Ok, fellas. This might be stupid, but here goes. On my '54 Chevy 210 I've been running '51 Ford tail lights with blue dots in the center for some time now. But since I didn't: a. have the proper tools and b. really know what I was doing, they look like crap, so I got some new ones to redo them. Now backing up my car usually sucks. The previous owner tinted the rear window and after I installed the stock rear view mirror, I found out it was tinted as well. I really should probably remove the window tint (it's done in strips with a big bubble on the side) but I've no idea how to get it off without making it look worse. Anyone know? Anyways, back to my main question. I'd read in the thread about a hidden switch in your car that a HAMBer put halogens in the back to help with backup. I thought maybe I could do something like that here. Replace the blue dots with clear, maybe? I didn't think it'd be an issue since the entire lower half of my stock light's lens was clear, but I thought I'd ask on here anyway. I was thinking either just use them like regular back up lights or wire them just to use when I need a little bit extra? Or would I be asking for trouble from the cops? I'm driving around Ohio mostly, with my furthest road trips being to Indy, Louisville or Pittsburgh. Just hoping someone knows! Thanks!
No clear (white light) on the rear is the rule, as the car is in forward motion. In reverse, have at it how ever you want. That's why you see even beaters with the red lens tape on cracked lens's. They WILL nail you for it. I don't see how replacing blue dots with clear will work, unless you isolate the dot & run a separate circuit. Could be done I suppose.
I'm sure you can get the tint off. Tint shops do it all the time so there has to be a chemical that removes the residue after some scraping.
wd40 will remove the glue from the window. Use a razor blade to help scrape it off then a good window cleaner
Back up lights were still optional equipment right up until mid 60's on many cars, so you should be able to use any color you want, or none at all. Head lights, tail lights, brake lights, and directional lights are a different story. The reason they're white is so they can be seen.
White light to the rear is to keep other drivers from thinking the rear is the front of a car. Illegal in most states. The tint shops use heat to remove tint. If the tint is very sloppy you might get it off with a razor blade. Now if your white light only works in reverse you fine. Could mount them under the rear splash and it might help you.
Your State may have a different law but most don't care about what kind of back up lights you have. Here in Texas the guys with serious trailers usually have large, bright lights that light up the night when loading their race car or boats. Notice that most pick up trucks have the back up light mounted on the top of the cab and it lights up the whole area behind the truck.
You use a razor blade and them wipe it with solvent like MEK. I am not understanding the back up light deal here. As far as rear lenses euro-lights are clear and have red LEDs. I have hung a driving light down low for a backup light and it also worked for tailgaters. LOL Anyway I am not understanding the question.
If you replaced the Ford taillights with '54 Chev taillights, then you could hook them up like a '54 Chev with stock parts ...
As the guys said you can use what ever you want for back up lights as long as they don't stay on when you are going forward. It's not that hard to figure out a switch that will function when you put the car in reverse. The other thing might be a hidden switch and a light on the dash that was bright enough and annoying enough so that you remembered to turn the back up lights off. Shave the tint off, dark tinted windows aren't traditional anyhow.
Why don't you just call the State Police and DMV to see if they are legal. I looked online, the Ohio Vehicle Code doesn't mention it.
It's been my experience that most factory backup lights are worthless. Drive with a left and a right outside mirror and an inside rear view mirror and learn what sort of space your car takes up and take a look around where you're backing up. I've had my '40 Chevy convert for 36 years and 180,000+ miles and haven't backed into anything....yet. Get rid of the tint in the back window and you'll actually be able to see out the back. Use a little common sense - it ain't rocket science.
I have hidden a cheapie high powered ( 35-50 CP like a H4) driving light under the back of the car pointing downward on a angle so it lights up behind the car for 10-20 feet with no problem and its not seen from above or the rear , but white light at the rear of the car while in motion is illegal its white front, yellow side , and red from a point more than 3/4 the length of the vehicle front , don't forget pontiac had reverse lights in the 1950s as a option a high powered halogen bulb or led pack would work good there and be some what correct , as for the window tint , use water and ammonia ( windex will work too ) make sure the water is hot and sponge it on , and use a sharp ( NEW) razor blade to scrape it off , the glue will scrape off when the window tint is off and dries
Some are,some aren't. For me, the main purpose of backup lights is to inform the folks behind me that I am BACKING UP! Also, helpful when you are behind some joker who hasn't looked in the mirror before they back up into you (see horn).
I want to say that MO recently made it legal to have "blue-dots" because I always thought that they were illegal in most states because as stupid as it seems, they aren't true red. Its funny to me because I always found the blue-dots were easier to see at night vs stock red tail lights.. pdq67
It may not be rocket science, but I'm having a hell of a time backing into a garage with 2 people spotting me. There's a work bench on one side and a big ol John Deere on the other and I don't want to hit either! I'm also asking about the tint because I don't want to scratch the hell out of my back window and make it worse! Thanks, guys!
Hairdryer and one of the plastic scrapers to remove wall paper works for the tint. Goof off will remove the left over glue. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Ammonia in a spray bottle will eaisly remove window tint. Spray it on, the tint will start to let go. You can pull it off in large sections, clean the windows wiyh ammonia to remove the sticky stuff. This is why you should never use a window cleaner that has ammonia in it on non factory tinted windows
I've pulled window tint off of several windows - the way I do it is slow and very manually involved, but makes it nearly impossible to damage the glass. Get a corner of the film loose and pull the film all off the window. Use window cleaner to reanimate the adhesive and then rub with paper towels to get the adhesive off the glass.
Well, this goes against the "Traditional" theme of the HAMB, but here goes anyway. My 48 Plymouth was a challenge to back up. The rear window is positioned pretty high, and I have trouble turning my head very far anyway (arthritis....yeah, I'm an old fart). So in the interest of safety (primarily thinking of my Grandkids), I installed a Sony back-up camera with the video monitor built into the Plymouth's sunvisor. It needs 12V to operate, but that can be accomplished with a small 12V Gelcell battery, if you haven't yet converted to 12V . Safety trumps tradition in my book, and so far it has worked very well.
factory backup lights have been clear a looooong time. my 52 buick and 41 cadillac have CLEAR lenses. just make sure they are not on when driving forward. and for more light (when backing up) ride your brake pedal lightly to activate the brake lights.
I think there may be some confusion. TAILLIGHTS have to be red. They can be clear but the bulbs would then have to be red. BACKUP lights have always been white as long I have ever known. In my truck, I had a pair of King Bees mounted either side of the hitch. It was great hooking up the trailer at night, or any other thing I might need light for. I may or may not have flipped the toggle switch in traffic when someone in a lifted truck turned on his brights in my mirror...
Above are 49-54 GM backups, below are 51 Ford backups. Both have clear (White lens). Running blue dots turns the colour from white to crimson. This is the NOS Guide B31 for my 46 Olds. All lens diffuse the light and although clear you can see the pattern. A lot brighter than a plain clear lens.
get a cheap clamp on light and put it in a spot to shine light on the back of the garage , when we back into loading docks they do put guide lights and paint stripes on the floors in the dark ones so we can keep it in between the bumpers . as for scratching the back glass this is why you use a new one sided razor blade as its smooth and will not scratch the glass its blades that are nicked that often bugger the glass up , they also make a plastic razor for removing decals on some of the newer caddys as they use a material on the inside of the glass that a metal razor will Fubar .
The Jalopy Journal
