Custom Tail Lights

[Obsidian11]

MODERATOR WARNING/SPOILER ALERT: This thread contains some excellent creativity and ideas, potential for a great new '71-'73 Mustang product, camaraderie at its finest, and eventual disappointment along with a healthy dose of drama to tie it all together.

It contains 47 pages worth of exchange over a period of a few years - be advised it will take quite some time to read and take it all in.

Ok, maybe with my recent post about making a 1-off interior out of a lot of fiberglass and wood this might be going a step too far...but hey, I'm always up for a challenge

I've never been a huge fan of the '71-'73 tail lights. Not that they're ugly, they do fit the car very well, but if I were to pick my least favorite thing about our cars it would be the tail lights.

My original plan was to somehow flush-mount the stock lights in a way that only each of the 3 sections would come through the rear body panel and be flush with it. Now, I've seen the 2013 tail lights and I'm in love with the design!:heart: here's a shot if you haven't seen them yet...which I'm sure we all have by now.

So I though what if I could take that design and somehow apply it to the stock shape of the '71-'73 lights??? and give it that modern feel, but still retro without huge body mods, or perhaps no body mods at all.

After a quick google visit I found a ton of good info on molding your own tail lights by using similar methods to making fiberglass molds, and then pouring an acrylic resin dyed red into the molds, and bada bing, bada boom, a custom handmade tail light lens. What have I got to lose right, I've got 4 sets of tail lights in my basement that I can somewhat modify to get the plug for the mold, and if it looks like crap I'll still have 3 decent pair...

Whatcha guys think???

 

[sm3570]

Do it!

 

[Tnfastbk]

Stopped at a local Ford dealer to see the 2013 Shelby. They did not have one yet, so I looked at the new 5.0, I would not trade my 11 for one even swap:-/ IMO they have ruined the front end of the car. I dont think the salesman liked it when I compared it to a Dodge truck front end.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Personally, I love the new Mustang look (like the one on the left). I really don't care for having the outboard headlights with the signals inboard. The one on the left that Roy posted just looks freaken mean to me.

This headlight set-up is just hideous, IMHO.

As for the taillights on our cars - I'm kind lukewarm on them. Yeah, they fit the car really well... but look kinda '70s dorky. The ones on the '69 or '70 would've looked better (i.e. - not trapezoidal like ours). As for the new set-up on the 2013s - meh... take 'em or leave 'em. Good luck with your project though... I think whatever you come up with will probably be cool.

 

[71_badmach]

Hmmm, Dodge truck? HA I thought Dodge did better once they put more of a shark like front end, it is still a little obnoxious though... I'm still coming around to some of the new styling cues. I do think the tailights above are an improvement...

 

[Tnfastbk]

Personally, I love the new Mustang look (like the one on the left). I really don't care for having the outboard headlights with the signals inboard. The one on the left that Roy posted just looks freaken mean to me.

This headlight set-up is just hideous, IMHO.

Guess thats why they make them all. Hated the way when you raise the hood you have the plastic ring surrounding the grill, so that when you lean over it to do anything you can crack it.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Hated the way when you raise the hood you have the plastic ring surrounding the grill, so that when you lean over it to do anything you can crack it.

Yeah - I would hate that as well. My Ram's a '97, so the grill and everything goes up with the hood (which I love).

 

[Tnfastbk]

Yeah this one does not. Sorry for the hijack I will shut up with my ipion on the 13. The tail lights would prob be cool with the other mods you are doing. I think alone they would not look good but as a package ::thumb::

 

[Mister 4x4]

I agree - once he gets the whole deal put together, the different custom things will play off each other and make the car something special.

 

[luxstang]

Ok, on the original topic, I'd say go for it. I think that if it can be done you are one of those who can do it!

Aaaand, I gotta agree with you that IMHO the taillights are the least appealing things on our cars.

 

[dohebert]

It would be a lot less work to get a similar look by taking a set of stock taillights and masking them off, then using black spray paint to create the lit center and outer ring effect.

 

[Obsidian11]

That would be too easy

Plus, I really like the way they recess in.

 

[whitesoc]

Like others have said, not a big fan of the tail lights on our cars.

I think it's going to take a lot of time getting the proportions looking correct but I think it would look cool.

 

[mach71351c]

I like the 71-73 tail lights.I think black them out and or recess them into the body panel. It's to bad the 13s tail lights have a curve to them. I think 2013 tail lights would look sweet.I cant get enough of looking at back and side of my wife's 2013. I was not sure about the 13s nose but after 3 weeks it looks awesome.

 

[OLE PONY]

Since you have four sets of tail lights and time on your hands I would give it a try and see how it turns out. I guess you would go with LED bulbs too!

 

[luxstang]

Well as somebody suggested blacking them out, that is actually what I did with mine to change their appearance. (Won´t hold up against some good custom work though.)

Looks like this:

 

[71_badmach]

Mike, that looks really good in the black tail panel! I may have to use that...

 

[Obsidian11]

Well as somebody suggested blacking them out, that is actually what I did with mine to change their appearance. (Won´t hold up against some good custom work though.)

Looks like this:

That does look sharp! ::thumb::

 

[Obsidian11]

Came up with a quick render...now all I need to do is figure out how to make real ones if I could make them close to my render I think they'd look pretty badass!!!