Car "Modding" Laws?

[C0RR0SIVE]

Most police won't give a crap nor pull you over for illegal mods, unless they seriously get blinded by your low beams and think your high beams are too dull. But, I have been pulled over by Vehicle Enforcement officers a few times for illegal mods, as that is what they are looking for most of the time, it's state and local police that don't really enforce federal level laws.

The other day while I was on lunch, I watched one of them pull a redneck diesel over in the parking lot as he was coming in, had smoked tails and headlamps, needless to say, he didn't leave with the truck, it was towed to the impound because the tails had been smoked so heavily you could only see the middle stop lamp that wasn't smoked, and the headlamps, might as well have been small flash lights. Sad part is, I know the idiot that got pulled over for it, and even warned him about that crap two years ago. Just because you get away with it now, doesn't mean you will get away with it forever... He could have kept the truck that night, and just had the ticket alone if he had removable lenses. They tend to let you go with a ticket and without towing off the car/truck if you can correct a "serious" violation right there and right then.

 

[PP Mguire]

They probably towed because he probably used 3 or so coats of VHT without a wet sand. If you do that you can't really remove it on the spot. I gotta figure out how to wet sand mine off. Didn't want it in the first place but it was kinda cool until I figured out it you can't inspect your vehicle with it.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

You might get lucky if you do a harsh sanding, probably 300 grit, move to 600, move to 8, and keep going up gradually to get it back to smooth, then use a polish... Don't quote me on that though, I have only done that on clear headlamps...

Not sure how strong that kinda stuff is though.

 

[PP Mguire]

My shop friend told me wetsand 2000 grit for a while and it'll come off. My lights have a very very thin coat on them.

 

[TCPMeta]

Use 600 then move to 800, 1000 and then 2000 grit. Wet sand with mild soapy water. I don't know if you can get it but there are a few specialty places that sell 3000 grit paper.
Meguiars has a awsome clear plastic polish called PlastX. I used it to restore the headlights on my old car.

Here in florida the only car modding laws I have seen/heard are the following.
Dark Window tint - If you cant see your drivers license up on the glass it's illegal.
Emissions system - Typical fed law.
LEDs used for license plate lights is illegal because they're too bright.
Red or Blue lights - Typical fed law.
Straight pipe exhaust - Too loud, breaks sound ordinance.
Tires sticking out from wheel well - Its on the books but no one enforces it.

 

[PP Mguire]

Use 600 then move to 800, 1000 and then 2000 grit. Wet sand with mild soapy water. I don't know if you can get it but there are a few specialty places that sell 3000 grit paper.
Meguiars has a awsome clear plastic polish called PlastX. I used it to restore the headlights on my old car.

Here in florida the only car modding laws I have seen/heard are the following.
Dark Window tint - If you cant see your drivers license up on the glass it's illegal.
Emissions system - Typical fed law.
LEDs used for license plate lights is illegal because they're too bright.
Red or Blue lights - Typical fed law.
Straight pipe exhaust - Too loud, breaks sound ordinance.
Tires sticking out from wheel well - Its on the books but no one enforces it.

First bold: I have a GT now and I just "pay" for my sticker because of;

Second bold: **** the police.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Use 600 then move to 800, 1000 and then 2000 grit. Wet sand with mild soapy water. I don't know if you can get it but there are a few specialty places that sell 3000 grit paper.
Meguiars has a awsome clear plastic polish called PlastX. I used it to restore the headlights on my old car.

Here in florida the only car modding laws I have seen/heard are the following.
Dark Window tint - If you cant see your drivers license up on the glass it's illegal.
Emissions system - Typical fed law.
LEDs used for license plate lights is illegal because they're too bright.
Red or Blue lights - Typical fed law.
Straight pipe exhaust - Too loud, breaks sound ordinance.
Tires sticking out from wheel well - Its on the books but no one enforces it.

Emissions, ehh, depends. A lot of states no longer do emissions testing. Around here, you can pretty much do anything you want to the exhaust/intake systems, or even delete components from the system. Still illegial to do so on a federal level, but a local wont cite for that.

Red/Blue lights - that's not federally controlled AFAIK, considering state, local, and vehicle enforcement have all stated to me, that as long as a blue/red bulb can NOT be seen, and only the glow from it is seen, it is legal. The light also must NOT flash or turn on/off while in movement. Plus, various local towns have different laws on lighting on a car. The only thing on the federal level is the fact you must use amber for turns up front, "clear" headlamps, and red for brakes/rear turns, amber can be substituted for rear turns.
Essentially, you can only do the whole underglow thing here.

You are also off on the tint-law for florida...
Front Side Windows - Must allow more than 28% of light in.
Rear Side Windows - Must allow more than 15% of light in.
Rear Window- Must allow more than 15% of light in.
Windshield - Non-reflective tint is allowed above the AS-1 line.




Police here in my little town are starting to crack down on cars/trucks with HID's... Too many idiots with them and not aiming them, nor using the proper housings for the bulbs are causing a lot of issues on the country roads. Last week they impounded a car because it had colored halos (blue) as well, which is against the law because the halo is the bulb, and it can be seen. Probably got pulled over because the aim was off on the projector and blinded a cop.

 

[PP Mguire]

We still have strict emissions and it's illegal for a shop to even cut out the cats. That's one thing I seriously hate this state for. I've even had a cop pull me over in our old Cavalier because the lighting on the Kenwood unit was pulsating blue. He let me off with a "warning" simply because he's a **** tard.

 

[mac_mogul]

PP, just buy a new set of taillights. They're cheap and you can probably sell your tinted tails to some punk on a Mustang forum.

GM has been using heads-up displays for years, dating back to the early 00's in top-trim Buicks. Most people find it distracting so that's why we've only seen it on expensive cars like Cadillacs and Corvettes. The problem they've experienced is that they project onto the windshield away from the driver, towards oncoming traffic.

Mazda has now put a HUD on the new Mazda 3 and rather than projecting onto the windshield, it projects towards the driver. Link

I'm betting that the Mazda tech will catch on and you'll see this technology from other car-makers within the next two or three years.

 

[PP Mguire]

Eh tail lights are 50 bucks a pop for my car but this thread is old. My GT came with good looking stock lights that I left on there. The car from my OP I actually decided I'm going to sell.