Rear light clusters

Post by **Johnny A** » 16 May 2007 09:54 pm

Does anyone produce aftermarket rear clusters for the 340's??? I don't mean tacky lexus lights or anything but some nice smoked items would be nice.

John.

Post by **Tourinki** » 17 May 2007 11:43 am

Probably noone makes aftermarket clusters. But at least here there is special spray paint available to paint rear clusters. They are available in black and red. And if here is something available then i am suprised if there isn't.

Post by **340GLT** » 17 May 2007 02:36 pm

I have smoked a set in the past and would do it for a small fee, same principle as the ones on my car now, except the ones i have now i did red.
Adam

Post by **germ** » 17 May 2007 06:42 pm

^^ yeah how did that turn out?did you pass an mot with that? if i remeber they were very red. looked very cool the smoked ones were also very cool.

Will

Post by **stealthstylz** » 17 May 2007 08:25 pm

Just buy some tinting spray its easy and looks good.

Matt

Post by **Johnny A** » 17 May 2007 09:13 pm

I have gone down the whole lense-tint spray route and to be perfectly honest it looks cheap and tacky, but that's just me.

I was considering producing my own last night as I have some special perspex sheeting that has the frosted design you see in the reverse section of the rear clusters. Using mild heat from lets say a heat gun or my favorite a toaster (sounds strange but its perfect for bending angles in the perspex for the ends). With this method clear and smoked clusters are possible.

Its all theoretical I know but I love smoked clusters when they are a smoked white base, when you smoke a red base (in the case of standard clusters) it just doesn't look as cool.

Another idea is something I am doing with the Carlton, basically I bought some smoked rear clusters from german ebay, cut all the backing out of them (where the bulbs are held) and replaced it with a flat white sheet of perspex which holds loads of LED's. This idea takes the 'black and white' idea even further as the clusters are white-smoked, the plastic isn't coloured and the bulbs are.... which you can see if you look directly at them. LED's regardless of colour don't show up when unlit.

What do you think?? Might be a pie in the sky idea but I think it can work.

Post by **Chris_C** » 18 May 2007 01:53 am

Other option is too take a silicon mould of an original lense, and cast a new one using clear resin, which you can add tint too if you want tint. I've done a side repeater like that to proove the concept.

Have to watch LED's, I think it was the Carisma 5 that I first saw them on, but they won't be correct beam pattern, so wouldn't be E marked, and technically an MOT fail and a pull for a non road legal car, however, put some thought into it to make sure you don't dazzle people (remember clear LED's are ultra brights, so can VERY easily dazzle). I have thought about doing it myself, without lenses but in a flush glass panel, and thats what stopped me.

Give it a go!

Post by **germ** » 18 May 2007 01:18 pm

cool

chris you can now get e marked led conversion bulbs.

And the rules have been changed so you can use leds, i am not sure the beam pattern matters on indicaters and brakes lights as long as its not too dark/not too bright...ive got leds in mine they work a treat and passed mot so iam not complaining. i think i might try smoking my lenses, not sure though.

Cheers
will

Post by **Chris_C** » 18 May 2007 02:45 pm

Yeah, the bulbs are E marked, but when used in conjection with old style lenses, like the rear 300 ones, they have a VERY shallow viewing angle, I compared Kar to Fake when I had them in Kar... following that I'm sure more people nearly stacked it into the back.. but that could just be my worry, I pulled them out anyway.

I think Johnny is meaning use plan LED's on there own, in a custom holder, rather that the bulb fitment ones.