The Official "Pics of my car" thread

Some late 1980's through early 1990's ford pickup trucks, have a large reflective lens attached to the rear tailgate. I have heard of some people that have used these lenses to build custom tail lights like you want to do.

Some of the late 80s/early 90s G.M. cars have a full-width one piece taillight..

Big Bird wrote: Some of the late 80s/early 90s G.M. cars have a full-width one piece taillight..

There is a picture of a 1991 buick century below.

There is a picture of a 1989 Pontiac trans am below.

dave302, The red acrylic panels can work well. The kits also can work well. If anyone is looking to fabricate a straight lens yourself, you can go to your local glass shop and pick up a the length of clear plexi that you need. Form it to the opening of your tail light if you want a recessed lens look (larger the the opening) and figure out the way you want to mount it. After the plexi is fit, remove it, scuff it with 600-800 (or finer, this works well for me) grit sandpaper. Then paint it with some red candy concentrate mixed within some clear. Paint a few coats to get to the darkness you are looking for and voila! You can even customize sections of the tail light with graphics or text by using stencils before you spray the candy (or after it is dry if you would like). For lights, you can use factory bulbs or go with custom bright LED's (just be sure it is all legal for tail lights, of course). If you have a paint gun/compressor set up, it is really easy to do at home and comes out very, very nice. I find plexi really easy to work with. I use it often. Especially when fabricating flush mount lenses for bikes and street rods. You can heat it up (not too hot or you will ruin the plexi and get bubbles in it) and mold it to nearly any shape or radius. I use an old oven I have at the shop for just such times. I fabricate the lens to the size and shape of the hole (as close as possible anyway). Adhere the plexi to the metal/fiberglass with an epoxy adhesive for what I am working with. Do my normal body work around the edge and sand the plexi down to the exact contour of the surrounding metal or fiberglass. It blends perfectly, you do not know it isn't one piece. It takes a lot of practice at first, but once you get the process down, it works terrific. I am sure there are many other ways to get the same look. 

WOW Guys, (mostly Dave302) what great responses, I really appreciate all the great advice, leads and ideas. Now all I need to do is get to work! LOL :)

 i am selling my gran torino on ebay for anyone who might be interested in acquiring such a beauty. ive thought about this long and hard, and i just cant bring myself to wanting to customize or modify her in anyway, because she is a true survivor and is in such immaculate condition. so i will let it be up to the new owner to do with as he or she pleases. i have found a 74 torino that is in need of saving, so i will be putting my funds and energy into saving it and bringing it back to life, as soon as this one is sold. thank you everyone for looking and i hope that you will share this with everyone you know.
as soon as i get the other 74 i will be posting its pictures and progress accordingly.
steve.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272048121073?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Edited by gnrlee01 - 18-November-2015 at 11:02AM

attn: californiajohnny, i need to ask in regards to the hood on your car, can you send me detailed pictures of it and its undercarriage? i am wanting to create the same hood for my upcoming 74 torino that i am wanting to get, but as far as i can find out, only the 72 torino sports came with this specific hood scoop. i have seen where someone grafted the 72 sport hood scoop and undercarriage onto a 74-76 hood and made it look fantastic as well as functional and i am wanting to achieve the same thing.

can you tell me how you did yours? if you can post any detailed photos of it, i would love to see them!!!  :D :D :D

My 71 cougar

^^^ yes X2!

mach1000 wrote: My 71 cougar

More pics please!..😀

Both, you and your dad have seriously nice Cougars.

mach1000 wrote: Can't forget my grandfathers.... yeah we are a Cougar family...

 what! that's awesome you all have cougars