Ok, this will be MY first official writeup on two mods.
Let the record state that: I believe ///ME21 was the one that taught me the Red Turn signals, and TheNeek was the first to do the quad brake lights.

ALL RED TAIL LIGHTS:

Tools: NONE
Materials: One can of "Red Metal Flake" # 1629 Hobby/Model/Craft Enamel Paint
Cost: Approx $3.80 (def. less than $5.00)

Instuructions:
1. Go to your favorite hobby store and buy a can of Red Metal Flake Hobby Paint #1629. It is a small can and will be more than plenty to do two turn signals.
2. Take out your rear lenses and wash thouroughly with warm water.
3. Let dry
4. When Dry, spray the INSIDE of the Orange turn signal area with a light coat of the paint.
5. let dry and repeat several times untill paint color shows no orange and matches the rest of the lense.

Cautions:
\ Take your time with this, less is more, and plenty of coats is key. Dont go too fast!

QUAD BRAKE LIGHTS

1. go to your favorite junk yard and yank two brake light harnesses with at least 4 inches of blue/green and brown wire with them.
2. Take your rear lense assemply out by taking out the 6 7mm bolts on each.
3. Unclip the main wiring harness and take the assembly over to your work bench.
4. Clip the new harnesses into the existing open spots in the assembly.
5. cut/splice into the Blue or green (depending on year) positive wire from the Stock brake light and solder in the new brake light's blue/green Pos. wire.
6. repeat above for brown/negative wire.
7. insert bulbs
8. plug back in main wiring harness
9. beg mom to press your brake so you can admire your sweet new Quad. brake lights.
10. Reinstall the taillight assembly
11. Reinstall your new all red tail light.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum///attachment.php?attachmentid=55748
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If i missed any important steps or if it's not clear in any way, please post up more directions.

-- Matthew

So basicly your reverse light will be red now right?

If you don't mask it off....or aren't carefull with the spray.....

Thanks for this though, since all the e30 people always paint the OUTSIDE of the lenses, which usually looks like @ss. Haven't tried it yet myself, since I didn't want it to turn out that way. I'll check out the rides at Bimmerfest and make sure they are to my liking, THAN do this to my lenses. Probably for ALL the cars.

BTW, it LOOKS red when it is not lit, but what about when the turn signal is on? Does it still show the outside-most color or is it showing red now?

Nope, its like magic, they look at blink in Red :eek:

So basicly your reverse light will be red now right?
no, just spray the turn signal area.

4. When Dry, spray the INSIDE of the Orange turn signal area with a light coat of the paint.
:alright

just bumping so others can read this killer how to!

So basicly your reverse light will be red now right?

not the reverse lights, they remain white/clear
this just makes the turn signals red instead of orange
-ao

Bringing this back from the dead.

I will update with a picture tomorrow.

I bought a can of # 1605 Transparrent Candy Apple Red tonight, and am spraying another tail light now, to see if this color is a better match to the car.

oh, and here's a pic of the Quad brakes in full effect!

pretty fancy. I think it looks really good.

I will post photographs of my tailights, they are bright!

no, just spray the turn signal area.

4. When Dry, spray the INSIDE of the Orange turn signal area with a light coat of the paint.
:alright

Matt thanks. I am going to do this. I am not sure how it look on my car,
I think on lighter color cars like CJ's or the baur shown, the red shows better.
http://e21.tricord.be/members/82baur/03.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b297/jjgbmw323/DSC00337.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b297/jjgbmw323/allrede21.jpg

matte21 i think you should make a note how the pre 79 and post 79 cars will differ when applying the quad brake. blitzed and jjgbmw323 rear lights are of pre 79 where the reflector is just besides the turn signal. that baur jjgbmw 323 posted as well as my car rear lights are of post 79 where the refector is actually in the center of the light structure. and also my car has a fog light for the rear light. can i apply this quad brake while at the same time retaining my fog?

if you have a two stage bulb, like the front turn signals, you may be able to wire them for quad, and retain the fog. I am uncertain of how to do this.

Here's another pic of the quad's during the day.

I like it Matt, and I also like the rear euro bumper.
Jake

Here's one of mine.........but i sprayed the outside.
Still haven't clearcoated them :D Too Lazy

http://**************************/hsv912/bmrear1.jpg

if you have a two stage bulb, like the front turn signals, you may be able to wire them for quad, and retain the fog. I am uncertain of how to do this.

Here's another pic of the quad's during the day.

You can have a two stage bulb you just need the two stage socket. It'll have a common ground but two hot wires going to it. One for the running lights and the other for the brake lights. Sounds like an interesting idea.

if you have a two stage bulb, like the front turn signals, you may be able to wire them for quad, and retain the fog. I am uncertain of how to do this.

Here's another pic of the quad's during the day.
That is hot.

Hi,
Does someone have some specs of the paint for me, so i can check one like it here in europe.
Thanks!
dek325

Hi,
Does someone have some specs of the paint for me, so i can check one like it here in europe.
Thanks!
dek325

Any candy red paint will due. Its the type of paint you would find at a hobby store to paint R/C cars, planes, boats, etc.

Thanks for the info!

Matt,

Which color turned out better - red metal flake or transparent candy apple or was there even any appreciable difference?

I actually like the results of the Candy apple red. the picture above shows both. Passengar side is candy apple (new, sprayed that day) the drivers side is the 1629. When i did the 1629(3 or so years ago), i went a little heavy. and it came out darker than desired.

Candy apple also went on the E24

this is heaps cool. are there any more cheap mods and things that you can do yourself like this for the E21?

Candy apple also went on the E24
Hey guys I like it, thanks a lot.
By the way is there 1 special candy apple paint to ask for at the model shop,
like a paint code or something?

NO, because the word "candy" in paint terms is another term for translucent. The degree of red all depends on how thick you apply the paint and the number of coats. Its not brain science people just go out and buy a can of candy apple red paint. Kthnxgdby

just a warning for south australians, (dont know about the other states), the rules in the book are as follows


The flashes of light displayed by a direction indicator light must be:
• If the light faces forward – white or yellow.
• If the light faces backwards – yellow, or for a vehicle built before July 1973 - yellow or red.
• If the light faces out from the side of the vehicle:
• white or yellow towards the front and side; and
(a) for a vehicle built before July 1973 – yellow or red towards the rear and side; and
(b) for a vehicle built after June 1973 – yellow towards the rear and side.
so i think it's gonna be a defect if we try it :(

I bought a can of # 1605 Transparrent Candy Apple Red

Ask for that.

oh yeah, my question still stands. are there any other similar DIY / cheap mods that we can do? i think this one was pretty awesome, and im envious of those who can do it. im thinking of slipping some cellophane in so that its still orange around the outside. but yeah, any other el-tightarse-o mods?

I bought a can of # 1605 Transparrent Candy Apple Red...Ask for that.

Thanks bro. Hopefull I can do it without going too deep on the taillights.
How many coats do u hit it with?

thanks
J

just a few, 3 or 4? light coats. take it slow, and just check it on the car after every coat, and stop when you are satisfied.

Why don't you paint the reverse lense as well? The reverse lite is worthless at night anyway, it's more to let people behind you know your coming back. So having a euro lite attached under the bumper or any white lite that comes on in reverse will accomplish the same thing.

Why don't you paint the reverse lense as well? The reverse lite is worthless at night anyway, it's more to let people behind you know your coming back. So having a euro lite attached under the bumper or any white lite that comes on in reverse will accomplish the same thing.

You need the reverse lights for safety inspections in MA.
The outsides if the sprayed red but still flash they should be ok.

If you need them to flash Amber, just use green globes :)