FINALLY joined the red tail light crew (my project inside)
 

I've been wanting to do this for awhile. LOVE how the red looks and I fully agree that this is how it should have come from the factory. Anyway, I can't get them on until tomorrow as they are still wet, but here you go.....

My day
The paint:
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps9860f145.jpg
The test of color
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...psa3043c96.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps568a4e8e.jpg

The "work shop":
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps8852f19b.jpg

The project:
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...pscff3c60b.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps001ccb37.jpg

All painted. They look pretty damn good even without a gloss.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps06d52a82.jpg

Time for clear. I went a little different rout. I learned this "trick" a couple years ago for headlights. What I like about it is that it can be built up and it buffs out REALLY well. Mix 50% gloss wood clear with 50% mineral spirits to thin it out. It basically self levels. You have to "work" it more than a traditional spray paint clear, but I am happy with the results.

Clear prep
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps9f93eade.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...pse05da10a.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...psa6040670.jpg
"applicator" (the light in the background is finished. I was getting ready for the second)
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps1fab5edf.jpg

You can see the difference between "cleared" and "uncleared"
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps44f4accf.jpg

And DONE!!!!
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps220176a2.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...pse9baaa0f.jpg

Gonna let everything dry overnight and install the lights at some point tomorrow. I will do my best to get pictures soon. I won't buff them for a couple weeks so the clear is good and hard.

Edit: Found out that I can buff after 24 hours! Thank goodness!! Gonna buff in the next couple days as I get time

great job.

glad to see someone take another route vs the VHT

Damn man that looks epic. Going to do this now.

Would be awesome to blank out a section for the reflectors... get a similar effect to the Grazio's

Looks nice!! I'm going to do mine soon when I have the time, did you wet sand the red at all?

Funny how tuners used to buy clear lenses to replace the oem red lenses and now that they give us clear lenses, we paint them red! LOL

realllllly should have sanded those lights prior. the chemical bond is very poor, really needs a mechanical bite for proper adhesion

good job...they looks awesome.

Great job, i used metal cast on mine as well. i was very pleased. how many coats did you put on there?

hahahaha always gotta change something

looks great man!

Thanks for all the compliments! It turned out okay! I'm a huge perfectionist, so I see a little room for improvement. I'm hoping it clears up a little more with a buff, but in all honesty, Metal Cast with a professionally done clear would be ideal, I think. Oh well, you live, you learn. It is just slightly off from being completely clear because of the texture of the clear.

@Sanka86, I used 4 coats. Unfortunately, the big chrome piece at the top almost makes the top looks pink, so I was trying to darken it up a bit more.

@spitfire481, I thought about sanding, but the directions on the paint said nothing about it. The paint is designed to adhere to chrome, so I figured I would be fine. Worse case, I just sand it, repaint and re-clear....this time, I will do a professional clear to get it perfect.

All in all, I'm happy. I took these pictures, quickly so sorry for the quality (tilt). I tried to show the "texture" I was talking about as well as getting

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...psaeb7b9f9.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps31b2ea57.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...psd5a8d639.jpg
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...ps748b3789.jpg

FINAL PICS IN POST #29

Great look awesome way to stand out the whiteness!!

Thanks! I'm happy with the color! The thing I was worried about was whether it would be dark enough or not. It is PERFECT!

I did not wet sand. I'm going to wet sand and buff the final clear in a week or so. It's ROUGH right now, but that should smooth it out nicely. :thumbsup:

I want to do this exactly like OP, but i want to black my taillights out. Can anybody recommend me some products for the black spray as well as clear coat?

@Sanka86, I used 4 coats. Unfortunately, the big chrome piece at the top almost makes the top looks pink, so I was trying to darken it up a bit more.

yeah that is what i went through also, i ended up going 3 light coats and 2 heavy coats, and 3 coats of clear.

in response to the wet sanding before painting, does that dull out the lens a bit?

Yes. I am going to buff them tonight or in the morning. We will find out how it ends up. It'll clear up a touch, but i don't imagine much more than now

This is how the tails should have come stock...let the old school ricers swap out to altezza/chrome tails if they want to, not the other way around!

U listenin' Toyota/Subaru?

personally i like the stock tails better but you did a fantastic job on yours

Thank you! Even in stock form they are definitely not the worst tails I've seen. I appreciate the compliment! :happy0180:

From the reading I've done, it seems clear is the most important other than prep. Nightshade might be your best bet for black. Then I would do a professional clear.

I keep mentioning a professional clear simply because of the ability it has to get a "factory" looking gloss. This looks great and if you don't care about them looking quite factory, then its' good and costs about $40. Someone will really have to look to notice that they aren't factory and with the looks these cars get, I would venture to say it'll just be FRS owners that notice since they've seen them a 1000 times. I personally want the car to look like it rolled off the line with red lights. All in all, I'm happy, but I will probably pull them off, sand them and reclear them at a body shop. What can I say, I'm picky. :bonk:

@suaveflooder , some of us are waiting for pic to be post..

Can you buy the dupli color brand paint at Home depot or lowe's? I wanted to do this project this sunday, dont want to wait for shipping haha. It seems like lowe's and HD only have that rust o matic brand. Anyone have any experience their "tint shade"? Says its for blacking out lights.

Lol! I started polishing them and it was taking forever!!! Still a slight matte look that was bugging me. I will be picking them up here in 15 minutes. I took them to a local body shop for clear. He said that I can pick them up in an hour. I'll post pics here in a few. For those who just want something that looks good that no one will notice, clear yourself. For people who are overly picky like me, a body shop is in order.

Looks awesome. I might do it too.. when I get tired of stock look.

You might want to invest couple of bucks for tag frames. Don't give any chance to put a scratch on your paint!

Teaser
Attachment 37466

Gotta head to work. I'll post pics tomorrow. I didn't even think that some shops won't touch small jobs like this. Had one tell me they weren't interested. Found a shop called Benny's auto body here in San Diego! Great price and great work! For the San Diegans, i highly recommend them!

Okay, last post before i go try and get pics of the whole car. Probably will be awhile but this should help. There are a couple things I'm not happy about but it's more an issue with the light itself (edge on the outside can collect stuff in it, and it has. Because the light is clear, you can see it. Oh well. I'm probably going to paint or vinyl just that small 1/4" strip to hide it.)

Anyway, here you go. Do a professional clear. Makes all the difference in the world

Attachment 37547
Attachment 37548
Attachment 37549
Attachment 37550
Brake lights
Attachment 37551
Flashers
Attachment 37552

So there you have it. A couple longs days that could have been over in 1 if i would have just paid to have the clear done in the first place

Looks great. Very impressed with your job. How dos the blinker look with the paint on?

Looks red. I never even changed the bulb :)

I see. Thanks for the quick reply. I wonder if installed with brighter amber colored LED bulbs, it would show more amber through the red housing. I personally like the "JDM" look of the red with bright amber blinkers.

A lot of people actually tape this area off. I personally like the all red look. The ones who tape to keep the amber still look pretty much like stock to me.

hey there man, great job - I bought some overlays to do this but I haven't done that yet -- I like this method also. good write up.

Awesome job!!

There is a headlight refinish kit from 3M which includes adapter for drill and sanding and buff and polish pads with rubbing and polishing compounds. I've had great success with this kit doing headlights for customers and also....to refinish minor body scuffs that haven't penetrated clear coat.

Then again, I've only used high speed orbit sander and high speed polisher tools, but I'm sure any good high speed drill for home use can get the job done. Big plus if you have compressed air and air tools at home though. Lol

So my worst fears have been releaized. Before I painted my taillights I had no condensation. After I paint them. And a high humidity day. I have it pretty bad. Do you think warranty will still cover the replacement of it?

Sand them back down 0:)

Warranty...no.

Did you install new gaskets? They are one time use.

Read this TSB for info on condensation in the lights: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...8&d=1369001533

You might just need new gaskets and retaining nuts.