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Last year another guy in the Vintage Thunderbird Club of Houston, was following me back from the Houston AutoRama Car Show after we droped off our cars we had on display. He ask me "what the heck did you do to your tail lights to make them so bright?" I was in my 1986 mild custom GMC truck. Well, I told him that I applied chrome mylar tape to the reflectors. He ended up doing it to his '62 Bullet Bird.
A few months ago, I thought about doing it to my SB. I was not sure because to get the most effiecent light, you would use flat white. But to aim the light for directed brightness including directing it back into a reflector/refractor, you would use specular (mirror). (20 yrs ago, I designed light HID fixtures including for all of Ford's Dealerships, as listed in their Rotunda catalog). I applied chrome mylar tape to the SB's 6 reflectors. The tape is usually about 1/2 or 3/4 inch wide and obtained from an Art Supply type of store or on the internet. It took me several hours to complete the job. I also placed the backup light in the center (reversable)so as to equally fill the tail light cove with light. The chrome tape now reflects the light back into the lens refractors and aims it to the rear. When you walk around the rear of the car with the lights on, the reflector/refractor molded into the lenses SPARKLES. Very new and bright looking.
The photo I am sending to ye ole Webmaster shows the tail lights with the lights on. Note that the brake lights and backup lights ARE NOT ON! When viewed in 3D and when moving past the lights, it really is cool looking. The photo just gives an idea. I don't think it would be recognized as being non-original when being judged or just on static display. Not counting the changed position of the backup lights that is.
You would think I have too much time on my hands........
But then again, I am a car nut!
A few months ago, I thought about doing it to my SB. I was not sure because to get the most effiecent light, you would use flat white. But to aim the light for directed brightness including directing it back into a reflector/refractor, you would use specular (mirror). (20 yrs ago, I designed light HID fixtures including for all of Ford's Dealerships, as listed in their Rotunda catalog). I applied chrome mylar tape to the SB's 6 reflectors. The tape is usually about 1/2 or 3/4 inch wide and obtained from an Art Supply type of store or on the internet. It took me several hours to complete the job. I also placed the backup light in the center (reversable)so as to equally fill the tail light cove with light. The chrome tape now reflects the light back into the lens refractors and aims it to the rear. When you walk around the rear of the car with the lights on, the reflector/refractor molded into the lenses SPARKLES. Very new and bright looking.
The photo I am sending to ye ole Webmaster shows the tail lights with the lights on. Note that the brake lights and backup lights ARE NOT ON! When viewed in 3D and when moving past the lights, it really is cool looking. The photo just gives an idea. I don't think it would be recognized as being non-original when being judged or just on static display. Not counting the changed position of the backup lights that is.
You would think I have too much time on my hands........
But then again, I am a car nut!
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