Thread: Clear Sidemarkers How-TO

Even after having done this for like a year on 4 different headlights, I'm still the only guy that has done it.

Now all that being said, its time to show you all how to make clear corner sidemarkers.

-Go to Lowe's or Homo Depot and pick up some clear plastic styrene for florescent lighting. I got a 2x2 piece that was damaged for $1
-Take the headlights off the car and preheat your oven to 215*-225*.
-Get a hand towel from your bathroom and get it damp and lay it on the bottom of a cookie sheet, Lay the headlight on the cookie sheet (Remove the rubber gasket and all the bulbs)
-Put the cookie sheet and headlight in the oven for between 5-10 minutes
-Keep an eye on the headlight
-Use a Screwdriver to pry on the tabs on the top and bottom of the light, and then at the larger end where the lip is on the lens, pull on the two halves and they should seperate.

A couple of Sites talking about headlight cracking open and resealing
How To Crack Open Headlights (Moved) - Chrysler 300C Forum: 300C & SRT8 Forums
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...lear-your.html



That may take a couple of tries in and out of the oven till you seperate the pieces.

Once everything is seperated, you should have 3 pieces. Take the 2nd black shroud piece with the orange reflector and remove the orange reflector, it should be clipped and hot glued in, use a flat head screwdriver to remove the glue.

Lay it out and draw a line around it


Cut it out, give yourself extra (never hurts) don't worry no one will see your lines when you put it in. Scissors can cut this, I suggest Dremel (unfortunately my truck was broken into and all my welding, cutting and basic tools were stolen)


Line it up and see what else needs to be cut (cut the tabe piece too so it helps to hold it in), I layed it flat side facing out


I played with tinfoil to make it reflect (but it didn't really pan out, worth the attempt, some may want to persue it more, I may later, but just cover the top and bottom sections, center is for the light


Super Glue and Styrene are the best, cause it forms a chemical bound, but you can use hot glue as you can have residue from the super glue. Lay something on it to make it contour to the curve


Your Done.


Just resemble and enjoy (Use the Oven again to soften glue)

Remember if I can do it, you can do it. Nothing scary about baking headlights, its rather safe as long as you can control the temperature

i'm doing this. i hate the orange side markers.

Originally Posted by vailskier3

i'm doing this. i hate the orange side markers.

x2. One for each headlight.

I would love to do this but I ain't sure if its legal in MN...

Originally Posted by csssaint12

I would love to do this but I ain't sure if its legal in MN...

The new Ford Taurus' have white LED sidemarkers stock. I'm heading to Home Depot tomorrow after work LOL.

Originally Posted by Confusingboat

The new Ford Taurus' have white LED sidemarkers stock. I'm heading to Home Depot tomorrow after work LOL.

Have fun. I got to retry to make some LED halos for my car one of these days because this week didn't prove to be successful with them. Also found this so I think I may be able to be in the clear. Every such vehicle having a width, including load thereon, at any part in excess of 80
inches shall be equipped with four clearance lamps, two located on the front at opposite sides and not more than six inches from the extreme outer edge of the vehicle or load, displaying a white or amber light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front of the vehicle, and two located on
the rear on opposite sides not more than six inches from the extreme outer edge of the vehicle or load, displaying a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear of the vehicle. The front clearance lamps shall be located at a height of not less than 24 inches above the headlamp centers. The rear clearance lamps shall be in addition to the red rear lamp hereinbefore required.

+1 cookie for the law search

But just as a general rule white is pretty much legal anywhere on the car as long as it isn't flashing.

Originally Posted by Confusingboat

+1 cookie for the law search

But just as a general rule white is pretty much legal anywhere on the car as long as it isn't flashing.

Thats what I figured but with the cops around here you never know.

i've unplugged the orange lights, and use the parking lamps as turn signals on my car (i have hyperwhite led's), and i've never had a problem. (knock on wood)...

I just did this today. It took me several hours, but that's because I've never opened my headlights and I was trying to be really careful so I didn't break anything. I'm also convinced they put way more sealant on my headlights than they normally do because it was just loaded with the stuff. Anyhow here are my results:



^ before reassembling ^




^ With blue 9-5050 194 LEDs (if only it were legal) ^




^ With white 9-5050 194 LEDs (the way it shall remain) ^


Sorry for the ****ty pics, they were taken from my phone.

AWESOME! looks good! Isn't it awesome to look at the car from the side now!

BTW, my cleared out sidemarkers run Orange LED bulbs in them and blink with the turn signal. My LED strips are my sidemarker now

It does look pretty sweet in the front now. I hated having my sidemarkers be the only bit of orange on the car. And I was actually thinking about doing that signal thing with amber LEDs as well. Now it's time to save for those black LED tails and my black/white theme will be complete.

Btw, what's the best way to get the headlights back together? Try as I might I can't get the lense back in as far as it was before, and could only get a couple of the clips clipped. I'm thinking about just removing all of the factory sealant and only using the clips and gasket, maybe add a little silicon. Bad idea?

Disregard; I am a failure.

I set the oven to 230F, but next time I open them I think I'm gonna do 250F. That sealant is some heavy duty ****.

Chrome paint on the back side doesn't reflect worth a damn. Plus it won't want to stick to the polystyrene without primer, which would block the chrome paint anyways. If you want any reflection at all just get mirror foil and put it on the backside so the reflective side is facing out of the headlamp. Then just take foil tape and tape it down. Or if you don't really care that much about reflection but want some, just use foil tape alone. I tried it and decided to not use any at all.

Originally Posted by Confusingboat

It does look pretty sweet in the front now. I hated having my sidemarkers be the only bit of orange on the car. And I was actually thinking about doing that signal thing with amber LEDs as well. Now it's time to save for those black LED tails and my black/white theme will be complete.

Btw, what's the best way to get the headlights back together? Try as I might I can't get the lense back in as far as it was before, and could only get a couple of the clips clipped. I'm thinking about just removing all of the factory sealant and only using the clips and gasket, maybe add a little silicon. Bad idea?

That Might be your best bet, the aftermarket lights are much easier to work with than OEM, but I did do this on my OEM lights some time ago. I used that clear stuff you can find auto parts stores, its in a blue package, it looks like the cooper gasket stuff we use for headers.

Originally Posted by SlowNA06

Drunkie, you did not recommend a temperature.

Also, perhaps chrome spraypaint on the back of the styrene would be the way to go if you want it to reflect.

Now all that being said, its time to show you all how to make clear corner sidemarkers.

-Go to Lowe's or Homo Depot and pick up some clear plastic styrene for florescent lighting. I got a 2x2 piece that was damaged for $1
-Take the headlights off the car and preheat your oven to 215*-225*.
-Get a hand towel from your bathroom and get it damp and lay it on the bottom of a cookie sheet, Lay the headlight on the cookie sheet (Remove the rubber gasket and all the bulbs)
-Put the cookie sheet and headlight in the oven for between 5-10 minutes
-Keep an eye on the headlight
-Use a Screwdriver to pry on the tabs on the top and bottom of the light, and then at the larger end where the lip is on the lens, pull on the two halves and they should seperate.

dang, i failed trying to do this this weekend. maybe i need to try again this coming weekend. i really want this!!! i HATE the stupid orange reflectors!!!