I just recieved my clear tails. I know they're not street legal but is there anyway to make street legal.
I was thinking translucent spray paint or something along those lines.

 

Kind of defeats the purpose of spending money on the clear tails doesn't it? :rolleyes:

 

There is only one way to make them DOT legal....you need to put a strip of red translucent tape over the bottom if I remember correctly. One thing to remember though...a Police Officer is not out there to give you a ticket because of your lights. I have had them on mine and have never had a problem, even with cops behind me, however, if you are a jerk on the road and being stupid I can pretty much tell you that they have a ticket with your name on it. Just my $.02

Mike

 

I originally wanted altezza tails but they don't make them for 94's. I wanted a change from the stock tails. I don't mean to paint the whole thing red. Any creative ideas would help.

 

How about these...got these clear tails w/ slots from ebay last week..look familiar pfdaxe Just got them installed today..

 

pfdaxe...ya that is the guy who took the vacuum hose off my supercharger!!! LOL I am kidding of course!!!

 

Actualy...they do have Altezzas for your runner. Check clearlights.com

 

Hey Duke:

Lights look familiar

And you didn't have to paint them....glad you like 'em...

 

Hey momo. I use a Japan red tail light spray paint. I liked the upper clear part of the all clear lens as it's waaay nicer looking than the stock greyish clear. I did a 2nd gen clear tail light for another guy using NAPA's candy apple red lacquer spray. It's transparent, and you can build the darkness of the red by applying more coats. I did it like mine, red, lower half, clear, upper. Looks much sweeter/cleaner than the amber top which always seems to fade. You must use a candy lacquer as it's transparent. I shot some clear lacquer over it to gloss. Pop in an amber bulb (use high-temp silver paint on the top half of the bulb to keep the lens from 'turning amber'.) and you got a trick lookin' 2nd gen tail. Good luck.
butnut

 

Thanks for the advice butnut. That's pretty much the excact look I wanted. I checked out your website and I must say that's a mighty fine truck you have there, boy.
Very nice. I haven't seen too many in that color. I'm new to this forum and I'm getting a lot of inspiration to spend more grocery money on my truck.

 

Thanks. No problem. I forgot to add, tape off the area you want clear and lightly scuff the area you want to paint with the white (soft) 3M Scotchbrite pad. Wipe with alcohol and let dry. Paint. Let me know if you need any more help with the tails. Your 2nd gen will really stand out with the clear top tails.
butnut

 

Butnut,

Thanks for the tip on painting the top of the amber bulbs. That is something that has been bugging me with the clear lenses I have. Is there anyone on the web selling that Japan taillight paint?

 

I have been reading alot of different write-ups on painting taillights, and most of them refer to Testor's Red Paint

Here is a www.cronusmotorsports.com/tech_articles/pdf/redtaillights.pdf+Testors+Transparent+Candy+Apple+ Red&hl=en&ie=UTF-8]link[/URL] to one of the write-ups I was looking at. It is not specific to 4Runners, but it is the same general method. Hope this helps

 

oops, screwed up on the link. Try this one

 

I have a 4runner as well, I also painted my tail lights since I live in D.C. next door to the police station. I had no choice but to paint them, I have pics of my truck and with my clear tails painted and I will also give you a link on how to paint you tail lights. I think you should go with tail light spray paint here is the link. I got

Tail light spray paints

http://secure15.dellhost.com/~d30022...ray_paints.htm


How to paint tail lights

http://www.homemadeturbo.com/tail.html


My truck with my new clear sprayed tail lights

http://community.webshots.com/user/endrias


I know this should help alot.

DRE

 

Momo,

for your lights, go to any Kragen's and pick up a package in the light repair section. It comes with two or three strips of orange and red. Then cut them out to match your reflectors and use crazy glue around the edge to hold them in place. You may have to use strong masking tape until it dries. That's what I did and my end product are in the two following links:

Pic 1

Pic 2

 

Forgive me if Im wrong and please correct me......but why go to all the trouble to paint the brake/taillight section red when the factory ones are already red with clear reverse and turns??? Seems like alot of trouble for about the same look. Go with clears and leave 'em clear or maybe even '01-'02 tails for a nice look. Just my .02

 

2nd gen Runners don't have the clear tops...it's amber. My '99 has the 'older' greyish looking clear top. I believe 2000 or 2001 has the nice 'crystal clear' tops. If I had that, I would'nt have bought the all clears. What I did was beat Toyota by a year or two with my 1/2 painted clears.
butnut

 

The stock tail on my 94 did not have clear anywhere on them. The clear lenses cost me $50 and the paint was another $3.99, not to mention the hours of fun. So there's your change on your .02.
In my opinion the tails now look one of a kind, at least in my town. I spent all day today making interior changes to my truck. tomorrow I will post them for some criticism. Thanks for reading my post, everybody's opinions were great!

 

Because it's something different, plus you can not compare the stocks with my lights at all, the painted clears I have doesn't give me the orange turn signal, I put a set of RED 7440 bulbs and it gives me a bright red turn signal. I got the clear tail lights for a steal at $45 Why should I put them on all clear when I can get charged with a fat ticket. I like the 01-02 tails but I am not going to pay $200+ for those tails when I can get the altezzas. I just put an order in today for them. If you havent seen the type of lights I have please do not compare them to the lame 96-2000 stock lights the look much better, it was a fun job and it only takes about 20mins to do if you know what you are doing. I left a small part of the bottom of the tails clear to make it look like it's the reverse light just something I thought of what I also did put 7443 red bulbs so that when my lights are on, the clear reverse lense still remains lit red it looks awsome.