Should I do this to mine?

I've considered fitting clear turn signal lenses to my car for some time, but have never really been able to imagine how it would look. However yesterday I came upon these pictures of a car that's almost identical to mine except for being a Cabriolet.

What do you think? Does it look elegant or "smart ass"? I think it makes the car look less old and quite elegant. I checked the prices at FVD and Cargraphic. They are rather high for 4 pieces of plastic I think 93,75 Euro including VAT at FVD and 60 Euro including VAT at Cargraphic.

Any ideas if these clear lenses are available elsewhere at lower prices?

[dickster]

mikkel

personally i wouldn't fit that sort of stuff, but hey if it floats your boat they do look good in the pics. just be careful they don't look "add on".

btw - you've transformed your car, and done a great job

[smarjoram]

I bought some for mine. You can see a before and after pic here I changed the rear lights to the american red covers too. It just means there's one less colour on the car - and so it looks cleaner. Maybe it's lighter too because it hasn't got the pigment

It's a very subtle difference - shouldn't look add-on. After all, some of the the later Porsches have it as standard

[JavaBrewer]

It's your car, but since you asked.....Rice.

[smarjoram]

It's your car, but since you asked.....Rice

...and tinted windows aren't?

[Dignan]

Mikkel,
I like them I say go for it....It looks great not "RICE" at all.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by smarjoram
...and tinted windows aren't?

Being of Scandinavian descent the SoCal sun combined with a black car mandates the admittedly unattractive window tint. Its not my first choice but its practical...kinda like fresh wiper blades in the U.K. I lived in Cambridge for a year so I know.

Besides the Rice here like clear glass so you can see all the nifty gauges and pillar mounted fire extinguisher. The next "upgrade" after the clear lenses is the rapid fire turn signals.

[KennyG]

I have them on mine, but being a U.S. car, I have ambers on the corners. Apparently they don't have a clear for them.
Where can I get the euro bumper trim to eliminate the corner light?

I say do it.

[sweater914]

looks good with the silver, if it were any other color i'd have to think about it, cleans up the car

Hmm a little mixed opinions, but we can't all have the same opinions. I still think it makes the car look newer. I like that. But I'm not paying these prices! Damn that's a lot of money for some plastic.

Smarojam, where did you buy yours?

In the meantime I found some more pics:

[anil999]

Hi Mikkel

I'm also thinking of fitting them on my Diamond Blue 3.2, but can't decide if I should go for the clear lenses or the smoked lenses.

In my opinion, the smoked front lenses tend to blend into the black bumper strip giving a much cleaner appearance, but I still like the clear ones too....oh , decisions, decisions !!!

Once I get the rear bumpers refurbished, I'll definitely fit the all red rear lenses.

I must agree with you on those prices though...they are expensive, but have you looked at how much new amber lenses are?? They aren't that much cheaper...I think in the UK the amber lenses go for £18 each if buying new....ouch!

Cheers

Anil

[DavidPorter]

Clear lenses have been so rice for so long you can probably get away with them now. They may actually start to look retro.

[PDACPA]

I am definately not a RICE fan, but I do like the clear lenses as eliminating the amber/orange from the colors on the car. To me it just does not match (of course the Tampa Bay Bucs have Red, black, pewter, and then this touch of orange in their logo which I have yet to figure out).

I am suprised Window Tint is viewed as rice though! I have tint on all my cars. In Florida it is necessary to keep from squinting even with sunglasses.

But I think that it makes a car look good. Enhances the black. I mean look at TV ads and print ads for any car, and you almost never can see in the windows or the driver, they darken the windows.

Now to me Rice tint is the changing color tint, the faded from silver to black tint, and any writing in the tint.

Just my two cents.

[MrKJBlue]

Yes you should. I am going to do mine soon.
I have the clear repeaters on my car and was a little worried at first but it doesnt stand out, just looks cleaner.

[PDACPA]

Are these available in the US? Pelican?

Anil

Did you have to mention that there are also smoked lenses...!? How am I ever going to make up my mind on this matter?

Oh well more picture search...this time for smoked lenses

[MIK911]

I like Rice. 'Tho i don't think that this mild clean change to clear lens qualifies.

If you really want to get ricey, paint the amber bulbs silver (like Philips "SilverVision Bulbs"), so the amber colored bulb doesn't show through the lens with lights OFF. Will still burn amber with light ON.

With our lowering, Euro rear lenses, 16+inch diam wheels, 930S steering wheels, whale tails, etc.... aren't we ALL a little rice at heart? Some more willing to admit it than others?

Mike
'86 coupe

[ZAMIRZ]

Mikkel, I think on your car it will look great. On mine, I'm planning on putting the little rubber trim where the reflector is and adding a clear/smoked lens for the turn signal. In addition, do you have a source for smoked sidemarkers? I'm looking for something that looks O.E. but smoked. And finally, I'm gonna put the U.S. lenses on the rear because like someone already mentioned it takes one more color out of the picture.



Okay, yellow arrow points to where I want U.S. spec lenses, red arrows are where i want to go clear/smoked and green is where I need to source the european rubber trim pieces to add on.......then I'll be set.



later,

amir

[Victor]

Mikkel, I think it looks OK. But then, I have a 4" exhaust.

Do a search for WYDRYD's car pics on the forum, he has clear lenses.

[smarjoram]

Mikkel, I'm pretty sure I got mine from type 911 - Idon't think anywhere has them particularly cheaply. It's one of those things. You get obsessed about cleaning up the look of the car and before you know it you're reading out your credit card number.


I've just noticed the newer style reflector with the built in fogs. That would clean up the back a bit. £180 though. Must... resist...