poppy444
06-27-2003, 01:15 PM
Tinting your lamps/anything clear plactic.
I have received numerous E-mails regaurding my yellow lights. How did you do it?? Well I decided to put it in a step by step procedure so you can do it too.
HEADLAMPS NOTE: Remember that there are usually very strict laws regaurding the colors you can use leagly on a motor vehicle’s lights(headlamps). Check local and state laws before you attempt this.
This is a permanent application and once completed can NOT be removed. I strongly suggest getting clear headlight covers and tinting them rather than tinting your actual head lamps. Covers cost $20 a pair on average, headlamps are a WHOLE lot MORE. You do the math.
This procedure can also be used to tint any clear plastic. I have cleared and tinted my Climate control dials ( red ) and all my window and lock switches ( yellow ). Looks awesome. You can have any color you want and you don’t have to mess with LEDs. One potential use is to tint the gauge pod lense lets say clear blue and install white gauge over lays. Making a cool blue Gauge pod.
Haven’t seen that yet..Think I’ll try it. But anyway….
I am not responsibe for any problems which may result from any person or group attempting to perform the following operation. If you want it done I can do it for you, but it is going to cost you depending on the lamps and colors.
The procedure is as follows:
1. Go to a body shop and ask for a busted headlight. (You’ll need it to practice on.)
2. Go to a hobby shop. Ask if they have clear paints (preferably ENAMELs). Ask for yellow or what ever color you want.
I wasn’t able to find any in enamel but they did have acrylic.
3. Figure out the required mixture for the color you want.
Acrlyics are water based so you have to mix it with enamel.
Always at least 75% or higher enam to 25% or less clear acrylic.
If you can find the clear color you want in enamel just make sure to check that it doesn’t “MILK OUT” when mixed with your plain clear enamel. There are realy no specific proportions to mix enam with enam.
Make sense?
4. Figure out your spraying technique and get it down pat using the practice headlight. (This is crucial to make your tint job look good and consistant on all the lights.)
5. Now its time for the real deal. Start by removing tour reverse lights OR your fog lights.
6. Clean them with a chemical wax and grease remover.
7. Scuff them using 1000 grit or higher wet sand paper making sure to tape off the bulb socket so no ultra fine sand dust or water gets inside.
8. Dry thoroughly
9. Tape up all holes and bulb sockets.
10. Clean them with a chemical wax and grease remover….again
11. Spray on the mixture you prepared using your spraying technique.
I used a 80:20 mix of enamel to clear yellow acrylic
I used my pasche air brush to apply 3 “even” and “covering” coats of the above mix.
12. After the desired look is obtained, let them dry down for about ½ and hour to an hour.
13. Then spray 3 coats of high quality industrial automotive clear coat enamel on the top.
to seal in the acrylic. In applications other than external lamps you can use the same clear used to make color mixture, just don’t put any color in it..
14. Let them dry for at least two days.
15. Put them back in to see if it was what I really wanted to do. (replcing the fogs is a hell of a lot cheaper then replacing the headlamps.)
16. Then do the same thing to the rest. Make sure you give them pleanty of time to dry before reinstalling them.
The only thing I would suggest is that you find clear covers for your headlamps and just tint the covers.
I wish I would have done that.
My reverse lamps are still perfect.
The fogs are chipped up bad from road debris
The head lamps are are still solid but slightly faded and milking ever so slightly. You probably wouldn’t notice it but the trained eye can.
So put it on some clear covers ($40 a pair) and not your headlamps ($200ech).
I wish I had a digital so I could show my inner lights.
Hope this gives you and idea of what it takes.
I have received numerous E-mails regaurding my yellow lights. How did you do it?? Well I decided to put it in a step by step procedure so you can do it too.
HEADLAMPS NOTE: Remember that there are usually very strict laws regaurding the colors you can use leagly on a motor vehicle’s lights(headlamps). Check local and state laws before you attempt this.
This is a permanent application and once completed can NOT be removed. I strongly suggest getting clear headlight covers and tinting them rather than tinting your actual head lamps. Covers cost $20 a pair on average, headlamps are a WHOLE lot MORE. You do the math.
This procedure can also be used to tint any clear plastic. I have cleared and tinted my Climate control dials ( red ) and all my window and lock switches ( yellow ). Looks awesome. You can have any color you want and you don’t have to mess with LEDs. One potential use is to tint the gauge pod lense lets say clear blue and install white gauge over lays. Making a cool blue Gauge pod.
Haven’t seen that yet..Think I’ll try it. But anyway….
I am not responsibe for any problems which may result from any person or group attempting to perform the following operation. If you want it done I can do it for you, but it is going to cost you depending on the lamps and colors.
The procedure is as follows:
1. Go to a body shop and ask for a busted headlight. (You’ll need it to practice on.)
2. Go to a hobby shop. Ask if they have clear paints (preferably ENAMELs). Ask for yellow or what ever color you want.
I wasn’t able to find any in enamel but they did have acrylic.
3. Figure out the required mixture for the color you want.
Acrlyics are water based so you have to mix it with enamel.
Always at least 75% or higher enam to 25% or less clear acrylic.
If you can find the clear color you want in enamel just make sure to check that it doesn’t “MILK OUT” when mixed with your plain clear enamel. There are realy no specific proportions to mix enam with enam.
Make sense?
4. Figure out your spraying technique and get it down pat using the practice headlight. (This is crucial to make your tint job look good and consistant on all the lights.)
5. Now its time for the real deal. Start by removing tour reverse lights OR your fog lights.
6. Clean them with a chemical wax and grease remover.
7. Scuff them using 1000 grit or higher wet sand paper making sure to tape off the bulb socket so no ultra fine sand dust or water gets inside.
8. Dry thoroughly
9. Tape up all holes and bulb sockets.
10. Clean them with a chemical wax and grease remover….again
11. Spray on the mixture you prepared using your spraying technique.
I used a 80:20 mix of enamel to clear yellow acrylic
I used my pasche air brush to apply 3 “even” and “covering” coats of the above mix.
12. After the desired look is obtained, let them dry down for about ½ and hour to an hour.
13. Then spray 3 coats of high quality industrial automotive clear coat enamel on the top.
to seal in the acrylic. In applications other than external lamps you can use the same clear used to make color mixture, just don’t put any color in it..
14. Let them dry for at least two days.
15. Put them back in to see if it was what I really wanted to do. (replcing the fogs is a hell of a lot cheaper then replacing the headlamps.)
16. Then do the same thing to the rest. Make sure you give them pleanty of time to dry before reinstalling them.
The only thing I would suggest is that you find clear covers for your headlamps and just tint the covers.
I wish I would have done that.
My reverse lamps are still perfect.
The fogs are chipped up bad from road debris
The head lamps are are still solid but slightly faded and milking ever so slightly. You probably wouldn’t notice it but the trained eye can.
So put it on some clear covers ($40 a pair) and not your headlamps ($200ech).
I wish I had a digital so I could show my inner lights.
Hope this gives you and idea of what it takes.