BRZ Headlight Black Out
 

Has anyone been able to take apart their BRZ headlights and black out the housing? I saw the DIY for the FRS headlights but I couldn't find any info on the BRZ ones. Essentially the process of baking and disassembling would be the same I assume. I just wasn't sure how to handle the boomerang or if the internal structure was different. Hoping to be able to do this soon after seeing this:

http://i42.tinypic.com/21vnn6.jpg:wub:

@Jive Turkey did it, I believe.

https://sphotos-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/h...78824985_n.jpg

It's essentially the same way with the FRS. However its more than just 2 pieces like the FRS is. We're talking 3-4 pieces you are looking to paint. The boomerang light comes off. Just make sure you don't lose the screws because there are ALOT of screws holding it together.

Isn't the brz light dark enough lol

Looks nice.
Random question. On the BRZ, what is the function of the small lamp just above the fog light?

that would be the LED DRLs. I believe when the car first came out this was an option in some countries. but in the US & some countries you need DRLs so they just gave it to everybody.

Thanks, I thought that was the case.

Exactly.

Plus I thought they came blacked out anyways?

I'd definitely be interested in blacking out the chrome parts of the headlights, but I will likely pay a pro to do it. When comes to baking parts of my car, I get a little bit uncomfortable. On a side not, is it legal in texas to have front turn signals that are the same color as the low beams?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

A majority of the housing is already blacked out... I don't see the point.

http://www.1stsubaruparts.com/catalo..._headlight.jpg

These look really nice. I definitely need to see them in person! Are you going to 468's meet in a couple of weeks?

Yup I'm sponsored by 468Power so I'll definitely be there :)

If you're anti-chrome, it's a nice touch. Especially on an all-black car.

One of those things that you notice, but you can't really place what's different about it right away.

It's just too bad about that front plate though.

i hate chrome. pretty sure i was the first to do this. here is my small write up. duplicolor shadow for blinkers, flat black engine enamel for chrome but can use any other paint you want.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8057/8...70840320_b.jpg

these are the major two pieces of the headlight.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/8...5610a721_b.jpg

i hit the blinkers with this:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7133/8...dacfb533_b.jpg

that way they are black but still maintain the reflective ability like stock.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7132/8...38c71814_b.jpg

masked off so that the rest remains gloss black while all the chrome was painted with flat black enamel.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/8...cdb8c935_b.jpg

these are the led's split with the cover. as you can see all you need to paint is the cover. also anyone who wanted could now overlay the LED strip in any color they would like, might be kind of cool but i decided to keep it clear.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8339/8...70d993b6_b.jpg

and presto!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8487/8...1e45ed94_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7252/8...81405fe7_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8485/8...9c3f2aa7_b.jpg

Today:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/9...7d51d917_b.jpg

I still need to see your car in real life. @p00mba's been raving about it. Are you going to the 468Power meet and greet on 9/21?

no idea what that meet is/where. :lol:

sure?

Well that turned out awesome, seriously awesome idea with the Shadow chrome

How is the light output, be honest..

Nick C.

light output? uh, the same? the BRZ is bixenon so i never touched the projector so no light output was affected.

the blinker reflector though (which was painted with black chrome) is still easily visible during the day.

Did you once own a Evo and a member in DYC forums? Lol if not I have you confused for someone else lol

I'm sure he meant the blinker light output.. :thumbup:

Also, is there a way to the led on the "boomerang" I ask because I'd like to swap out the led with some brighter SMD chips if possible, they guy I'm doing the demon eye and painting has mentioned that the led is not all that bright.. I doubt I could get morimoto XBaled halo bright, but if I can get some better brighter chips in there I'd love to..

Sweet jeebus it looks pretty

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

yeah, i'm sure you can make it brighter, the boomerang is a piece of glass/plastic with a few LED's behind it every little bit...i'm sure you can replace those LED's with brighter ones and it'll do the trick, i just dont know if you can take it apart without breaking it and ruining the boomerang, its very fragile.

Did another set yesterday

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps606d64cb.jpg
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...pseda3c5ef.jpg
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps8837c0f5.jpg

Did the typical satin black and black chrome turn signal.. He wanted them blacked out, but I just can't do that.. I have to have some kind of reflection

I am resurrecting this thread from the dead because I have a question. When disassembling the head light prior to throwing them in the oven, how far should I be able to dissassemble? I have a couple wires that I seem to not be able to remove prior to baking and I see some inaccessable circuit boards. Any tips for safely baking these guys?

I carefully took the hid ballasts all the way off and removed all bulbs prior to baking. The only thing I left together were parts inside the housing I couldn't get to. (BRZ)

Has anyone attempted to use the dupli color on their rims? Says you can but wondering how they would look.....Going to do my headlights this weekend!

Those headlights.. *drool

I would pay someone to do that..

I've done this 4 times now on BRZ , and basically just remove from car. Once removed from car, ready to bake! No need to remove anything else.

One thing I recommend, when baking, put a couple 2x4 pieces of wood to set lights on. Then no chance of plastic touching metal oven pieces and melting.

I used a silicone baking mat for my prelude, plan to use the same thing for my BRZ. Don't need the grill marks :D

You don't need brighter leds to get brighter boomerangs. The ones that are there are very underdriven. There is a thread on what to do to make them full power (some soldering and adding a heatsink). It is a good thing to do while you have the headlight apart to black it out.

Hey toast, what setting were you born on? Like crunchy 6 on the toaster or like blackened 9? Lol

Why in the frickle frackle would they under drive the LED's from factory? Because they didnt want to have to deal with that heatsink you have to add?

yeah that comment was made almost 2 years ago...that kind of info wasn't around yet. LOL

I wasn't criticizing, just point something out since this thread has been revived lately.

The stock leds are underdriven because the heat generated can be handled simply by the circuit board itself. Driving them at full strength requires changing the power pathways and added a pretty good sized heatsink.

I'm doing mine for my BRZ and I'm curious how far I should take it apart. What did you guys remove on your headlight prior to baking?

And at what temperature did you bake it at and for how long?

Any help would be awesome! Thanks everyone!

Anyone interested in trading your stock brz headlights for my professionally painted black ones? Im thinking of getting rid of my car soon.

Looks yummy as f
Comments on light output tho...
Legal but more importantly safety concerns.

Here is my before/after.

I ended up going with 6-7 coats of the VHT engine enamel, sprayed in 10 minute coats and dried under a heating lamp. Let sit for 24 hrs.

https://i.imgur.com/0gcZcBi.jpg

BRZ uses HIDs with projector housings, FRS is halogens. Light output is not affected at all on BRZs.

in that last pic, the turn signal output is affected...

I've actually noticed no negligible light output degradation from the fogs, even using stock bulbs.

I used the directions on the second page with the black chrome paint and they still retain more than acceptable reflection.

I was actually thinking of switching to LED amber turn signals because I feared the output would be less, but it's been perfect as of now.

As said in this thread, the BRZ uses a projector, so the light doesn't reflect off of the chrome housing - that stuff is just there for looks (besides the turn signal housing of course).