Hello all, this is my first post here so I would appreciate if you would bear with me and maybe give me a helping hand.

I own a 1996 Mustang and have spent a long time trying to decided what appearance mods I would like to do to it.  First projector headlights, and then I thought clear taillights (the ones that are completely clear, but still have red bulbs).  I was not sure if these completely clear ones were legal here in my homestate of California, but I put that off until later.

Then today I saw a police officer and asked him about it.  He said that if it doesn't have a reflector (I assume a red one) then it is illegal, even with the red bulbs.  Now judging by by knowledge of lights, the reflectors are the red on the taillights that cause the red light to be dispersed?  So in this case putting red reflectors on the outside of clear taillights would kinda defeat the purpose.  I also spoke to a guy who did custom show cars, and although he did have NOS in his IS300, he said it was illegal to put completely clear taillights on.

Since I am completely stubborn and obsessed with getting these lights, is there anything I can do to them to make them legal, preferably without drastically changing their original appearance?  Or perhaps anyone knows the penalties and chances of getting pulled over for this mod.  Thanks tons for any help given, I really appreciate it!

You can buy that reflective crap and put it inside the lights. But, it's so damn ugly...

There isnt really anythign you can do to make them legal, you can put some blackouts over them from GTS or something, but man, clear taillights on a mustang is totally gay, and ricey.  I say dont do it at all, if you're going to do appearance stuff, do a steeda or saleen body kit, rims, and a nice decklid spoiler.  Anything you do with the tailights unless the car is black will not look good.  But even before you think appearance, think speed.  You'd rather smoke someone who has a better looking car then yours then get spanked by some pos.  Get power now, get prissy later.

Well thanks to Stealth and Dan for somewhat answering my question.  Yes, my mustang is black, but since it is a 3.8 there is no point in me doing anything to the engine, so appearance is what I was looking at.  As for you guys who think it looks ricey you certainly are entitled to your opinion, but I do not think it does at all as they are not altezzas.  I guess nonsense opinions are what I get for asking a question online these days, but you know what they say - ask a stupid question...

BTW jeep you illiterate fool, try reading the post before you robotically click the reply button and type in your same rehashed jargon that I have heard a million times before.  Had you had the decency to read and comprehend my post, you would see that I said I am stubborn and obsessed with getting the clear lights.  THATS why I won't avoid the issue.  Keep dishing out your sarcastic remarks man, but I will fire my own remarks right back at you.

[QUOTE=jeep45238]Dude, why not avoid all legal issues and not do it?

Besides, that leaves more money for other "appearance" modifications I'm sure you'd like to do, like a nice, fat, 95" aluminum 6 decker wing.[/QUOTE]

haha EXTREME DOWNPHORCE YO!!!

[QUOTE=jeep45238]"BTW jeep you illiterate fool, try reading the post before you robotically click the reply button and type in your same rehashed jargon that I have heard a million times before.  Had you had the decency to read and comprehend my post, you would see that I said I am stubborn and obsessed with getting the clear lights.  THATS why I won't avoid the issue.  Keep dishing out your sarcastic remarks man, but I will fire my own remarks right back at you."

So sue me for having common sense. I definately read and comprehended your post, and my remarks were far from sarcastic.[/QUOTE]

Would you mind explaining how having an opinion about something and rubbing it in my face is common sense? 

Anyway, aside from the belligerant opinions in this topic, you should definately get blackouts on a black stang, it looks sweet.  And the good part is, that you will still be able to tell you have clear lights in back when you break and stuff, it will look nice.  But you have to understand where most of these guys are comming from, because in all seriousness, clear lights on the back with no other appearance stuff looks kind of skanky to say the least, but you do what you think looks cool.  If your going body kit and rims and stuff, blacking out the lights will look awesome. 

Dan's right too, you could put some tape over it, but then you get a high margine for error in the fact that if you accidently fold the tape over wrong or crease it around a corner, it will look nasty.

he is talking bout those totally clear light not altezza...hey guy have u looked into altezza tails I wouldnt approve of em in anyway but if u like em go for it...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33716&item=2444332052

they also sell ones that are black and I think they look some what better then the chrome ones

he is talking bout those totally clear light not altezza...hey guy have u looked into altezza tails I wouldnt approve of em in anyway but if u like em go for it...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33716&item=2444332052

they also sell ones that are black and I think they look some what better then the chrome ones

[/QUOTE]

if it looks like ricer s**t and its a tail light its an altezza to me.