Justin00LS
Well-Known LVC Member
Smoke or get smoked...
new look...smoked headlights and bumper lights
- Thread starter Justin00LS
- Start date
mrfuzz
Active LVC Member
Looks very good. I like it :headbang:
same question, what did you use to smoke these headlights? did you tint them? if so, what type of film? I'm about to do mine in the rear, however the front ones I thought I could do as an eye lid. Yours look sweet!
Justin00LS
Well-Known LVC Member
I originally painted a fine mist of black paint on the amber lens and I did not like how it looked, so I scrapped those amber pieces for some new ones. I ended up painting the chrome bowls of the amber lens with gloss black spray paint.
dubcity ls
LVC Member
they do also make spray tint for taillights. it works pretty good. its just a translucent paint.
MMAFIGHTER121
Dedicated LVC Member
didn't you make the LED sidemarkers? are those new clear ones?
Justin00LS
Well-Known LVC Member
yup, I sure did. The clear ones will be LED as well once I get my super bright amber LEDs in the mail
MMAFIGHTER121
Dedicated LVC Member
THAT i will be looking forward too. LEDs behind a smoked lense? or is that a clear side lense?
Justin00LS
Well-Known LVC Member
Although they look somewhat clear, the bumper lights are the "smoked" ones.
dubcity ls
LVC Member
ive used it on numerous vehicles and it always turned out :q:q:q:qty but the last vehicle i sprayed a coat of clear over top of it and it turned out great!
I have used that VHT night shade spray tint before. and i have mixed feelings. if you use it properly and treat it as if you were painting something ( wet sand, paint, sand, paint, clear, sand, compounds, compounds, plast-x, then wax, ect.) then the results are pretty good. but it definitly has the potential to look like crap.
rickztahone
Dedicated LVC Member
Love the look...
:headbang: :headbang:
on the second pic; did you every consider smoking the side marker to match the tinted headlight one?
rickztahone
Dedicated LVC Member
for some reason the second pic didn't come up, but i'm sure you know which one i was talking about
SPSully
Dedicated LVC Member
you need to stop using VHT. go to the model/hoby store and buy model paint in translucent black or tint. Then wetsend your lights with about 1000. Clean them off with alcohol or windex. Spray one very lightly misted coat on each of the lights. by the time you are done all four of ours it'll be tacky enough to put a coat that covers them all the way. Let dry for atleast an hour. Wet sand with 2000 grit. Clean really well like before. Repeat this for a total of three coats. when you done this a third time, you have to do the same thing as you did with the tint, with clear coat. After your are done with the clear coat, use a polishing (not rubbing) compound and buff to a glossy shine!
I've seen some of the members on here's idea of glossy shine so I'll just say make it match your cars paint shine
JWerner2
Dedicated LVC Member
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Hey Rick, yes I have thought about it and since that pic I have done it but the reflector on the lens is less transparent/clear ( its more cloudy I guess you could say ) and has more of the reflective pyramids so it really still looks factory unless you look at it in the right angle.
NHLS the problem I found with the stuff from the Hobby shop is that it is still to thin so when you spray on a coat it has to be somewhat heavy unless you are looking for a real black look That stuff is not good to use if you want just a stage of smoke.
NHLS the problem I found with the stuff from the Hobby shop is that it is still to thin so when you spray on a coat it has to be somewhat heavy unless you are looking for a real black look That stuff is not good to use if you want just a stage of smoke.
Lucky_Ls
Dedicated LVC Member
WOW! Very nice look!!!
SPSully
Dedicated LVC Member
I've gotten pretty good with it. I did a friends tC tails to match the charcoalish color..... not all that black a tint. the other thing is if you have an airbrush or a paint sprayer, you can use the brush on stuff and they have different translucent colors. so you can use a grey or a silver
Eric0508
Well-Known LVC Member
Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but there's no reason to create a new thread when one already exists! Take that search function!
Anyways... I "smoked" the side markers this weekend.
Cost: about $10
Time: a couple hours
If you get frustrated easily, this may not be the mod for you.
The Sidemarkers come out pretty easy, just pry on the correct edge and out they pop. The most difficult part of this project is separating the orange outer lens from the gray plastic backing. Contrary to my first impression, they are not glued together but "vibration welded" To get them apart, you must cut along the edge on the orange side. Try not to cut the gray part and there is not that much to spare.
Once apart, you must sand the inner part of the gray backing. This is where i ran in to problems. Based on recommendations from other users, i was planning on using Testors "transparent black" model paint purchased from hobby lobby. After sanding for awhile with 1000 grit paper and taping, i was ready to paint. I'm not sure if was an error in my method, or in the can of paint itself, but i could not get it to stick and look good. It was blotchy and even after the second coat, looked like crap. Feeling frustrated, i said screw it and wiped it off. Keep in mind, this was some time after I had started the and the paint just wiped off no problem with paper towel.
After cleaning it some more with rubbing alcohol, I moved up to 400 grit sand paper and gave it a judicious sanding. This time, i hit it with some Duplicolor adhesion promoter and then followed up with Duplicolor High-Temp glossy black paint. Follow the instructions on the back of the can.
Giving the paint plenty of time to dry (read overnight) i proceeded to epoxy the two halves back together with Locktite plastic epoxy. Work fast as the curing time is only 7 min. or mix smaller batches and do them separately. When dry, simply pop the sidemarkers back in. Overall, i was pleased with the outcome.
Special thanks to JWerner2 and SPSully. Pic follows.
Anyways... I "smoked" the side markers this weekend.
Cost: about $10
Time: a couple hours
If you get frustrated easily, this may not be the mod for you.
The Sidemarkers come out pretty easy, just pry on the correct edge and out they pop. The most difficult part of this project is separating the orange outer lens from the gray plastic backing. Contrary to my first impression, they are not glued together but "vibration welded" To get them apart, you must cut along the edge on the orange side. Try not to cut the gray part and there is not that much to spare.
Once apart, you must sand the inner part of the gray backing. This is where i ran in to problems. Based on recommendations from other users, i was planning on using Testors "transparent black" model paint purchased from hobby lobby. After sanding for awhile with 1000 grit paper and taping, i was ready to paint. I'm not sure if was an error in my method, or in the can of paint itself, but i could not get it to stick and look good. It was blotchy and even after the second coat, looked like crap. Feeling frustrated, i said screw it and wiped it off. Keep in mind, this was some time after I had started the and the paint just wiped off no problem with paper towel.
After cleaning it some more with rubbing alcohol, I moved up to 400 grit sand paper and gave it a judicious sanding. This time, i hit it with some Duplicolor adhesion promoter and then followed up with Duplicolor High-Temp glossy black paint. Follow the instructions on the back of the can.
Giving the paint plenty of time to dry (read overnight) i proceeded to epoxy the two halves back together with Locktite plastic epoxy. Work fast as the curing time is only 7 min. or mix smaller batches and do them separately. When dry, simply pop the sidemarkers back in. Overall, i was pleased with the outcome.
Special thanks to JWerner2 and SPSully. Pic follows.