2-way colored headlight covers?

[240z8]

I've had this question itching at the back of my mind since mid-January.

 

Most likely everyone knows what a 2-way mirror is, when a light pops on behind them they become see-through, when lights are off behind them they are a mirror.

 

Does anyone know if there is something like a 2-way color, with the same basic principals of the 2-way mirror?

 

I really like the way colored headlight covers look on an S30, like on a race car Z or a Reaction Research body kit (minus the wide body, just the headlight area). Here are some pics that I found here on the forums and on reaction research:

 

 

 

Here is the pic of Darius's car without headlights and a 280yz kit on his car, I like the way it makes the car look really smooth:

 

 

I did a little bit of searching, but I couldn't find anything on it. Is there any way(if there isn't a such thing as a 2-way color) to replicate that effect, like putting really bright headlights behind darkly tinted headlight covers that are the color of the body? Or would not enough light come out from behind the tint?

 

Thanks,

 

Justin

[Young Z]

I know that I've seen something like this on a BMW a couple months ago. The taillights were the same color as the car (tan) and the taillights were only visible when he was braking.

 

Here's an example.

 

[ShaggyZ]

I know that I've seen something like this on a BMW a couple months ago. The taillights were the same color as the car (tan) and the taillights were only visible when he was braking.

 

Here's an example.

 

Pretty dim, but thanks for the example.

 

I think headlights would be perfectly legal like this, but tail lights usually have some reflector in them so lights shining on them will show up better. Either that or a separate reflective bit somewhere else.

[240z!!!]

all you do is get the color that matches your car and spray the headlight cover with that color and a whole lot of thinner...its best to do some sample sprays on some like plexiglass first to see if you thinned it enough(use a flashlight to shine through it to see if you got it right) it took me a lot of practice but i sprayed my old integra's headlights and taillights like that and looked great and didnt affect the brightness of the light to much...

[ShaggyZ]

all you do is get the color that matches your car and spray the headlight cover with that color and a whole lot of thinner...its best to do some sample sprays on some like plexiglass first to see if you thinned it enough(use a flashlight to shine through it to see if you got it right) it took me a lot of practice but i sprayed my old integra's headlights and taillights like that and looked great and didnt affect the brightness of the light to much...

 

Sounds good, but I have no doubt the paint on the tail lights then looked screwy (ie doesn't match the body) and the light was way too dim. Your idea of not affecting the brightness much is most likely too dim for legality and too dim for most other people to see well enough in daylight.

[240z!!!]

Sounds good, but I have no doubt the paint on the tail lights then looked screwy (ie doesn't match the body) and the light was way too dim. Your idea of not affecting the brightness much is most likely too dim for legality and too dim for most other people to see well enough in daylight.

 

...ive done it on one of my cars and also got the idea from a master painter thats been painting for over 40 years...you can get it thinned out enough to to be almost clear....id say i would be just like putting the msa tinted covers on....after i done mine...the lights were relatively the same and you could see them during the day....but as for the legality you"ll have to check you local laws...cause it wasnt illegal in nashville tn...or atleast they didnt inforce it