DeLorean Window Tinting Advice

[Patrick C]

Who all has tinted windows? I just ordered two new toll booths to replace my scratched ones and will make sure to cushion the inside of the door to prevent further scratching.

I figure the shop will have an easier time doing the tinting with the toll booths uninstalled. Any other tips/precautions are welcome!

[painterdave72]

I have limo tint on my car.. yeah just have the shop tint them out of the car.. any other questions about tint?? lol....

[Patrick C]

Any pics of the limo tint? I'm thinking of going the same route.

[Fluxat88MPH]

Any pics of the limo tint? I'm thinking of going the same route.

That legal up there Patrick?

[sean]

I had the door windows done, the qt panel windows and a strip about 6 inches wide on the windshield done. Decided against having the rear window done since the qtr panel glass tint did a good job of keeping things shaded.

[Morpheus]

On my first D, I had 5% all around. This made it really tough to see @ night, especially through the back (5% on back window + 5% on rear quarters = dark as shit).

With this car, I'm probably only going with 15% all around... Still plenty dark, but shouldn't be as bad @ night.

[Grover]

I got Ceramic Tint, expensive but it blocks out the same amount of heat as 15%, and you cant even tell its on. I had all the glass done, windshield included. You cant even tell its there. It is amazing to have the heat of the sun on you and then close the toll booth window or door, immediately there is no more heat.

It works great and no one will bother you about have blacked out windows.

[Patrick C]

I could go for 15%. I like the idea of chromed rims, black side stripe, and black windows. Sexy.

I don't plan on tinting the rear window, only the quarter panel windows, door windows, toll booths, and top of the front windshield.

[Farrar]

black side stripe, and black windows

IMO the tinted windows make the black side stripe look a lot more congruent with the rest of the car. It's part of the reason I went with the strip on mine.

I don't know what percentage tint I have but I can snap a pic if you want.

Farrar

[stevedmc]

IMO the tinted windows make the black side stripe look a lot more congruent with the rest of the car. It's part of the reason I went with the strip on mine.

I don't know what percentage tint I have but I can snap a pic if you want.

Farrar

Just out of curiosity did you have your windows tinted or was the car like that when you got it? I am thinking about getting some tint work and am trying to decide where to go.

[Farrar]

Just out of curiosity did you have your windows tinted or was the car like that when you got it? I am thinking about getting some tint work and am trying to decide where to go.

It was already on when I bought the car.

Farrar

[Iznodmad]

I have both of my DeLoreans tinted. Legal tint here in North Carolina is 35%, so that is what I have. I had talked to many local tinting places locally over the past several years and found nobody that would touch a DeLorean, or they wanted me to remove the interior panels, and do the work for them while they charge me top dollar.

They were both tinted last year by a local company that specializes in high end cars, exotics, etc. They did my windows and stereo systems in both cars. For tint, I only did the door windows, toll booth windows, and rear window. I personally felt there was no need to tint the rear quarter panel windows. I didn't do it so much for the look, I did it to protect the interior and keep it cooler.

For me, it wasn't the decision to tint........it was finding someone whom I trusted and would do it right. I have finally found that place for tinting and stereo work.

[jawn101]

Does anyone have any pics of their tint? This is something I've seriously considered but am not sure how it would look.

[20098]

I would love to see some pictures as well.

I am going to be replacing my felt strips with the dew wipes posted in another thread. Once they are finished, I'm interested in getting the windows tinted. However, I'd like to see what has been done to figure out what percentage of tint looks the best to me. I like the ceramic tint idea. Pictures...please!

Thanks in advance.

[outatym2001]

I posted these pics of my DeLorean to the old DMC Talk.com site.
Now you are going to ask about cost. I had it done at a business called Dark Side Glass Coating
13758 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125
Name on outside of business is The Darkside.
I removed the upper vinyl door panels before I dropped off my car even though I didn’t have to.
On January 28, 2003 I had both doors and both rear exterior quarter windows done at a cost of $201.28 with state sales tax.
Then on April 15, 2006 I had the rear window above the parcel shelf done with a tint that is darker than the exterior side windows and cost was $92.48 with state sales tax.
The window film has a lifetime warranty and it’s called Onyx made by Madico.
http://www.madico.com/window-film/automotive/

[jawn101]

I posted these pics of my DeLorean to the old DMC Talk.com site.
Now you are going to ask about cost. I had it done at a business called Dark Side Glass Coating
13758 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125
Name on outside of business is The Darkside.
I removed the upper vinyl door panels before I dropped off my car even though I didn’t have to.
On January 28, 2003 I had both doors and both rear exterior quarter windows done at a cost of $201.28 with state sales tax.
Then on April 15, 2006 I had the rear window above the parcel shelf done with a tint that is darker than the exterior side windows and cost was $92.48 with state sales tax.
The window film has a lifetime warranty and it’s called Onyx made by Madico.
http://www.madico.com/window-film/automotive/

Those pics are great, Mark. Thanks a lot. And the price is pretty reasonable too! Did they have to remove the drop glass to do it?

[outatym2001]

Those pics are great, Mark. Thanks a lot. And the price is pretty reasonable too! Did they have to remove the drop glass to do it?

If you mean by drop glass (the toll booth window) no they did not remove them.
But, that reminds me I believe I also removed the Support Bracket Lower part number 108318, 108319 on page 8/7/1 of the Parts Manual. I then put a cotton towel between the Toll Booth Window and the interior stainless steel door to act as a support after removing the Support Bracket Lower.
The removing of the Support Bracket (which has black felt attached) may have been necessary to access the lower edge of the Toll Booth Window.
I didn’t want anything to interfere with installing the window tint.
When they put tint on the back window above the parcel shelf I might have removed the passenger seat and put down a thick blanket to have something to kneel down on. Inside the D the ceiling is low and the seats get in the way.

[dvonk]

hm, i like the idea of silvered windows a silver car... do you have photos of the whole car?

[20098]

Thanks for the pictures. The tinting looks great.

Regards,
- Josh

[DMC5180]

I'd like to do tint someday. That Ceramic stuff sounds interesting (Excellent IR protection without reduced visibility). My biggest issue with tint is the fact that every car I've ever seen it done too had random air bubbles visible and looked like Sh*&!

[Grover]

I'll post some pics of the ceramic tint soon ( prob next weekend). I get a lot of questions from other owners as it looks slightly darker than stock yet blocks out a ton of heat and does not reduce and vision at night

[Farrar]

Mine looks fine with the tint. No bubbles, no discoloration. Just dark.

9047

[outatym2001]

Please remember these pictures of my tinted windows are in bright sunlight so they will appear hardly tinted at all. For the side windows I had to go with the legal tint level of 35. Any darker then it would not be legal in Washington State.
The tint is also seventeen percent silvered. Therefore depending how the sun light hits the glass it will appear more or less silver.
I would have liked a very heavy silvered mirror tint the kind that is difficult to see through but that would be illegal. Maybe not so in places like Arizona but I don’t know.

[Notifier]

I am also thinking about getting my windows tinted, after reading through these post some concerns and questions:

- Is it absolutely necessary to remove panels, parts, seats, or whatever in order to have the windows tinted? I've had two other vehicles tinted and never remember them removing any parts to get the tinting done.

- Has anyone been charged an extra fee because of the DeLorean being "exotic"?

- Two things that have me worried are someone leaning or sitting on the center console to tint the back window or worst yet, someone leaning on the engine cover and damaging it to tint the rear pontoon windows. Any thoughts to help avoid this other then take plenty of interior pictures before in case they break something?

[jawn101]

I am also thinking about getting my windows tinted, after reading through these post some concerns and questions:

- Is it absolutely necessary to remove panels, parts, seats, or whatever in order to have the windows tinted? I've had two other vehicles tinted and never remember them removing any parts to get the tinting done.

- Has anyone been charged an extra fee because of the DeLorean being "exotic"?

- Two things that have me worried are someone leaning or sitting on the center console to tint the back window or worst yet, someone leaning on the engine cover and damaging it to tint the rear pontoon windows. Any thoughts to help avoid this other then take plenty of interior pictures before in case they break something?

That's a big +1 here - I would *HATE* to let anyone else work on this car. I didn't even want to let the tire shop bring it into the bay to mount and balance the tires, something that I couldn't do even if I tried. I guess the trick is to find a trusted or knowledgable shop that's run by people used to working with exotics or classics - someone who will take your instructions to heart if you say "don't sit here" and "don't lean there"

[Maritime-elf]

I know I am resurrecting an old thread, but, I am thinking about tinting my windows. I was thinking about doing a silver tint. Has any one done anything similar? I know it is probably over the legal limit but that’s the least of my concerns.

Window Film One Way Mirror Film Daytime Privacy Static Non-Adhesive Decorative Heat Control Anti UV Window Tint for Home and Office, Silver 23.6" x 78.7"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075GY66SW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_fs5qCb528R0JQ

[Rich]

I know I am resurrecting an old thread, but, I am thinking about tinting my windows. I was thinking about doing a silver tint. Has any one done anything similar? I know it is probably over the legal limit but that’s the least of my concerns.

Window Film One Way Mirror Film Daytime Privacy Static Non-Adhesive Decorative Heat Control Anti UV Window Tint for Home and Office, Silver 23.6" x 78.7"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075GY66SW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_fs5qCb528R0JQ

First a comment: The film you point to says it's for Home and Office; does not point to its use for vehicles. It doesn't mean it can't be used on a car, however.

There are a few problems with the window film flavor you propose using, mostly having to do with the fact that it's a vinyl (PVC) film. "No glue:This removable solar window film is made from PVC"
- It will have no adhesive layer that keeps it permanently stuck to the glass. PVC films are cling-type, kind of like the peel-off oil change stickers that go onto the inside of the windshield
- The film flatness may be poor. If it is then your view of objects through the filmed glass might be kind of wavy.
- They can be prone to scratching damage unlike normal PET-based films which have a thin hardcoat layer on the outer surface.

One upside with these films is that they are very easily removed from the glass. Another is that you don't need any spray solution to apply them.

There are a number of decent PET-based aftermarket auto films you can get from auto parts stores or film dealers. Gila, Madico, 3M all make competitive products designed for DIY car window tinting.

[dn010]

Here in Florida the legal limit on tint is 28%. This number represents not only what tint you're applying, but also includes whatever % factory tint was done to the glass that the tint is going on. I didn't care about this number so late last year I tinted my D windows using 5% heat/glare control Gila tint while I had the divider channels and drop glass out to fix leaks. The tint looked great, did a great job at cutting the heat down and I also liked the extra privacy. After many unanticipated nights driving with this 5% tint applied, I tore it off and put 35% back on it. With the 5%, it was impossible to see out of the car at night. I had to put both windows down to help. 15% or 20% might be a different story but I didn't want to be experimenting with numerous tints to find the best and since I had 35% tint on the car for the past 16 years, I knew it worked at night so I put it back on.

You can look up the pros/cons of using 'static cling' over low tack adhesive tints. Back when I was researching this, a few things that turned me off is the fact that static cling isn't good for high humidity areas and also does not stay stuck to the glass for a long time. 16 years low tack adhesive tint was stuck to my windows with no bubbling etc issues, I only re-tinted it because of the damage caused by drop down window removal and divider removal.

If you do decide to go the Gila roll route, you'll need two rolls as long as something doesn't go wrong and you need a third+ roll to fix a mistake. One roll per side will cost you about $40 total. The fixed glass is too long to get both with one roll. For the drop glass, you can either use the excess off the side of a roll you cut or the excess from the bottom of the roll when you cut the shape of the fixed glass. The drop window glass *can* be applied without removal, but I always seemed to screw it up somehow so I removed them to put the tint on. Luckily, with the drop glass, you'll have spare film for a second chance on each if something goes wrong.

I'd suggest removing the headliner and all trim pieces around the glass so you can cut it and apply it properly. I start by measuring the window, cutting the tint from the measurements, applying the tint to the window with the soap spray WITHOUT removing the protective film! Then trim the tint down to the shape of the window (the divider will be a challenge, I don't cut it down all the way and leave about 1" extra here). Remove the tint, clean the spray off the tint, clean up the windows, remove the corner portion of the protective film on the tint where the top, back of the window is and begin applying it from the back to the front. Working out the bubbles while cutting the tint at the divider is....extremely fun.