About three days worth of painting and sanding and I finally finished my side-marker light project. Here it is.

What I did was first use matte black outdoor plastic spray paint. I let this dry for a day, then I got out a small brush and painted, in lines, a vertical pattern with acrylic outdoor paint. I let the first coat dry for a day before again painting two more coats, making sure no light shined through. When this dried, I took a MouseSander (They are small. ) and I sanded the edges of only half the light. The result? Take a look for your self. Its even more sexy at night.

100_9746.jpg

 

Super nice work Aaron.
St louis area? Are you going to join us at Merimac Caverns for a Zip Slide?

Love to see those for real in person.

roadster with a stick

 

Hey Franc,

I am definitely thinking about joining the Gateway Club on its trip to the Merimac Caverns. I'm going to post in the Gateway thread to add myself to the list very soon, looking forward to seeing you there, then.

 

Pretty slick!
I like that.

 

Thank you!
I just realized I spelled "market" instead of "marker" in the thread title! DOH!

 

I think it looks great ..... but I have one concern! Light , being the release of the energy of the bulb filament, can't escape thru the blackened lense and that may increase the heat in the interior of the unit enuff to cause either frequent bulb burn-outs, or enuff heat to cause distortion of the unit and/or lense, or worse! You might want to consider using a smaller bulb. I think you'd have the same effect, without the other possibilities. But it is a nice effect, especially on a BLACK car..... just my $.02

 

This is a VERY good point. The lights themselves get pretty hot, I tend to only turn the lights on when I am moving, so as to increase airflow around them and keep them cool. But you are correct, they do get very hot. I make sure to not leave them on standing still to summarize. It hasn't been a problem YET. I have only had them for about a week in heatwave weather. Either way, thanks for your kind words!

 

So where's the night pics?

 

Looks nice! But are you really sure it's now going to pass safety inspections? Here in North Carolina the inspections are severe. Squirrel Crusher

 

State to state, we used to have inspections, but they got voted down. Now, a few years later, I'm not so sure this was a good thing.

 

Looks good! Good job!

 

I like.....

I think only cool black cars can get away with this...

 

I think DJ would agree....
Now, you just exposed the rear portion, could this be done to expose the the whole outer ring? I quess I am curious to know why you just did the rear part of the lense. I am with DJ, where's the night photos...???? LOL..

 

An interesting extract from the Internet on the subject. While still present they do not meet the intent of the lights.

Automobile side marker lights fall into the larger category of conspicuity devices which make up an important part of the general lighting system for automobiles and trucks. Conspicuity accessories for autos are designed to provide increased visibility and safety while a vehicle is in operation on the roadway. Automobile makers and safety experts have recognized the need for side marker lights and reflectors on both the front and rear of vehicles to display the vehicle's presence, directional turns and forward and backward movement.

Nighttime driving provides additional safety concerns, which warrant the many conspicuity devices required in roadway vehicles. Inclement weather, poor roadway conditions and lack of proper street lighting, all contribute to unsafe driving conditions, which may cause serious accidents. Side marker lights provide increased nighttime visibility from the front and rear sides.

Mandatory in North America
Side marker lights contribute to the general visibility of a vehicle, together with other conspicuity devices such as, daytime running lamps, parking lamps and tail lamps. Side marker lights are mandatory on all vehicles in the United States and Canada. Front mounted side marker lights are attached to both sides of the front fender of a vehicle. Safety regulations require the front side marker lights to be colored amber. The rear side marker lights must be colored red.

European vehicles are not required to include side marker lights, but they are not outlawed. They are, however, restricted to only amber colors, and are not allowed to flash. Some manufacturers add side marker lights to vehicles as a design, and adornment feature, as well as a safety feature.

Features of side marker lights
The standard OEM side marker lights, required in the United States and Canada, are designed with a typical incandescent lamp, or an LED lamp. Newer automobile models seem to favor LED side marker lamps for their energy saving features. The side marker lights are usually wired together with other conspicuity devices, such as the tail and parking lamps. This way, a vehicle is visible from the front and rear sides at all times when the ignition is turned on.

Jim

 

and look what happened to "daytime running lights".....if you want to be visible, put some DOT tape down the side of the car...we will see you then...
as for his mod to his side marker, as long as it emites light, it meets the requirement...

 

Its quite bright, actually. I sanded the area but also used some plastic polish to make it clear again. Tonight I will take a night-time picture.

 

My car just got safety inspected, and these lights are still extremely bright and visible, with their correct color.

 

I didn't like the look, it would not be as bright on the front portion because the bulb mounts in the rear. I decided that this looks the best for the car. For my rear tail markers, I used a powder coat of black paint, and they are REALLY bright, almost all the light shines through. I wanted the front to be more with the car. I really can't explain it, night photos might do it justice.

 

that's cool. I was thinking it would be the same amount light all the way around, but it is a good look....just curious as to what it would look like at night....

 

I am not sure what to think?!
It has definately made me think about a project on the road you just went down...
Good Work.
Mike