Which headlights?

[SnkBit]

Ok guys, not trying to beat a dead horse here, but.....headlight lenses. Which ones? :??:

Heres where Im at:
I currently have a set of smoked headlights and turn signals. I sealed them with silicon like recommended. 2 years later, they look like crap. Visibility sucks. The smoke finish is coming off them, (the smoke finish is on the outside of the lens) so i lightly wet sanded and buffed them so they didnt look so bad. Visibility still sucks, but not as bad.

My car is mystichrome, and i love the look of the smoked lenses on it, but i dont wanna spend another 200 bux just for this to happen again. I have seen the black housing lenses that are black on the inside so the actual outside plastic lens is still clear. I like those. Are those any better? And where do I get em?

My question is:
Is there any brand thats better than others? Where did you guys order yours from? And lastly, should I try another set of smoke/black, or should i just go with a set of clears like I had before I:??: bought the smoked?

Thanks in advance for input.

Oh, One more thing. HIDs. Will they do alright with smoked lenses? Or will that affect the color and light output?

 

[crash549]

smoked lenses are always going to affect the light output. i have depo's on my car and you can always get them smoked. i've had them on for over a year with no problems. they are really good. if you smoke your lights and then spray them with clear it also helps them last longer. good luck.

 

[mustangsel]

I had the same problem with my smoked headlights. Love the way they look but don't last long. Mine only lasted a few months before they started to peel. I'm looking at the black beauty headlights. They would be my second choice.

 

[crash549]

my brother used night shades spray paint, cleared it and then sanded it with some 2000 grits sand paper. it was smooth as glass and looked awesome.

 

[SnkBit]

Where did you get you depo's? Link me? Also, any more pics of them on your car? Sig pic is kinda small. lol

I used night shades on my tail lights. Cleared, sanded and buffed. Look great. But isnt that kind of dark for headlights?

 

[02trgt]

id suggest a couple light coats of VHT nightshade on your existing headlights, then wetsand, then spray 4-5 coats of clear coat you can get most of these things @ your local schuks auto supply or vise versa.

 

[crash549]

i got them from mustangs unlimited. it's Mustangs Unlimited - The Premier Source for Mustang, Shelby and Cougar Parts and Accessories but i live near one of there wearhouses so i just drove up there.

 

[SnkBit]

Awesome dude, thanks for the link. Also, what fogs are those? I love the way they fill the opening perfectly. Ive got 3.5" driving lights in mine and look kinda small for the opening.

*edit* Just saw your sig listed envoy fogs.

 

[crash549]

they are gmc envoy fogs. they cost me $30 on ebay and the installation directions are in the how-to section .

 

[SVTPower97]

hey since we are on the vht shades subject somewhat here...how many coats are you guys using...i did three and i can't see a ****in thing I drive off my fog lights most of the time

 

[SnkBit]

I havnt used it for headlights. But i did 3 coats on my taillights and they are BLACK. They look awesome and still light up nice, but my reverse lights are useless now, even with brighter bulbs. I didnt think they recommended using it on headlights? I thought they had a different product that was designed to smoke lenses. Same thing as Nightshades but not as black/dark.

As far as headlights go, i think im gonna buy a new set of ultra clears then smoke them myself using black tinted clearcoat. Just enough to darken them without killing the light output.

 

[MouTine]

First of all I would like to say I'm not try to harash anyone, but... These kind of topics are useless if there is not any actual night shots behind wheel. IMO, sorry. =)

 

[mustangsel]

I kinda agree

 

[crash549]

good point.

 

[SnkBit]

I dont have any night shots of mine, and my camera is still packed away from moving; but i can tell you this, when my fog lights are on, from behind the wheel, you cant tell when/if I turn on my headlights.

 

[98 svt]

Go with "Black beauties".

The lenses aren't smoked...it's the housing itside that has a black chrome tint. Look much better imo.

 

[Sil80sx]

My girl's 96 gt and my 98 cobra both have aftermarket headlights and both have 8k hids. I bought her the black beauty headlights from 50resto.com and I bought myself the discontinued depo headlights from this local shop (I guess they have a couple sets left in stock). Personally I think that my depo headlights looks better because of the lines on both the headlight and turn-signals, but as far as light output goes, the black beauty one's light up better than mine. I'll see if I can take some pictures for you sometime this weekend.

 

[SnkBit]

My girl's 96 gt and my 98 cobra both have aftermarket headlights and both have 8k hids. I bought her the black beauty headlights from 50resto.com and I bought myself the discontinued depo headlights from this local shop (I guess they have a couple sets left in stock). Personally I think that my depo headlights looks better because of the lines on both the headlight and turn-signals, but as far as light output goes, the black beauty one's light up better than mine. I'll see if I can take some pictures for you sometime this weekend.

Thanks dude. That would be awesome. I like the black beauties also, but I hate to spend another 200 bux on headlights. I havnt decided what Im gonna do yet. Thinking about getting a set of clears, then mixing some black base and clearcoat to tint/smoke the lenses myself. That way I can control how dark they are. But in the mean time, Im gonna sand and buff the $hI+ outta mine to try to clean them up some.

 

[jmotank]

Interesting thread. I've got a white 96gt vert. And was damn near dead set on getting some tinted heads for it. Now after seeing some of these pics with the crystal clear looking light on that white svt I am in love. Def changed my mind. Beautiful. And I'm one for the black housing versus the tint anyways. Looks better imo. Have some on my blacked out focus st and love em.

 

[Blown_By_You]

I had the same problem with my smoked headlights. Love the way they look but don't last long. Mine only lasted a few months before they started to peel. I'm looking at the black beauty headlights. They would be my second choice.

black beautys will peel even faster than the smoked depos...