Retrofitted SLC Tails

From the time I saw the SLC, I wanted to do something different with the tail lights since I wasn't happy with running stock or aftermarket LEDs. I ordered my SLC on 1/04/17, so I still have a couple of months till it's ready and decided to order a single tail light off eBay and see what I could come up with it. As soon as it came in, I tried to open it. It's not like opening a headlight, as the lens is basically melted onto the housing itself. Instead of putting it in an oven like headlights, I used a heat gun and carefully and slow opened it up. Once it was apart, it confirmed to me that I CAN retrofit them since that was the only part I wasn't sure of.

I ordered a few sets of 90mm red halos. 1 with a clear lens (first set of pics), 1 with a opaque lens (2nd set of pics) and 1 without a lens (still waiting on it). Crazy part is these halos actually fit dang near perfect inside the running/brake reflector. To mount them permanently should be pretty straight forward and can easily hide the wires for it as well.

I haven't completely figured out my plan for the brake light part just yet. I had a 1157 red LED bulb laying around so I grabbed a spare 3157 socket to try it out. The bulb looks and operates better in person, but kind of bugs me that it can be easily seen, especially since for whatever reason that reflector is silver compared to reverse area which is chrome. I'm thinking to hide stuff better, I may make a LED board to set about half way between the socket area and the halo. Or maybe flush with the halo, though then you could see the LEDs and want to hide them as much as possible. Also considered making a "puck" out of 1" HDPE to fit behind it and drill a dozen holes half way through and push red LEDs in there. That'd prevent seeing the LEDs when off or on, plus it'll hide that slot. Not sure what to do about the top (SLC top) of the light.

For the reverse light, I tested a halo out but just won't look good IMO. I'm pretty sure I'll have to make a LED board for it, with the half the circle to be red LEDs for the signal and the other half with white LEDs for the reverse light. Then just need to figure out how to make a divider so light from each color doesn't bleed through. The half of it that's a reflector would hide the red LEDs and if I painted the board chrome or silver, then wouldn't be able to see LEDs on the clear side.

I'm just now starting this project, just need to see what will pan out as I roll along with it. For now, I plan to use the white halos since they uniformly glow unlike the clear lens (and probably no lens) ones.

Just wanted to share my idea if anyone is looking to do something different to their SLC, this place is nothing but helpful people so (for now) here's my contribution. :) If anyone has any suggestions for this retrofit, I'm all ears!

Clear lens halos
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White lens halos
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with LED bulb lit up
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PeteB

GT40s Supporter
I like where you're going with this. Good alternative to the ridiculously expensive aftermarket tail lights.
 
I like where you're going with this. Good alternative to the ridiculously expensive aftermarket tail lights.

Thanks and agree. It wasn't really the cost of them that made me go this route, the look is just not for me....but then again neither is stock, lol.

I had some 3/4" HDPE laying around, so grabbed it and tested the clear lens halo's to see how far it dispersed the light. Looks like 1/2" on each side of the halo. I was sort of hoping for more dispersion, where I could possibly get away with a smaller halo behind the HDPE, but I think I'll have to make my own boards.

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