Just saw 66Fairlanewagon's post about his tail lights, also saw Silver-T ask if anything improved........... http://www.stationwagonforums.com/f...p-the-thread-going.14852/page-227#post-373905 Above after clean up, and below before the black was removed ( have to ask though.... You sure a previous owner didn't black those out? I've never seen black in tail lights in your car's vintage?) Anyway back to does it brighten things up.... I'll bet it very well did! Over the years I've cleaned up dirty tail lights and just rattle canned them silver to find a huge difference at night for the better. Recently for our RV I picked a pair of these........... At first I thought I'd install as is but planned on a separate toggle switch for fog lamps mounted below, for when backing up in the dark, DARK...... My galvanized prototype just to make sure my angles were correct before making out of stainless steel. Sure is fugly, the original 1976 light all stress cracked and just "gooped" up temp to keep water out. I have yet to install them (made the stainless ones a few months back now) but I tested them for brightness. I found the old original was more than 2 times brighter, it's backing (plastic) is white and covers the entire area that the lense covers. The new lamp only half is a dull aluminum and then the black plastic for the rest. For starters I changed to dual lights as below but non LED... Was cheaper in the long run just to buy the below light for all the proper hardware, again I didn't go LED.... Even with 2 bulbs a side I still was not at bright compared to the original single bulb lamp. I knew refection had to have everything to do with it! small dull strip of alum with black, compared to all bright white. I first thought of, get the silver rattle can out but then by fluke one day online I saw a 80's Mercury Marquis.... I'm pretty sure it was posted on this forum by KK also? Car has dumped in the new marauder engine, dash, etc, etc, was a impressive built car. Well builder of that brighten the life out of those big tail lamps with chrome tape. I used what I have/get through work, a alum tape........ I tested one side first with rattle can silver, it did help a lot! However with the shinny alum tape OMG did that brighten things up big time, now even a single lamp is far brighter than the old original! The cons...... Yup it's back yard 100%...but it works! It's not forgiving at all in curves etc, it will does wrinkle on application. not for a you are expecting to use it as a finished product that everyone will see. The good, once the lensed cover is screwed back on you can not tell/see the wrinkles behind it...... This crap has been Fat Tedy tested and works! I am going to do this treatment to my wagons this summer. OH BTW...... Here is the pig I've been putting lip stick on and how it looks today. Still a way to go but it is 100% road worthy safe, no leaks, everything works....... it just needed some lip stick! All new by me belly/storage boxes/checker plate by me.....and beer
But then, I can't be jealous. What was that line from Ferris Bueller's Day Off? "I don't have a car; I have to envy your piece of s#!t."
You're absolutely right. But, I actually was making fun of both of us, as I certainly don't have my dream RV, an Airstream or Silver Streak trailer. In reference to your above comment, you should've used the line from "True Grit" (the original version): "Them's big words for a one-eyed fat man!"
So far I like the Fat Tedy progress on the RV. But this leaves a few questions. Why put bright lights and bright back up lights on it if it's just gonna sit in your yard and never back into a campground? Easter is over here in the USA and someone was gonna take his loved one camping Easter.... this year!
Main point of this thread was, how there are many ways to brighten up old dull-ish tail lights as both of us have done, you don't have to spend a huge amount of $.
Hi Tedy, I can't be 100% sure about what previous owners have done, but it looked pretty consistent with factory 'quality'. I also was speaking to a guy who has some 66 Fairlane cars, he said his were the same black. I was originally going to spray paint them silver/mirror, it was his suggestion to try polishing the black off. Love your RV, who cares what it looks like, you are in the game! Cheers
Not me. I like picking on Tedy. Besides he's far away on an island and can't get off.............. the island!
Yes he can. There are ferry boats running to and from his provincial mainland as well as my state (Washington).
