

very nice... but now i can't do it.... there was a blue convertible from Japan on here about 6 months back that were done like that.. clean.. different... people ragged but, hey we got bad apples everywhere... Its funny, in life people get made fun of for being different... I just don't want to be like, everyone else....
phat rim's clean car props

I saw a pic of the vert you speak of, but I believe it had a custom clear lens (very altezza-ish). I thought it looked pretty heinous.

Edit: does anyone have a pic of that vert for comparison?

interesting.

Dunno if I like it or not but it's very clean looks like a professional job; awsome work! I absolutely love that Corrado too, easily my favorite VW.

my bad your right.... still i like yours...

I found a link to those clear taillights:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...chmentid=71235

Looks pretty clean- I see you filled in/covered the reflectors as well. Those have always been a bit of a distraction from the lines of the tails, but I guess they are not street legal without them. If I did this, I might run a strip of reflective automotive pinstipe all the way across the bottom to retain some sort of reflector. If you park it on the street, and somebody ass ends you cause they didn't see it- all your hard work is for naught.

Thanks for the pics- I was wondering what this would look like since you first mentioned you were gonna do this in another thread.

I like it. It looks cleaner, a bit more modern as you said, but definatly not ricey. Good work.

Looks Great
 

I think they look awesome and it does give them a cleaner look. I don't think there is any comparison to the Japanese vert. Yours definitely look much better. I am one of the few 86-88 owners who actually like their stock lights, but after seeing these beauties, I am tempted to purchase a set.

Thanx for sharting a unique idea with us.

Michael

Any way you'd do it to a set of s4 lights?

that looks awesome man, do the bulbs shine through too much?

Looks good. Nice Corrado--I've owned VWs since I got my license and I love 'em.

it does look a lot nicer than the crappy clear ones, so long as it isn't blindingly bright with the brake lights on.

Very nice.

i like it

i like the way they look, i may do that to mine

I think they look awesome! Any tips on taking apart the tails?

i think up close they look broken

I think your tail look great man!, and the carrado is a really nice car, Ive always like them.

very clean--yeah, let us know of any tips on dissassembly.
-M

I like it myself. I think it looks cleanly done. And now, after seeing it done, I'm contemplating on doing it to mine too. How hard WAS disassembly?

hey it looks like people would like to get them, maybe you should do a writeup or start selling them.... I would buy 'em.... how much?

and by the way those are the cleanest, most trick tails I have ever seen....

They turned out much better than I was expecting. I was thinking they were going to be way to bright, but they are not.

They look even better in person. The reflector was painted over along with all the black trim, and the whole tail was painted in clearcoat.