Smoking or Redding BRZ/FR-S Tail Lights

[B-R-Z]

I just bought some duplicolor Metalcast red and a can of duplicolor acrylic enamel clear coat. I planned on doing my tails this sunday but now I'm unsure if my clear coat will look ok, Im thinking of doing a test on maybe a soda bottle or something. Also, isn't 2-3 coats of paint\clear plenty? Multiple cans of both paints seems like a lot. I've been reading that urethane is the better clear to go with for durablility and gloss. Can anyone else chime in that has used acrylic and lmk how the finish\durability is?

Here's the clear that I bought: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-DA1692-Crystal-General-Purpose/dp/B001DKPL14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378949769&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Dupli-Color DA1692 Crystal Clear General Purpose Acrylic Enamel - 12 oz.: Automotive[/ame]

[Scoobidude]

So I was doing mine with vht night shade and came out good. Went to the store to buy more clear cause I got a smudge and the clear coat I got completely screwed up the light now I'm in the process of sanding down the whole light and trying again

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[NYCsubaruBRZ]

i just did my tails in blue... they came out pretty good for my first tail light wrap. yes i did not paint them, i used blue window tint.

thanks for the step by step removal instructions.
you dont need to undo the zip tie thing, you can just pop it off the bolt that it sits on.

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

I just bought some duplicolor Metalcast red and a can of duplicolor acrylic enamel clear coat. I planned on doing my tails this sunday but now I'm unsure if my clear coat will look ok, Im thinking of doing a test on maybe a soda bottle or something. Also, isn't 2-3 coats of paint\clear plenty? Multiple cans of both paints seems like a lot. I've been reading that urethane is the better clear to go with for durablility and gloss. Can anyone else chime in that has used acrylic and lmk how the finish\durability is?

Here's the clear that I bought: Amazon.com: Dupli-Color DA1692 Crystal Clear General Purpose Acrylic Enamel - 12 oz.: Automotive

2k (aka 2 part -has a mixed in hardner-) urethane clear will always look better than any single part out of a rattle can. I spray lights all day and they look perfect with zero polishing. With a rattle can your going to have to spend a lot of time polishing the tailights to get the clear to shine.

Another benefit of doing automotive paint vs rattle can is by mixing the candy into the clear you can create more seamless finishes. If you do say one pass of VHT on a lense you will notice it is spotty until you have enough passes to make it solid. This is due to the way the rattle can dispenses the paint. You can do very light smoke no problem by just adding a few drops of black into your 2k automotive clearcoat.

To whomever posted about the clearcoat cracking the lens... that is simply because you are applying it too wet and the solvents in the car and soaking into the etched (sanded or scuffed) plastic eating away at them before it can dry. Counter it by making your first coats light!

As far as the question on prepping them. I find the best result it to FIRST clean them with dish soap/water followed by an automotive wax & grease remover. Normally we'd use the wax & grease remover after sanding them but some plastics used in tail-lights are really sensitive and will react to the cleaners. I then follow with a a through scuffing with a fine (gray) 3m scotch-brite pad. No need to use sand paper, can easily be done by hand. The scotch-brite is easy to hold and has some thickness making it easy to do contours and curves. After I scuff it I blow it off with an air gun and give it a final wipe with a tack cloth to remove any loose particles just before the first coat of paint.

Here is a comparison of non-prepped and prepped light. The haze is a visible indicator of tooth in the plastic or something for the paint to bite onto. LEAVE NO GLOSS/SHINE unless you want your paint to flake off...


When you start painting I wouldn't ever tell anyone to sand between coats on a candy. The ONLY reason you should be sanding between coats is if you messed up be it a run in the paint or a big chunk fell into the paint. Paint, lets flash (dry,) wipe with tack cloth to get any particles, and then go onto the next coat. When you get to clear, if your rattle canning do a couple light passes and then lay it on thick. If you mess up stop, let it fully dry sand out the defect and then scuff the entire lens before resuming with your clearcoat.

Here is an example of how light you can go with just candy+mixed into clearcoat...

(light red)


(even lighter!)


If anyone is interested in a set, I'll soon get my TOM's light installed and will smoke/red my old OEM ones and dump them cheap.

[xxscaxx]

Originally Posted by chanomatik

I'm tempted to mail mine to you and pay you to make them look like yours. hahaha But, I do like doing SOME projects myself, so I think I might tackle this myself. Maybe try to run to the store this weekend to pick up the supplies you listed. Thanks for this pic!

haha thanks man. I think you can handle it... if not, send em over

It was pretty cool to bring my car to get tinted and have the person tell me its the best set of tails he has seen on any brz/frs he's done, and he does a LOT of them. He was like "dude you should really offer this as a service online". lol

[phloozy]

Originally Posted by xxscaxx

haha thanks man. I think you can handle it... if not, send em over

It was pretty cool to bring my car to get tinted and have the person tell me its the best set of tails he has seen on any brz/frs he's done, and he does a LOT of them. He was like "dude you should really offer this as a service online". lol

Want to do mine? I'll drive to NY and pay you

[xxscaxx]

Originally Posted by phloozy

Want to do mine? I'll drive to NY and pay you

If you really wanted me to, sure lol. It will take a solid day though, need to let them dry and all that.

[phloozy]

Originally Posted by xxscaxx

If you really wanted me to, sure lol. It will take a solid day though, need to let them dry and all that.

I'll see if I can figure something out

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by Kiske

2k (aka 2 part -has a mixed in hardner-) urethane clear will always look better than any single part out of a rattle can. I spray lights all day and they look perfect with zero polishing. With a rattle can your going to have to spend a lot of time polishing the tailights to get the clear to shine.

Another benefit of doing automotive paint vs rattle can is by mixing the candy into the clear you can create more seamless finishes. If you do say one pass of VHT on a lense you will notice it is spotty until you have enough passes to make it solid. This is due to the way the rattle can dispenses the paint. You can do very light smoke no problem by just adding a few drops of black into your 2k automotive clearcoat.

To whomever posted about the clearcoat cracking the lens... that is simply because you are applying it too wet and the solvents in the car and soaking into the etched (sanded or scuffed) plastic eating away at them before it can dry. Counter it by making your first coats light!

As far as the question on prepping them. I find the best result it to FIRST clean them with dish soap/water followed by an automotive wax & grease remover. Normally we'd use the wax & grease remover after sanding them but some plastics used in tail-lights are really sensitive and will react to the cleaners. I then follow with a a through scuffing with a fine (gray) 3m scotch-brite pad. No need to use sand paper, can easily be done by hand. The scotch-brite is easy to hold and has some thickness making it easy to do contours and curves. After I scuff it I blow it off with an air gun and give it a final wipe with a tack cloth to remove any loose particles just before the first coat of paint.

Here is a comparison of non-prepped and prepped light. The haze is a visible indicator of tooth in the plastic or something for the paint to bite onto. LEAVE NO GLOSS/SHINE unless you want your paint to flake off...


When you start painting I wouldn't ever tell anyone to sand between coats on a candy. The ONLY reason you should be sanding between coats is if you messed up be it a run in the paint or a big chunk fell into the paint. Paint, lets flash (dry,) wipe with tack cloth to get any particles, and then go onto the next coat. When you get to clear, if your rattle canning do a couple light passes and then lay it on thick. If you mess up stop, let it fully dry sand out the defect and then scuff the entire lens before resuming with your clearcoat.

Here is an example of how light you can go with just candy+mixed into clearcoat...


If anyone is interested in a set, I'll soon get my TOM's light installed and will smoke/red my old OEM ones and dump them cheap.

Wow, that is great. Yeah I'm probably going to do some more wetsanding and machine polishing on mine (I used a Rustoleum rattle can clear) to get them a bit more glossy.

I was also considering doing another few layers with the 2k clear on top of the current clear - would that work (layering the 2k Clear on top of the current clear) or would I need to start over completely?

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by smbstyle

would that work (layering the 2k Clear on top of the current clear) or would I need to start over completely?

You can add 2k urethane on top of it as long as you let the existing product dry completely. Throw them on your car and let them sit a few days, then scuff and apply the clear coat. When layering different types be sure to go very light on your first coat of clear to seal in the old paint below it.

[THEWAKLER]

So I'm looking to get everything I need to do this, someone correct me if I'm wrong. I should need

(2) Metalcast anodized Red - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-MC200-Metal-Anodized-Color/dp/B000994BUM/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER"]Amazon.com: Dupli-Color MC200 Red Metal Cast Anodized Color - 11 oz.: Automotive[/ame]

(2) Spraymax 2k clear - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/USC-Spray-Gloss-Clearcoat-Aerosol/dp/B0043B7UQY"]Amazon.com: USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clearcoat Aerosol: Automotive[/ame]

2000 grit wet sandpaper


What kind of buffing compounds/kits should I be looking at? Never done anything like this and am really starting from scratch as far as tools go (just moved).

[retrosmiths]

Originally Posted by xxscaxx

If you really wanted me to, sure lol. It will take a solid day though, need to let them dry and all that.

Hey man, nice job on the tail lights! Question: did you sand before the clear coat?

I've sprayed mine with Metalcast but won't be able to clear it until next week due to time constraints. Anything special I should do before clearing it, after being exposed outside for a week (I have them mounted right now and I DD my car)?

[Wes]

Originally Posted by THEWAKLER

So I'm looking to get everything I need to do this, someone correct me if I'm wrong. I should need

(2) Metalcast anodized Red - Amazon.com: Dupli-Color MC200 Red Metal Cast Anodized Color - 11 oz.: Automotive

(2) Spraymax 2k clear - Amazon.com: USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clearcoat Aerosol: Automotive

2000 grit wet sandpaper


What kind of buffing compounds/kits should I be looking at? Never done anything like this and am really starting from scratch as far as tools go (just moved).

Any should work really, I had Meguiars Ultimate Compound laying around so I just used that and it works.

[xxscaxx]

Originally Posted by retrosmiths

Hey man, nice job on the tail lights! Question: did you sand before the clear coat?

I've sprayed mine with Metalcast but won't be able to clear it until next week due to time constraints. Anything special I should do before clearing it, after being exposed outside for a week (I have them mounted right now and I DD my car)?

no, the last coat of metalcast I did not sand. I did sand between earlier coats though if I saw there was any contamination in them.

IDK if they need to be sanded i'd sand them and hit them with metalcast again before spraying the clearcoat down.