MrH's BRZ Thread

[280Z Turbo]

Yeah, the combination of LED brake lights with obvious incandescent turn signals is pretty cheesy looking.

That's pretty typical.

[SVT_Power]

Silver does nothing for that car. I've seen a few in black and they looked great.

I've only seen black or white FRS/BRZ's around here for some reason

[sportyaccordy]

The black/silver thing combined with the thin and flat spokes looks like some cheap aftermarket crap.

And the fitment is very sunken battleship. Not that I am for hellaflushery, but they could def use more meat.

[Raza]

Those aren't smoked, that's just dark aluminization on the extension.

Okay, then he should do that. 

[Raza]

I've only seen black or white FRS/BRZ's around here for some reason

They look best in gray, in my opinion.  I just wish the Limited models didn't come with the spoiler.  I think they look better without. 

[280Z Turbo]

Okay, then he should do that. 

Impossible.

[Raza]

Impossible.

Sucks for him.  My taillights are awesome. 

[280Z Turbo]

Sucks for him.  My taillights are awesome. 

The gaps between them and the body are unreasonably precise.

Volkswagen is crazy.

[Raza]

The gaps between them and the body are unreasonably precise.

Volkswagen is crazy.

[MX793]

That's pretty typical.

They could have at least put a sub-lens over the orange signal bulbs to conceal the bulb better (like what Nissan did with the early 2000s Altima or Mazda did on the 1st gen 3s).

[MrH]

They could have at least put a sub-lens over the orange signal bulbs to conceal the bulb better (like what Nissan did with the early 2000s Altima or Mazda did on the 1st gen 3s).

Yeah, I like that look too actually.  I'm considering making the entire taillight red, except for the turn signal area and making that amber.

[280Z Turbo]

They could have at least put a sub-lens over the orange signal bulbs to conceal the bulb better (like what Nissan did with the early 2000s Altima or Mazda did on the 1st gen 3s).

We have an amber inner lens over the new Avalon tail lamp turn signal bulb.

[MrH]

I'll take some pictures and photoshop the three ideas I have so far and post them up here on how I want the taillights to look.  Maybe a poll or something this weekend.

[giant_mtb]

www.superbrightleds.com

Only bummer is how expensive they still are...upwards of $25-30 a piece for a simple brake light bulb. 

I'd totally put LEDs in my tail lights and front markers, but I'd need $100 alone just for the four bulbs in the tails, not including resistors.

[r0tor]

I have vled lights in my front parking lights and rear license plate light... love them

[MrH]

Put in the LEDs into the door courtesy lights (they shine down on the ground by your feet when you open the door).  I did the interior dome light and trunk already.

I think I'm going to go ahead and do the turn signals, reverse lights, license plate lights, and corner markers and then I'm done with the lighting.  Relatively cheap mods that make things look quite a bit cleaner.  I hate the mixing of LEDs and normal bulbs.

www.superbrightleds.com

Only bummer is how expensive they still are...upwards of $25-30 a piece for a simple brake light bulb. 

I'd totally put LEDs in my tail lights and front markers, but I'd need $100 alone just for the four bulbs in the tails, not including resistors.

Yeah, that's who I'll be using for a lot of it.  It's not too bad.  $17 per turn signal.  I only need one relay to slow down the LEDs to normal blinking speed.

[r0tor]

LED License plate lights add so much to the look of a car at night... its amazing

[MrH]

LED License plate lights add so much to the look of a car at night... its amazing

Kind of afraid they'll be too bright.  I don't want my taillights to look dim and have spot lights on my license plate.

[MrH]

This is what I'm thinking for the taillights right now.  The issue is, there is so much surface area on the top and sides, it makes it very difficult to wrap (think about how much extra material bunches at the crease line when the side wall and top wall meet).  I think it's doable with quite a bit of heat from a heat gun, and some serious stretching, but it'll be tough.

I think I'm going to leave the turn signal area unwrapped on the surface (the top side will still be wrapped in vinyl).  Thoughts?  Other options is make it all red, and just have red turn signals.  If the vinyl wrap doesn't work out, I'll end up painting them (great DIY thread on the BRZ forums, and everyone's results are looking really good).  I could do the following if I painted:

1. Paint it all red
2. Mask off the turn signal area and keep that clear
3. Mask if off again, and paint the turn signal area amber.

Thoughts?

[r0tor]

Me no likely at all

[Eye of the Tiger]

My thought it to leave it stock, and just get amberlamp LEDs for the license plate.
If anything, just do the laminx wrap, since it is easily removeable.

[MrH]

Me no likely at all

Any suggestions then?  Some guys have the balls to cut the whole thing open, and paint the chrome inside to black.  Looks a ton better, but yikes, that is risky

[Eye of the Tiger]

LED License plate lights add so much to the look of a car at night... its amazing

Everyone makes fun of me for it, but it was worth the $6.

[2o6]

Wait for a model year facelift.

[MX793]

Any suggestions then?  Some guys have the balls to cut the whole thing open, and paint the chrome inside to black.  Looks a ton better, but yikes, that is risky

They're painting the reflective surfaces in the light assembly black?

[MrH]

They're painting the reflective surfaces in the light assembly black?

Some others are doing black chrome.

[Onslaught]

Any suggestions then?  Some guys have the balls to cut the whole thing open, and paint the chrome inside to black.  Looks a ton better, but yikes, that is risky

Do not do that. Buy used ones off ebay in a few months if you're going to try something like that. Do not cut your brand new lights open because more then not you'll regret that one.

I also don't like the red tape. Because it looks like you covered the lights with red tape! Just stop worrying about it for now. Car looks fine.

[MrH]

Here's a guy who painted them red.  Looks much better I think.

[MX793]

Here's a guy who painted them red.  Looks much better I think.

That does look like an improvement.  I'd be curious what they'd look like if you painted the turn signal area amber.

[Onslaught]

That looks good in a picture. I'd like to see it close up before I said it actually looks good.