s5 taillights *modernized* (pics)
08-08-06, 02:11 AM
#177
Law Breaker
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: S.F. Bay Area, California 510
Posts: 3,333
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by eriksseven
I think LED's would look really good... However, I'm too lazy and they look so good regardless. 
08-08-06, 11:30 AM
#178
Insane Burning Diarrhea
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Noo Yawk City / San Diego
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by eriksseven
No polish--just magical taillight 'modernizing' skillz yo!
Originally Posted by Omixeo
I dont feel like reading 12 pages worth of posts, so im just gunna ask. Did anyone do a writeup for this?
08-08-06, 02:20 PM
#182
Insane Burning Diarrhea
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Noo Yawk City / San Diego
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by lsx257
speaking about converting the led s5 tailights is not that hard with spending a fair amount of time.
here are the led's that i used
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Maxxi...31288951QQrdZ1
would say the hardest part is pulling the set apart. that glue used by mazda was meant to stay shut. best way i thought was to pull them apart. remove small screws and weatherstripping with heat gun. then bake them at 300 for 20mins. feel the platic get pliable. with a jig a setup, it would slowly push out the lenses while it was in the oven being heated.
the corner lense has hard bends, so start with the brake light lense.
once taking apart time to place the led in and mount it. i just used epoxy, four min set time. the wiring part is easy to figure out since the led's i used were clearly labeled. theres only three, ground, brake and drving lights.
replacing the lense: most of which just go back over the steps.
by the way this is not the way to correctly pull apart taillight lenses.
here are the leds i used led maxxima
here are the led's that i used
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Maxxi...31288951QQrdZ1
would say the hardest part is pulling the set apart. that glue used by mazda was meant to stay shut. best way i thought was to pull them apart. remove small screws and weatherstripping with heat gun. then bake them at 300 for 20mins. feel the platic get pliable. with a jig a setup, it would slowly push out the lenses while it was in the oven being heated.
the corner lense has hard bends, so start with the brake light lense.
once taking apart time to place the led in and mount it. i just used epoxy, four min set time. the wiring part is easy to figure out since the led's i used were clearly labeled. theres only three, ground, brake and drving lights.
replacing the lense: most of which just go back over the steps.
by the way this is not the way to correctly pull apart taillight lenses.
here are the leds i used led maxximai found maxxima's website. if you scroll down you will see the 4 inch LED light that LSX257 posted.
http://maxxima.com/tl-stoptailturnlighting.html
they also have other lights too.
and found this...
http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/stt/stt_M42320R.htm
08-09-06, 12:48 AM
#186
I've been doing them for $100.
If that sounds like a lot, consider the fact that materials cost over $20, and it takes me about 5 hours to get them taken apart, cleaned, dryed, put back together, sanded, cleaned, dryed, masked, painted, sanded, cleaned, dryed and clear-coated. I think it's a really fair cost.
If you want me to do it, just send me a PM. I'm more than willing to do anyone's taillights. I had a really good time doing adrock's, simply because I love seeing the before and after.
If that sounds like a lot, consider the fact that materials cost over $20, and it takes me about 5 hours to get them taken apart, cleaned, dryed, put back together, sanded, cleaned, dryed, masked, painted, sanded, cleaned, dryed and clear-coated. I think it's a really fair cost.
If you want me to do it, just send me a PM. I'm more than willing to do anyone's taillights. I had a really good time doing adrock's, simply because I love seeing the before and after.
08-10-06, 12:27 AM
#187
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Fallston, MD
Posts: 627
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay guys, here it is. I had this idea for a tail light mod, and then after reading this thread, I thought it would be great to do in conjunction with eriksseven's mod.
Problem is, I don't have an FC anymore (yet), but I wanted to try it and so I tried it on my GSX today. Turned out AWESOME.
Before pics:
Problem is, I don't have an FC anymore (yet), but I wanted to try it and so I tried it on my GSX today. Turned out AWESOME.
Before pics:
08-10-06, 12:36 AM
#190
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Fallston, MD
Posts: 627
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay, now to explain a bit: I'm going to be painting the car flat black. I figured it might be cool to black out the lights, but I didn't want them shiny. I wanted them to appear almost flat black like the car (in fact, they really do look flat black, and if it was any closer I don't think the light would come through). So I came up with this idea of wrapping the lights with black pantyhose. So I bought a pair, and used one leg each on each light. It was very resilient and didn't tear at all, even though I was kind of rough with it. After the lights were wrapped (I just basically slid them into the leg), since they were still pretty red, I sprayed them with flat black paint.
In retrospect, a better idea would have been to use two legs on one light, but I didn't think about that til after I was done. The thing I like the most is that from the side, the lights look completely black. I tried to capture it in the pictures.
I think this would be awesome to do along with the other mod on a flat-black FC.
In retrospect, a better idea would have been to use two legs on one light, but I didn't think about that til after I was done. The thing I like the most is that from the side, the lights look completely black. I tried to capture it in the pictures.
I think this would be awesome to do along with the other mod on a flat-black FC.
08-10-06, 06:22 AM
#191
Insane Burning Diarrhea
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Noo Yawk City / San Diego
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
sorry, but did people look at you weird when they saw a dude buying a pair of panty hose?
Looks like its a better idea than spray tint since its removable. and when cops pull you over for tinting your taillights you can say "oh no, its just a pair of panty hose!" and start scratching it apart.
Looks like its a better idea than spray tint since its removable. and when cops pull you over for tinting your taillights you can say "oh no, its just a pair of panty hose!" and start scratching it apart.
08-10-06, 10:02 PM
#194
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Fallston, MD
Posts: 627
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Actually, my wife bought it for me. But I've bought tampons before so some panty hose is no biggie.
It's been raining a bit lately. The panty hose still looks as it originally did. I don't know how easy it'll be to clean or how much of a dirt magnet it'll be, but I really like the effect of the lights. I still need to get some LED bulbs in there.
I was surprised at how much I like the look. I keep staring at my tail lights. It makes them look almost textured in a way.
It's been raining a bit lately. The panty hose still looks as it originally did. I don't know how easy it'll be to clean or how much of a dirt magnet it'll be, but I really like the effect of the lights. I still need to get some LED bulbs in there.
I was surprised at how much I like the look. I keep staring at my tail lights. It makes them look almost textured in a way.
08-11-06, 03:07 PM
#197
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Fallston, MD
Posts: 627
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nah, just cloth tail lights. It's not apparent from the pics, but the car is gutted, so it only takes about 2 minutes to remove the lights.
Besides, as you can probably tell, I don't wash it much as it is.
Besides, as you can probably tell, I don't wash it much as it is.
: