Any ideas for small modifications?

[Seth]

What tiny mods have you done/plan to do? Y'know, things that take an hour or less.

So far I have
- "blackwing" puddle lights
- black emblems
- blacked out the orange side markers

 

[Tall Steve]

OEM for life!

 

[dstewart51]

OEM for life!

If you really mean that, you would never wear cloths or cut your hair. None of us want that.

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

The puddle lights are a great small mod. Stupid simple to do with a small flatblade screwdriver. Took me 15 minutes and requires no disassembly other than removing the existing puddle light.

For $99, it's a stellar deal for how cool it feels to walk up to your car and see a lit up Blackwing logo.

 

[ernsteeng]

The puddle lights are a great small mod. Stupid simple to do with a small flatblade screwdriver. Took me 15 minutes.

For $99, it's a stellar deal for how cool it feels to walk up to your car and see a lit up Blackwing logo.

I have a question about the mirror puddle lights. I got the drivers side installed without any problem. On the passenger side I can't get one of the cables to separate and come off. Thinking it was me I asked my 19 year old son to try as well and he couldn't get it to separate either. I'm not driving it this winter and it is just sitting in the garage. I was going to wait for the weather to heat up and try again. Is there something I can do to try and loosen that connection on the one wire? Anyone have a suggestion?

 

[Tall Steve]

If you really mean that, you would never wear cloths or cut your hair. None of us want that.

 

[seattlecubes]

The puddle lights are a great small mod. Stupid simple to do with a small flatblade screwdriver. Took me 15 minutes and requires no disassembly other than removing the existing puddle light.

For $99, it's a stellar deal for how cool it feels to walk up to your car and see a lit up Blackwing logo.

I heard the puddle lights west out after time especially in extreme climates (I’m in Dallas). Have you heard this?

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

I have a question about the mirror puddle lights. I got the drivers side installed without any problem. On the passenger side I can't get one of the cables to separate and come off. Thinking it was me I asked my 19 year old son to try as well and he couldn't get it to separate either. I'm not driving it this winter and it is just sitting in the garage. I was going to wait for the weather to heat up and try again. Is there something I can do to try and loosen that connection on the one wire? Anyone have a suggestion?

Yeah, get a normal sized (or even slightly large) flat blade screw driver in there and use a twist of the screwdriver blade against the plastic housing of the light and the spade connector on the wire.

I heard the puddle lights west out after time especially in extreme climates (I’m in Dallas). Have you heard this?

I hadn't heard that. It's a little more temperate where I'm at versus Dallas, but honestly, even if I had to replace them every few years, it'd still be worth it. That said, I'm really surprised that they would wear out so fast, even in higher temperatures. At the end of the day, it's still just an LED with a piece of microfiche (for any of you who still remember that) in front of it.

 

[ernsteeng]

Yeah, get a normal sized (or even slightly large) flat blade screw driver in there and use a twist of the screwdriver blade against the plastic housing of the light and the spade connector on the wire.


I'll try that tonight. Thank you!!

 

[bl4ck_wng]

I have a question about the mirror puddle lights. I got the drivers side installed without any problem. On the passenger side I can't get one of the cables to separate and come off. Thinking it was me I asked my 19 year old son to try as well and he couldn't get it to separate either. I'm not driving it this winter and it is just sitting in the garage. I was going to wait for the weather to heat up and try again. Is there something I can do to try and loosen that connection on the one wire? Anyone have a suggestion?

My passenger side was slightly more difficult to remove when I swapped mine out. Try grabbing the metal termination on the wire side by the housing with your fingers and giving it a couple firm wiggles (using pliers will crimp the metal terminal even more which will make the removal more difficult). Sometimes the metal grabs the terminal on the lamp fixture, and the extra squeezing is what is preventing it from letting go. Best of luck and enjoy the puddle lamps, they are awesome to approach in a parking lot at night!

 

[Dubbed.theB]

For us non-CF owners, front lip and rear spoiler may be able to be knocked out in under an hour.
I didn't install my rear CF spoiler as it was done when the wrap was done, but when I get the front lip, it'll hopefully be quick.
Anyone who gets the black mirror covers (not dealer installed) could probably do that quick as well...

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

For us non-CF owners, front lip and rear spoiler may be able to be knocked out in under an hour.
I didn't install my rear CF spoiler as it was done when the wrap was done, but when I get the front lip, it'll hopefully be quick.
Anyone who gets the black mirror covers (not dealer installed) could probably do that quick as well...

As someone who has removed and reinstalled the rear spoiler on a 4BW, it is by no means what I would consider "quick".

 

[ernsteeng]

My passenger side was slightly more difficult to remove when I swapped mine out. Try grabbing the metal termination on the wire side by the housing with your fingers and giving it a couple firm wiggles (using pliers will crimp the metal terminal even more which will make the removal more difficult). Sometimes the metal grabs the terminal on the lamp fixture, and the extra squeezing is what is preventing it from letting go. Best of luck and enjoy the puddle lamps, they are awesome to approach in a parking lot at night!

It worked. I was able to get the puddle light installation completed last night. I used a small screwdriver to provide a little extra energy to get it moving. They both look good. Now I just need it to warm up oustide and the leftover salt get washed down the sewer grates and I can take it back out...

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

It worked. I was able to get the puddle light installation completed last night. I used a small screwdriver to provide a little extra energy to get it moving. They both look good. Now I just need it to warm up oustide and the leftover salt get washed down the sewer grates and I can take it back out...

Totally worth it for a "small" mod, right?!?

 

[ernsteeng]

Totally worth it for a "small" mod, right?!?

Absolutely.

 

[1BadTundra]

I was actually wondering about that spray tint that we used to use on taillights back in the day. Lay a few coats, let it dry, go back, wet sand and polish the hell out of it.

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

I was actually wondering about that spray tint that we used to use on taillights back in the day. Lay a few coats, let it dry, go back, wet sand and polish the hell out of it.

Ah, the good 'ol days.
I too remember the taillight tint spray and after recently doing my orange corner marker lights with the film, the film is for sure the way to go. The end result is just so much cleaner and nicer.

 

[OldGoat]

Ah, the good 'ol days.
I too remember the taillight tint spray and after recently doing my orange corner marker lights with the film, the film is for sure the way to go. The end result is just so much cleaner and nicer.

Did you have to sand down the raised print prior to application of film?

 

[1BadTundra]

Ah, the good 'ol days.
I too remember the taillight tint spray and after recently doing my orange corner marker lights with the film, the film is for sure the way to go. The end result is just so much cleaner and nicer.

I did the precut film as well... No worries of uneven coverage, overspray or fading. As for my front badge, I don't see any other option. I have the front sensor built in, so that may be the route I go.

 

[1BadTundra]

Ah, the good 'ol days.
I too remember the taillight tint spray and after recently doing my orange corner marker lights with the film, the film is for sure the way to go. The end result is just so much cleaner and nicer.

Thems' were the days... We were kings!
So, my kid hits me up the other day, says "hey dad, you need the stuff called underglow on your car, that would be cool"... I was like "gather 'round junior, its story time"... I took his ass to school! I had a bagged out 96 Nissan Hardbody back in 97-00. She was a local car show queen. All hand fabbed bag kit, home made 4 link rear. He tells me, "Why couldn't you just bought those parts". Haha, the things kids say.
Then came the Fast & Furious era. Telling him we made that car culture, not the other way around.
I told him the stories of life before the internet, his mind is now blown, and he's wondering how we survived..
Sorry, slipping into the rabbit hole...