ClearCorners Update

[paultvx]

When word got out that CC would create LED taillights I thought they'd create a whole new enchillada with cearl or tinted lense and compound light clusters like the ones you see on the Lexus and others. Certainly didn't expect a lightly mod'ed stocker.

[WormGod]

Oop, my bad. I was driving on 2 cylinders and flats all day yesterday. So doped up on allergy meds.

Mike was saying, that by simply modding the existing fixtures, price would stay down considerably. I am always a big fan of budget gear. I wont complain though. I am looking forward to mounting them in and seeing the final results. I will definately post some pics.

[paultvx]

OT...

You down with allergies too eh? I feel your pain. Except my meds don't work. It's really weird. I didn't have allergies until I got to college and it's gotten progressively worse. It started triggering asthma 4 years ago had to go to the ER last year because I was gasping for air and not getting any. This year, for some reason, wasn't so bad when I usually have problems (April-May). This is the first time I have the problems in June. Bush can't possibly convince me that global climate isnt' changing. Whatever pollen is affecting me must be having a second bloom or is blooming late.

Anyway, the tinted tails would look great on your VX. Going to tint the corners and other indicators to match?

[Dallas4u]

I have allergies as well and I would assume allergies acting up so early this year (in Portland) have to do with the heat these last couple weeks. It got up into the 90's last week, four days in a row. The news said Portland hasn't had 4 days of consecutive 90 degree weather (so early?) since 1997. I was doing just fine here until the last couple weeks, and now I am stuffy in the morning, clear up during the day, and start getting really stuffy around 8-8:30pm everynight... it's like clockwork.

I can't speak for the rest of the nation, but in Portland I would contribute this to the warmer, non-rainy weather we have been having so early in the spring/summer time.

[WormGod]

My VX currently has clears on the front and sides, and I think that by tinting them, I will only be asking for more attention from the FUZZ. I sorta like the clear appearance of them as is. The tinted tails are a plus, to me, just because I have an ebony VX, and it will sorta take much of the large red tail light "eye sore" out of the equation.

[kpaske]

Would it be possible to design tinted corner markers / taillights and/or headlights that look blacked out when the lights aren't on, but sufficiently bright (at least as bright as stock lights) when the lights are on? I think the ebony VX would look bad-*** with ALL the lights blacked out, but with the lights bright enough to shine through and still be street legal. Any thoughts on this one?

[WormGod]

I dont know if ClearCorners has any plans on the VX headlight assemblies, but you can always give Mike a hollar. He is a big VX fan and just may be interested in tackling such a task.

[paultvx]

Originally posted by kpaske
Would it be possible to design tinted corner markers / taillights and/or headlights that look blacked out when the lights aren't on, but sufficiently bright (at least as bright as stock lights) when the lights are on? I think the ebony VX would look bad-*** with ALL the lights blacked out, but with the lights bright enough to shine through and still be street legal. Any thoughts on this one?

Anything is possible if you have the $$$ to make it happen. It'd have to be a very custom job, but it's possible to make the headlights appear dark without compromising lighting.

If you go on the watercooled VW sites (like forums.vwvortex.com) and search for "Hella dual rounds" you find some pictures. Basially what Hella did was incorporate a plastic shield that looks like a gun sight: two short cylinders one within the other and two 90 degree cross members (like cross hairs). What this shield does is limit ambient light from entering the lamp and reflecting off of the parabolic reflector. This causes the lamps to look dar during the day. The lamp's lens wasn't tinted at all. Plain clear glass.
Here's a picture... not a good picture but you get the idea.


The other way to do it is to tint the chrome in the reflector so that it's like a darker chrome... almost gun metal-ish but not quite as dark. Doing so would probably sacrifice light output though.

[Dallas4u]

I'm assuming it's pretty much the same deal as their Black Magic driving lights?

[paultvx]

Exactly like black magic.

[nyc #1 ironman]

I already have the carbon fiber tailight covers which I am never bothered about because they're pretty much see through unlike the blackout ones but still basically cover the stock red color, so the clearcorners wouldn't be much of a difference lookwise if I got them

[WyrreJ]

I've been thinking along similar lines but in a totally different direction - and have a theory that is just begging to be shot down - iris diaphragms. I've located a manufacturer of high-temp iris diaphragms that have max apertures of 90mm and 102mm. Their standard products aren't geared for automation, instead they just have a big lever sticking off to the side. But, they do make smaller models that are geared and I'm hoping they might be able to make the large ones geared too, either that or maybe some sort of stepper motor could be attached to a shortened lever.

I'm thinking you get the benefit of truly blacked out headlamps plus the ubercool factor of them being able to open and close like real eyes.

I still have to get on the phone with those guys down in RI who do custom headlight assemblies. I'm sure if anyone can tell me that the iris approach isn't feasible it would be them...

Here's the link the irises in case anyone wants to look:

http://www.wilkes-iris.com/index.html?lightingmain.html

[paultvx]

This is a joke right? Hehe. Would look cool, but whoa... skinning a cat with an axe there.