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| 1991 VW Golf Mk2 with Tinted Windows |
Car: 1991 VW Golf Mk2 1.8 Driver
Colour: Black
Product: Defender Window Tints
Tint Level: Light Smoke
When we decided to tint the windows on this car we decided we wanted to keep the car within the law, and with the front drivers/passengers windows already having factory tinted glass (like all modern cars), this meant that we were unable to use any further window tint on them, because even the lightest tint would take the windows below the permitted visible light levels prescribed limits for the UK roads.
Even though you can tint the windows as dark as you like behind the driver and front passenger B-pillars, we decided to go for light smoke, so that when driving with the front windows down, and only the glass around the rear of the car would be showing, we wanted it to look like it was dark factory tinted glass, rather than obviously being tinted windows, as this might make people think it is more likely to be a genuine VW Golf GTI to the untrained eye!
The windows were tinted using 'Defender' window tint film, which we obtained from the local car parts/accessories shop.
Window tinting is not too difficult with a lot of practice! The flatter side windows can be cut to size easily on the outside of the car windows prior to transferring inside (before removing the protective film and applying the tint).
All stages require lots of water (with a couple of drops of wash-up) spraying on the windows, so if you can remove any of the interior trim beforehand then this is always advised!
Windows that wind up/down are best removed before applying window tint so that you can get the tint right up to the edge of the glass for a much better finish and longer lasting product.
The difficulty though as always is when it comes to applying window tint to the rear window, these are usually curved in such a way that it is normally impossible to try & tint a rear window in 1 single piece, and often several strips will be needed!
With the MK2 golf we had found that we could use just 2 wide strips, without too much difficulty!
Using a heat appliance to help set the window tint to the window was a great help in being able to use just two strips, but you must be extremely careful if you are doing so, because electricity and water do not mix! & so this just adds to the difficulty.
We found that although we had done a mk2 golf using shop bought window tint in a single piece before, that doing this mk2 rear window in two pieces was far easier and gave a better finished result.
As always preparation of the car & windows beforehand is the key to an easier and more successful window tinting session! Also an extra pair of hands are always useful when it comes to the times when you need to peel off the backing film and initially applying each sheet of window tint!
Have Fun!
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Before: 1991 VW Golf Mk2 with factory tinted glass.
Before: Side View
Before: Another before pic.
Before: Rear pic.
Before: rear quarter pic, with standard glass
Before: Just giving you a good idea of what the windows looked like beforehand!
The first piece of tint has been added to the rear window.
(The badges have been painted black to match the car).
(The rear light clusters and side indicators had also been taken out, and tinted with smoke paint, and put back in.)
The second and final piece of tint has been added to the rear window.
with the car still being half in the garage and all the light shinning through the car it is difficult to see the tint in this photo!
Now the car has had the rear side windows tinted and the car has been moved out of the garage, it is starting to become a little more obvious.
After: Here it is, with the light smoke window tint applied to the three rear windows, hope you like the pics!
After: Side view
After: another view.
(The rear light clusters are not as dark as we would of wanted, but it is easy to rectify this, and we will spray them again another time! This is better than spraying them too dark to begin with, because then you have to clean off the paint with special cleaners and then start again from the beginning!)
After: Rear pic!
After: Rear pic!
After: rear quarter pic, with light smoke tinted windows at rear.
After: Here's the other side. Those smoked side indicators and tinted windows working very well together.
After: from this angle it almost looks like the driver's door window has been tinted, but it's just the view into the back of the car is now darker than it was before!
After: The all important front view!
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