Last week, after it having had them on for several years, I was pulled over by the law and told I had to remove my taillight blackouts. Needless to say I was bummed out on having to go back to the look of the old stockers. So a couple of days ago I decided to start work on making a set of clear taillights. I began a bit of brainstorming and measuring and quickly realized that the clear housings for my 4x6 headlights might work perfectly. Using a old pair of RS taillights that I had, I removed the covers from the taillight housings. It was literally a pain. They were sealed all the way around with a bead of polly-urethane. I then used a dremel tool to cut holes in the taillight housings so I could slip of my headlight housings in for a test fit. It fit great. I also cut a hole where the black plastic piece was so I could add another light to each side. I went ahead and ordered eight clear headlight housings which I should recieve on Tuesday. I'm also going to pick up a pair of clear sidemarkers to use as replacements for the two license plate lights. They are nearly the same size. Its going to take some work but, I hoping it will turn out looking good. Two of the individual lights in the taillight housing will be red. I'm going to have to find a way to tint or perhaps paint (mix paint with clear) them red. One of them will definately be clear and I'm thinking the turn signal one will also look best clear instead of yellow. There is also the matter of bulbs. I doubt I would be able to run straight h4 bulbs without blinding someone. Then there is the biggest task, that is, filling in all the gaps between the lights to make everything look right. I still have quite a bit of work to do and problems to solve.
Tell me what you guys think... I'm open to any suggestions, and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Josh.
Here some pics...

 

should be really unique..thro some correct color LED's in each one and i would look pretty sick i think..lol gotta see it to tell u for sure

 

What are you going to do about the wrap-around corner?

 

Well, I recieved three of the new lights here today, the rest should be here tomorrow. I did a quick little mock up. Unless I can find something else more suitable, I'll be trimming off the end off the RS taillights to serve as the the wrap around corner parts on the clears. The corners will serve quite well actually. I removed the inserts from behind the corners that give them that crystalized look. The result is a clear red plastic corner. Here's a couple pics. Take in mind that there is still some trimming I have left to do to make them all sit perfectly flush. This should give you a better idea of the planned result though. Remember the corner will be red followed by 2 tinted red housings and most likely then by 2 clear ones...

 

hmm..

i made a set of clear lenses.. 10 in all actually. it wasn't easy and it wasn't cheap. i had to use silcone mold to make them though and the lenses will probably yellow in 3-4 years because of it but it was the only way to not invest 100,000 into the design and build.

not dot legal has kept me from being able to sell them but i have a set on my show car which is pretty trick. i like to see new ideas. hope it works out for you, post pics when your done.

 

Thanks for the reply. I recieved the rest of my headlight housings today. I haven't done any more work on the taillights yet however. I have concluded though that the best way to enclose them will require me to cut up my grid taillights. Doing this will allow me to cover the sides of each taillight as well as the lips of the headlight housings. I also may be able to come up with some sort of clear housing for the wrap around corner part. I should know sometime next week. If I can, I may just go ahead and keep all of the housings clear.
Kandied- Do you have a picture of your completed taillights? I would be interested in seeing them, as there are none that I have seen made for thirdgen Camaros to date.

Also, If I do happen to keep all the housings clear they will still be legal as long as I retain the properly colored bulbs, correct? Thanks again, Josh.

 

Sorry man, but that really looks gay. I appreciate the idea and thought of trying to fab up the item. Dont get me wrong. But it just looks like the front of a rally car with a bunch of Hellas stuck on.

 

Actually, no. Red bulbs are NOT legal, only red lenses. Notice that all of the aftermarket, solid clear ones, now have red centers?

Now, Lexus gets away with it, by having a shield between the clear bulb and the back of the lens, reflecting the light forward through a red lens, which reflects (again) through the clear lenses.

I never had the clear lens desire, but I investigated the Lexus lights, just to try to figure out HOW they had, what appeared to be, fully clear lenses, yet lit red, when red bulbs aren't legal.

In other words, you are going through a lot of trouble, and you'll only get busted even faster. Cops dislike the clears less than the smoked ones.

 

So if I understand you right, the brake light lenses have to be red in order to be legal? If this is the case I will probably just go with my original plan, either that or I'll just buy another set of grid taillights and keep a clear set for looks...