[Mr. Wheeler]

I am really not sure where this thread belongs, so I will leave it to mod's discretion.

I am going to be replacing the tail light housing and lenses with my own design. Not the electronics though.

Are there any legal issues I should worry about? I'm in California.

 

[Ercmann]

I am really not sure where this thread belongs, so I will leave it to mod's discretion.

I am going to be replacing the tail light housing and lenses with my own design. Not the electronics though.

Are there any legal issues I should worry about? I'm in California.

California VC 26101 and VC 26104

26101. No person shall sell or offer for sale for use upon or as part of the equipment of a vehicle, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle, any device that is intended to modify the original design or performance of any lighting equipment, safety glazing material, or other device, unless the modifying device meets the provisions of Section 26104. This section does not apply to a taillamp or stop lamp in use on or prior to December 1, 1935, or to lamps installed on authorized emergency vehicles.

26104. (a) Every manufacturer who sells, offers for sale, or
manufactures for use upon a vehicle devices subject to requirements established by the department shall, before the device is offered for sale, have laboratory test data showing compliance with such requirements. Tests may be conducted by the manufacturer.
(b) The department may at any time request from the manufacturer a copy of the test data showing proof of compliance of any device with the requirements established by the department and additional evidence that due care was exercised in maintaining compliance during production. If the manufacturer fails to provide such proof of compliance within 30 days of notice from the department, the
department may prohibit the sale of the device in this state until acceptable proof of compliance is received by the department.

 

[Mr. Wheeler]

Well that's a huge wrench

 

[budro6968]

Tailights

Well that's a huge wrench

A cop told me if you black out your tail lights you can get a ticket. I see cars all the time that are so black you can't see in the day light. If you are rear ended by someone and your lights are blacked out you will get a ticket for sure. Not to mention the insurance co. will bend you over as well and the person that hit you will prob skate on paying if the cops write it up as blacked out tail lights. The cops in my town are on you if a headlight or tail light is burned out. My wife has been pulled over twice in the driveway because one head light went out. then a few months later the other light went too. I think it was the same cop both times...

 

[ZexGX]

I have a plan for custom tail lights, too. They won't be CA legal for on-road use.
Kit car makers get around these laws by using OEM taillights from other vehicles.

 

[NavyVet]

My wife has been pulled over twice in the driveway because one head light went out. then a few months later the other light went too. I think it was the same cop both times...

That's why if one head light burns out I always replace both of them.
They do have the exact same amount of use.

 

[Harlock]

That's why if one head light burns out I always replace both of them.
They do have the exact same amount of use.

^ this, plus if one goes out later, you have a spare to change it on the fly until you get to the store and buy new ones. Also you won't get that weird "one headlight is brighter than the other" effect I see on some cars, haha.

 

[budro6968]

Head light

^ this, plus if one goes out later, you have a spare to change it on the fly until you get to the store and buy new ones. Also you won't get that weird "one headlight is brighter than the other" effect I see on some cars, haha.

That's funny. She drives a 96 accord. She loves that car. I bought 2 bulbs but did not change both because the battery has to come out on the D/S, so tight. Plus the damn socket would not budge. I had to get some slip joint pliers to crack it loose. I did it in a hurry since she was standing there looming over me to get in the car and go. Woman on the go....

 

[Harlock]

I have a 99 Accord that had a headlight go out once, but I changed both like I mentioned above. The wiring harness connectors that clip into the sockets were MADDENINGLY hard to remove (I HATE wiring harness connectors!), so I feel your pain there. I broke a nail taking the right one off! The nerve of that thing!

I didn't have to take the battery out to replace it though. The battery in my 99 is on the passenger side, strange the 96's is on the other side.

 

[budro6968]

Battery in bad place

I have a 99 Accord that had a headlight go out once, but I changed both like I mentioned above. The wiring harness connectors that clip into the sockets were MADDENINGLY hard to remove (I HATE wiring harness connectors!), so I feel your pain there. I broke a nail taking the right one off! The nerve of that thing!

I didn't have to take the battery out to replace it though. The battery in my 99 is on the passenger side, strange the 96's is on the other side.

Haha, Thanks for the laugh. The 96 is a running machine. V-6 so it scoots. Her bat is on D/S even the cop that was on scene said it was a bad design. Can't complain the car is still going.

 

[Mr. Wheeler]

I have a plan for custom tail lights, too. They won't be CA legal for on-road use.
Kit car makers get around these laws by using OEM taillights from other vehicles.

I've looked in to that. But I am having a hard time finding anything within my budget that's a better fit for what I am doing than aftermarket 4th gen Camaro tail lights. The reason it's a big wrench is that I not only have to redesign the upper back of the body to accommodate them but I will have to come up with a way to make the area around them change the look overall for the better. As one person pointed out in the wide body thread, making the aesthetics work is very difficult and requires allot of fine tuning. Contrary to what you guys seam to think, I have a very elaborate and carefully thought out plan that's in the works and having to change all of that stuff not only effects that area and involves allot of work to sort out but also forces me to reconsider how it all factors in with the rest of the car. This could take a long time to sort out.

Well, I guess the good news is it won't cost much.

 

[94z28]

To be clear, we are sure you have it thought out, its just not a very aesthetically pleasing endeavor.

Sent from my LGL41C using Camaro Zone mobile app

 

[Mr. Wheeler]

Tail lights? You haven't seen them and apparently never will.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Camaro Zone mobile app

 

[94z28]

Lol, not quite. I mean the whole widebody kit.

Sent from my LGL41C using Camaro Zone mobile app

 

[Mr. Wheeler]

I have a hunch you are judging the entire project by it's current crusty state despite overwhelming evidence that it's just a temporary stage. Locally no one believes that

Sent from my SM-G935T using Camaro Zone mobile app

 

[94z28]

No, its the body lines. I am still watching for the finished product though, who knows, i may actually like it.

Sent from my LGL41C using Camaro Zone mobile app