wannabang Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 I've been recently intrigued with all the PD going on, so I decided to try some myself. I have a can of black and pearlizer for my grille. I have four cans of gloss for the headlights and to create a clear bra on the car. I also got a can of smoke, just to tone down the chrome in the headlights. I'm anxious to see how it comes out. Taped off one: First coat: Comparison to non-sprayed: I'm skeptical, but hell, I'll just take it off if it isn't pretty. More to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 After two coats, I'm still looking for it to become "smoked". I'm already noticing a decrease in my light output lol. We'll see how bad this gets. Second coat: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulinpanther Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 That doesn't look safe at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 I'm thinking the same thing. If I can't see driving around the neighborhood tonight, it's definitely coming off. Worth a shot, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) This will probably be coming off tonight. It doesn't seem to let much light through, but I'll post pics later tonight of the beam in the dark. The excess PD color: Final product: Doesn't look bad, but I'm concerned with the light output. With 5000k, 35W HIDs on: Mehhh... 6 light coats. To achieve the look I was going for, probably should have done more, but I'm not sure I'm going to keep this on. An experiment for everyone to see. Edited July 17, 2013 by wannabang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ls973800 Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 What's funny is that there is a HUGE aftermarket of products for people to polish their headlights if they look anything like what you have done to yours! I'm not criticizing what you did, just that that is completely different than what most people want with their headlights. A clean, crystal clear lense for maximum light output. Most states prohibit the adding of tint or colored lenses over the headlights and or taillights, or obscuring the light output. I know for a fact that Ohio does, just ask my son who had put smoked lenses on his car years ago. Wasn't more than a week before the Ohio State Patrol pulled him over and made him remove them right then and there. My warning to him meant nothing, but the guy wearing a uniform and badge got his attention. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulinpanther Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Try night shades or get a laminx film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Try night shades or get a laminx film That would be incredibly stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 What's funny is that there is a HUGE aftermarket of products for people to polish their headlights if they look anything like what you have done to yours! I'm not criticizing what you did, just that that is completely different than what most people want with their headlights. A clean, crystal clear lense for maximum light output. Most states prohibit the adding of tint or colored lenses over the headlights and or taillights, or obscuring the light output. I know for a fact that Ohio does, just ask my son who had put smoked lenses on his car years ago. Wasn't more than a week before the Ohio State Patrol pulled him over and made him remove them right then and there. My warning to him meant nothing, but the guy wearing a uniform and badge got his attention. I actually had that SAME thought. It's something I really didn't expect to work entirely well, but just thought it'd be fun to try. My town typically lets thing like tints and mods go. I know plenty of people with tinted tails and windows that haven't had issues, myself included... knock on wood. I had thought a film might look better, and allow for more light output, but I wanted something easily removable. I'll post night pics tonight, and I'll have a thread on the grille sometime in the next few days. ...state patrol... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulinpanther Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 There are more than one individual on this forum that have the laminx film on their headlights. As far as nightshades is concerned make sure you really want to use it because it is not something that you want to put on unless you know for sure. Or spend the money on custom headlights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Halstead Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 bake them open in the oven and just black out the inside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 (edited) I've thought of opening them. Not sure if I trust myself to. Anyway, here's the night shots. Depending on how bad the driver's side is on my way to work tomorrow, I may make it darker and do both sides... So it's obviously not as sharp, but the beam pattern also isn't jagged. I kind of like the color looking in the housing, but I do think, if I keep it, it needs to be a bit darker, to avoid the "foggy" look and apply the glossifier, to make it appear more like a film. We'll see how it is tomorrow. Edited July 18, 2013 by wannabang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Why not just paint them black instead? That would look hella cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Sarcasm... In all seriousness, I'm not doing anything black, but the windows, in fear that the dark blue of the car won't match well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Sarcasm... In all seriousness, I'm not doing anything black, but the windows, in fear that the dark blue of the car won't match well. I was talking about the ones advocating dark tint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candurin Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 I'm an advocate of just about every mod out there... But, this was just a HORRIBLE idea. Unless of course I was for your kid's science fair project, in which case, brilliant. However, I did always wonder what the clear PD looked like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulinpanther Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Not advocating anything just making suggestions that maybe he hasn't thought about. I personally would not put anything on my headlights lenses but I would have custom headlights done to black out the housings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 I'm an advocate of just about every mod out there... But, this was just a HORRIBLE idea. Unless of course I was for your kid's science fair project, in which case, brilliant. However, I did always wonder what the clear PD looked like. It was with the smoke PD. The clear doesn't get grey like mine did, just makes whatever color it's on matte, or so appears on YouTube. I didn't put enough coats on to see the real smoke color, since I was scared the light wouldn't pass through enough. It definitely was an experiment, though. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Well, the PD will definitely be coming off, today. The light carries about the same output as I remember the stock halogens to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinzII Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 I can't blame you for removing it. It made your headlights look worse than the ones that sit out here in the sun for 5+ years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWizard Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 I've often wondered why nobody has come up with some kind of electronic tint for headlights (or tail lights). Something like that material that is normally clear but will change to smoke or opaque black when a current is applied. You could have it cover the headlights, apply power when the ignition is on to black out the lights and then turn off the power when the headlights go on to make the cover clear again. Even better would be a material that is normally dark and goes clear when power is applied - that way they would be dark even with the car off and only go clear when the headlights are on. Best of both worlds - blackout look during the day with no loss of lighting at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 (edited) I've often wondered why nobody has come up with some kind of electronic tint for headlights (or tail lights). Something like that material that is normally clear but will change to smoke or opaque black when a current is applied. You could have it cover the headlights, apply power when the ignition is on to black out the lights and then turn off the power when the headlights go on to make the cover clear again. Even better would be a material that is normally dark and goes clear when power is applied - that way they would be dark even with the car off and only go clear when the headlights are on. Best of both worlds - blackout look during the day with no loss of lighting at night. Now that I could support. Why hasn't it been done? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Edited July 18, 2013 by akirby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabang Posted July 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Not even sure if I would like that. Was really unsatisfied with the light output. I'm just happy that it was so easy to take off. Literally took less than five minutes. Might do the grille tonight in black pearl, but that depends if it cools down. It's 95 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candurin Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 I've often wondered why nobody has come up with some kind of electronic tint for headlights (or tail lights). Something like that material that is normally clear but will change to smoke or opaque black when a current is applied. You could have it cover the headlights, apply power when the ignition is on to black out the lights and then turn off the power when the headlights go on to make the cover clear again. Even better would be a material that is normally dark and goes clear when power is applied - that way they would be dark even with the car off and only go clear when the headlights are on. Best of both worlds - blackout look during the day with no loss of lighting at night. That would cost a fortune! Much cheaper to go with wannabang's PD cataracts The company I used to work for made those opaque dimming mirror (just the crystals) components. They won't work in a pc plastic headlight, you'd need a glass one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWizard Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 (edited) Well, the great thing about advancing technology is that things always end up coming down in price, so maybe someday such a thing will be available. Another thought... what about something that's the reverse of those auto-tint eyeglasses? The glasses darken with light but if you could make them lighten with light then there would be no need for power connections and they could be made of plastic. Just turning on the headlights would provide enough light to make the lens lighten. BTW, I want royalties if anyone actually makes these things. Edited July 19, 2013 by TheWizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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