I replaced the tail lights on my '06 PW/B MCS with the clears. I am about to get an '11 HzB/B that I ordered with black headlamps. My hope is to black out the front and rear chrome light rings and then do something about the rear tail lights. Is there a good aftermarket plug in light for the Gen 2? I'm not sure what I'd like to do yet, but want to know what options there are for changing out the lights on back. I may just have to live with the existing lights, since it looks like the Gen 2s have a bunch more red on the back (red reflectors or something below the bumper?). I don't know what my issue is with the red/amber lights but I just want them gone .
I will also be using the smoke film on the side reflectors and replacing the scuttles in some way.
Annette

 

11's have LED tails - they are actually very desirable - check the other mini forum where the community is pestering a guy named Mike to build connectors for plug/play swaps. I suggest you keep them, maybe smoke them a bit with the sprays or a vinyl overlay.

 

Annette, I just had this done to my back end ( ).



It was a little darker than I originally wanted but it is growing on me. Check my avatar for my scuttle.

 

That's what I'm looking for! So is that legal in GA do you know? I tried to find something about percentages for tail lights, but all I'm finding is window tint info.
I drove with clear tail lights for years on my old MCS and never realized it could have been illegal, but since it those had red and amber LEDs it seemed a bit less ambiguous. Blacking out stands out as a mod to me so was curious about if and where laws regarding this might be posted. I'm doing it anyway regardless .
Annette

 

Not sure about the specific laws to Georgia but all states require RED tail (driving) and brake lights. Turn signals can be red or amber.

As to most states they only require that the light out put meet certain criteria such as must be able to be seen from X Distance and actually stillb e read after going thru the tint.

But I did find this article you will want to read and maybe see if you can contact the company that speaks about Gerogia. and teh article is from August 2010.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6862063_tai...ting-laws.html

And here is a link to the company name in the article.

http://www.batlground.com/

EDIT now just remember if the tail lights are it will not be just put in a higher wattage bulb.

 

Not really sure. The tint guy said it was but... He said that he would lighten them if I wanted for free but like I said, they are growing on me. They light is viewable on a sunny day and I've passed and been in front of several cops cars both local and state and haven't had an issue. I most assuredly will NOT go to Jersey so I've got that working for me! I will read the above article though. Annette, are you coming up to Helen?

 

We are going to try to come up to Helen. We will still be MINI-less since it looks like Mike's Countryman is due to dock in Brunswick on the 28th. Mine isn't even on a boat yet .
So on another note, would love opinions on my black out plans. Mozart will be getting some silver bonnet stripes and a silver and black Union Jack sunroof graphic at the dragon, so there will silver on the car. I am planning on blacking out the light rings and the gas cap. I'm not sure if I should do the grill surround and or the door handles, those will basically be the only chrome things left on the car. I'm wondering if I should leave just a bit of chrome to tie in with the silver in the graphics or what. The door handles will have the comfort access buttons so if I buy some covers I will have to modify them.
Here's a pic of Mozart from my build, of course the light rings aren't blacked out yet.Oh,and I've decided to go with the charcoal tail lights like Li'l Red, I love it!
Should I just start another thread for this question.



Annette

 

Annette,

From the picture it looks like you are getting Horizon Blue.

Have you considered doing the headlight rings and gas cap in body color. The headlight rings would look okay in either color but I IMHO the gas cap would look out of place in black.

If you are going to remove some of the chrome then i would just ger trid of all of it. Black on the belt line and black of horizon blue on the grill chrome.

The only hard part would be the door handles but those could get vinyl wrapped in the union jack to match the top. Side Scuttles could also vinyl wrapped to match the top.

Just my thoughts.

 

schatzy63, Thanks for the input. I think you're right, I'm going to black out everything. I'll probably just do the gas cap black since I can do it with Plasti Dip myself and not have to pay any more than that will cost me, then when I have funds later I'll do some body color stuff. Outmotoring sells a grill blackout set so that's pretty easy for me. I'm not sure what the 2011 scuttles look like but I thought they came black. If not, I'll vinyl wrap them, too.
I just wish it would hurry up and get here, the rental Corolla is killing me softly...
Annette

 

Hmmmm... I've been pondering this since 9am. First, my affinity for blacking out the chrome should be relatively well known and it does influence my recommendations here. I also don't like the bright reds and yellow reflectors, lights, etc. This all stems from my want of a "meaner" looking MINI that better reflects my own personal look (not that I am mean. I'm actually a sweet guy! ). That said, I do like the Black Jack theme and would mention that Aesthetic Creations has the vinyl for a matching boot handle which I think would go well. I just replaced mine with black and I like how it breaks up the lines in the back (see pic). Lyle (Vinyl Styles) does make Black Jack MINI fore and aft winged badges if you want to go farther with the theme (which I would).

I love the smoked lens on the scuttles I bought from him but I don't know if he can do them in Black Jack. Black Jack scuttles might be a bit much with the rear view mirrors in the same pattern just above them. Black may be a better option there. I would go with the Black Jack door handles from MINI which are a deal install. Other than all that, I would go black with all the bezels, grill included (dealer can do this). I just really think that the contrast looks good. I think the hood stripes accent the black jack theme, not the chrome as the chrome is far shinier than the stripes will be.

Reference my choices with Li’l Red the Dread Pirate, I went with gloss black front and rear bezels, scuttle, gas tank cover and boot handle (all from Lyle) to match the gloss black dealer installed grill bezel. Lyle smoked the lenses on the scuttles and I applied smoke film to the side reflectors. Today I will black out the belt line with satin vinyl to better match the flatter black trim that surrounds the windows. I will be ordering black snap on door handle covers from AC. The rear lights were done by a professional tinter and as I said before came out a little darker than I originally wanted but I’ve come to like them. Legal? I can see the blinky parts at 100 paces during the daytime and have not been stopped… We’ll see. If it becomes an issue, I will have them lightened.This pic is more what I originally was thinking:


Well, there you go…

(all pics from Vinyl Styles, www.Vinyl Styles.com)

P.S.: After reading your response to Shatzy, here's a pic of my 2011 scuttles in black (I REALLY love these!):

 

Also the "chrome" that wraps around the whole car is more like a brushed look. Its not the shiny chrome like the grill surround etc. I like the small amount of chrome. Makes my BRG II/White combo look great!

 

Melangell,
Thanks for the input re: the chrome and accenting the graphics. Thinking about it, you are right. I think the silver in the UJ and stripes can stand alone and the chrome can GO!
I was also thinking the UJ scuttles right by the mirrors would be redundant and will go with black. I have no idea what comes stock, I didn't even notice when I test drove. I like most of the ones on Vinyl Styles, so will be contacting them. I'm thinking I'll go matte or satin, no gloss this time.

Thanks for the heads up on the UJ emblems and boot latch, I don't know how I've missed those. I think the back will need a little UJ, so that works perfectly.
I'm getting AC to do my graphics at the dragon so I'll have him add those to my order .
It's so funny how on El Kabong I really liked the chrome, it just worked on him for some reason, but on this one I'm totally opposite.
Annette

 

I had the smoked tails for about 8 months before getting a fixit ticket from the CHP. Before that I had been around cops and even had some say how mean the car looked with no hint of legality issues. But $65 a year is fine with me
I have actually been behind Mini's without smoked tails and find that the tail lights are a bit too bright, so smoke them and do someone a favor!

P.s. the cop that gave me the ticket said it was because the reflector is in the light and if broken down on the highway at night no one would be able to see the car... but your reflector is in the bumper so you should be fine.

 

TOO funny, Black56S! Thank you for the info... and the laugh!

 

http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...r_R56_R57.html

 

Yeah, I have that link. They have not been tested on the '11 as of yet. The reverse light is not the same in the '11 as the prior R56.

Annette