[tnoy66]

Hi, just wondering if anyone knows where to get a BLACK/SMOKED 3rd brake light from
Does anybody make them
I've searched a few sites unsuccessfully
I think it would be very on a black roof

[tarzan4you]

check ebay- lots of them- I have the chrome one installed- type in mini cooper

[tarzan4you]

oops my mistake - thought you meant tailights

[tnoy66]

AAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

dam, thought someone knew then

cheers anyway

[Rally_it]

You could easily do it yourself if you wanted. They sell a spray can of light tint, you could just spray it with that. OR you could buy the light tinting film from www.lamin-x.com, thats how all the tailights are tinted, you could buy a sheet and place it on your 3rd brake light

[tnoy66]

Hi, thanks for the colour film link. I'll probably do that.
Hope they ship to the UK.

I was trying to avoid spraying my light, as I've done it before and had it fade after a time and need re-applying.

Thanks again

[tnoy66]

Ok folks, Smoked 3rd brake light is a success

I bought a piece of 7" x 16" charcoal film from www.lamin-x.com they do a light smoke and a dark smoke, I had to email them after placing the order to request the DARK smoke. There is enough film for 3 attempts

My first attempt wasn't very good
Reason 1, at the bottom of the lens there is some raised letters and in the center there is a raised symbol. When the film was stuck over these it left raised areas which looked bumpy and horrible
Reason 2, the end of the lens goes very narrow, as a result, when you pull the film over the end it all gathers up excessively. I warmed it with (rakeys ) hair dryer but it wouldn't mould itself properly around the edge

So after an inquiry form a fellow MINI2 person who wondered if I'd completed it, attempt No2 was just made.
First the raised letters were trimmed with a stanley knife and then rubbed down with a fine wet-and-dry paper, used wet. The finest I had was 400 which left scratch marks on the lens, 1200 or 2000 would have been better.

So my now finely scratched lens was polished with a car polish to reduce the scratching. Then the lens was cleaned with 50/50 alcohol (no not the drinking type ) and water.

A new piece of film was cut and the lens placed on top. A heat gun was then used to warm the film and it was pulled and stretched over the ends and sides. The excess was then removed with a stanley knife.

I'll fit it tomorrow to The Weasel after I've washed it and take some pics of it in place.

For now though, here's some pics of it on the table and one pic of my first attempt

[RedUn]

looks great!!

can't wait to see it fitted to the car

[tnoy66]

Pics of light in place. It still shines brightly when lit

1 Back view, no flash used
2 Back view, flash used
3 Side view, no flash used

[nylo]

that looks really well, and I like the clear lights against the pepper white- all very smart!

[RedUn]

looks great

[tnoy66]

Thank you for the comments

Now I thought I'd done playing with all my lights, but no, I missed some
How, I don't know, but I just never thought about them

What am I on about the bulbs in my spotlights........they're yellowish
New white ones should arrive tomorrow

[nylo]

in the spotlights, or the sidelights? I've got LEDs in mine- match the xenons very well...

[tnoy66]

Quote: Originally Posted by nylo

in the spotlights, or the sidelights? I've got LEDs in mine- match the xenons very well...

They are to go in the Spots, they've only been laying around for 3 months while I waited for my MINI
I never even thought of the bulbs looking yellow

I've done the LED sides already (though I have some white sidelight bulbs coming too, to try )

Extreme White
For spots http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h3_bulbs.htm#ew
For sides http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/side_lights.htm#ew

[onemini]

tnoy66,

That looks fantastic. Thanks for the detailed instructions... I'll be following those carefully as soon as I have a bit of spare time

to save me going outside in the freezing cold to measure up could you tell me which of the sizes you got:

http://www.lamin-x.com/ColorProtection.html

Thx

[Dead Duck]

That looks ace! I feel a modding session coming on...

[Mini Cruiser]

looks great! I might attempt this aswell, but mine has leaked from there before dont wanna cause it to have a repeat performance

[tnoy66]

Quote: Originally Posted by onemini

tnoy66,

That looks fantastic. Thanks for the detailed instructions... I'll be following those carefully as soon as I have a bit of spare time

to save me going outside in the freezing cold to measure up could you tell me which of the sizes you got:

http://www.lamin-x.com/ColorProtection.html

Thx

Post #7 near the top
I bought a piece of 7" x 16" charcoal film from www.lamin-x.com they do a light smoke and a dark smoke, I had to email them after placing the order to request the DARK smoke. There is enough film for 3 attempts

Quote: Originally Posted by Mini Cruiser

looks great! I might attempt this aswell, but mine has leaked from there before dont wanna cause it to have a repeat performance

LEAKED that's not good, hope I don't have any probs.
They do some yellow film, not sure how good the colour would look though
Might work best on a clear light