Review: American Muscle Smoked Tint Kits For Our ’98 GT

There are a multitude of ways to change the appearance of a Mustang. One of the most cost effective, popular, and easiest to do is by blacking out, or smoking, parts of the exterior. It used to be that the only option on the market for doing this was a plastic headlight or tail light cover, however today there are other options.

We wanted the rear exterior of the car to more closely match the wheels and headlamps we’ve already installed.

We turned to American Muscle to help us darken the exterior of our 1998 Mustang GT. With it’s projection style headlights, and black Mickey Thompson Street Comp SC5 wheels, a blackout kit for the rear of the car should compliment the exterior appearance nicely. Best of all this is a project that requires no special tools, and can be completed start to finish in an about an hour.

The Kits

For our ’98 GT’s quarter markers, tail lights, and third brake light we ordered American Muscle’s smoked tint kits. These kits are high quality, durable, vinyl film, designed for exterior use.

Our parts list included American Muscle smoked tail light tint, third brake light tint, quarter marker tint, and stainless steel black bumper letter inserts. The tint does not dim the light output from the brake or tail lights enough to cause a safety concern.

We’re also installing American Muscle’s steel bumper letters as well. These bumper letters as the name implies are made from high quality stainless steel. The finish on them is a durable coating, and 3M adhesive is used on the backing to ensure they stay secured to the bumper for years to come. This product is also officially licensed by Ford.

Part Numbers Used

Smoked Tail Light Tint: 26271

Smoked Third Brake Light Tint: 26082

Smoked Quarter Marker Tint: 26272

Black Steel Bumper Letter Inserts: 13076

Installation

Installation for everything should take around an hour, depending on skill level. AM includes a squeegee and detailed, color instructions with the parts. They also included an alcohol prep bad for the bumper letters.

Prior to beginning installation we made sure all surfaces were clean, using a clean micro-fiber cloth and water.

We recommend washing the car the night before doing this installation. This will give any water that is trapped around the lights time to dry, ensuring a better seal. It’s necessary for all of the lights to be clean and free of any wax, or other chemicals before installation. Do not use an alcohol prep pad on the lights or reflectors, instead simply use clean water to prepare the surfaces, and then dry them thoroughly.

We also recommend having a razor blade, or small, sharp cutting instrument on hand, as well as a hair dryer or heat-gun. A spray bottle to mist water onto the lights and make install easier is also needed.

Tint Film

We started with the easiest pieces, by installing the quarter trim tint first. This is as simple as lightly misting the area being worked on. Just before installation we misted our hands to get them damp, then peeled the backing and carefully placed the tint film in position. Any excess that overhangs can be trimmed away with a razor blade after the film has had 24 hours to adhere. The process is the same for the third brake light as well.

Left: We misted each area lightly with water. Center Left: With our hands misted we peeled the backing and carefully installed the tint film. Center Right: The same method is used to apply film to the third brake light. Right: American Muscle includes a squeegee necessary for this install, work it long ways on each piece of film, wrapping it in a clean cloth will help it move better and prevent scratching or catching on the film.

For the tail lights a heat gun is needed. Many tail lights since 1994 have compound curves to their shape, this requires shaping of the tint material. We applied the tint to our lights one section at a time. Then we carefully used the heat gun and squeegee wrapped in a damp cloth to help shape the lights. Take care here not to get the film too hot or it will bubble, over-stretch, or even burn through. This job does not require the removal of the tail lights from the car, and once all the lights were completed we used a razor blade to carefully trim away the excess.

A heat-gun and patience is required to shape the tail light tint. It must also be trimmed for proper fit once it’s shaped into place.

Bumper Letter Inserts

These only take about 5 minutes to install. We thoroughly wiped the letters on our bumper with the alcohol prep pad, then peeled the backing from each letter one at a time and pressed them into place, holding pressure on each for around 30 seconds.

Left; We wiped the rear bumper with a clean towel. Center: Then used the alcohol prep pad on the bumper. Right: The bumper inserts are a peel and stick affair from there. Be sure to apply pressure to each one for several seconds after sticking it in place.

Stepping back

Taking a look at our handiwork we can see how our efforts have payed off. The blacked-out look offers a nice contrast to the car’s Bright Atlantic Blue paint job. It also compliments our Mickey Thompson SC5 wheels nicely. Now we just need to get the windows tinted and the look will be complete, but that’s another story.

Article Sources

About the author

Don Creason

Don Creason is an automotive journalist with passions that lie from everything classic, all the way to modern muscle. Experienced tech writer, and all around car aficionado, Don's love for both cars and writing makes him the perfect addition to the Power Automedia team of experts.
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