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Can I smoke the rear center panel of my GEN 3? I remember reading somewhere that I couldn't do it. But it's the same material and all that the tail lights?
Also, how do I go about smoking the tail lights? Do I need to sand them to be able to smoke them? If so, what sanding paper do I use?
would you spray it on the outside i assume or would i be better to take apart and spray on the inside or both?
It would be best to spray the inside, but due to how hard it is to open the tail-lights, you'll most likely be stuck doing the outside.
When I redded out my tails, I taped it off to give it an OEM look, then sprayed a couple coats of translucent paint on the tails to give it a good rich color. I then let that dry for about 3-4 hours, and then applied my coats of clear-coat, giving an hour or so to dry between coats, with the exception of the first coat (which requires you apply it within 15 minutes to prevent glazing).
After that, I used a rubbing compound to rub out any small imperfections in the paint. All in all, it came out looking very clean and like the tails came that way. Even up close, you have to look VERY closely to be able to tell it's DIY.
Over this coming summer, I'd like to take the tails off, clean 'em up and apply one last coat of clear-coat over the entire tail-light assembly to make it even more seamless.
hmmmm....maybe if you had access to a pizza oven.....but then again, you'll end up melting the plastic....
what about all those little things that look like they can be pushed in to remove...and how come u can safely heat the headlights to separate but not taillights?
also, 1)are ur redded tails still bright, and 2)u just painted over the amber, right?, u didn't just use red/clears?
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-Matt
When in doubt, use the search function (link)...no one is spoon fed...
Last edited by whocares04; 02-08-2005 at 01:55 PM.
I was obviously going to paint it on the outside. I thought about tinting it, since I do car tinting, but tinting it on the outside wouldn't quite work.
I went to Pep Boys and couldn't find the smokeout spray. I'll try Western Auto tonight.
thanks....although this isn't my forum.... but i was gonna try it
will the paint stay fine on without any kind of primer?
If you want, do a search for the thread I made about how I did it (there were pics as well).
If you want to do it cheaply, just paint over the entire tail-light assembly with the paint. and slap 'em on.
What I did was a bit of a longer process. I left the stock black lines around the tail-light and painted the entire tail-light so there's no difference in any part of the tails (all look even and similarly colored). If you look at my tails and my center-piece while both are clean, you can't tell the difference between them.
Since I also used transluscent paint, there was no hit in brightness for the tails at all. They light as they should, with the exception being that the turn-signals are red.
...and how come u can safely heat the headlights to separate but not taillights?
Because the front of the headlamps are glass, and this seperates much easier. With plastic, it tends to 'bond' together, unless you get alot of heat, and then....goodbye taillight.
__________________ 1988 Toyota Camry 2VZ-FE E153
1972 Ford Mustang Sprint "F" 351C-2V 4SPD
1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 "Q" 383C-4V FMX
Because the front of the headlamps are glass, and this seperates much easier. With plastic, it tends to 'bond' together, unless you get alot of heat, and then....goodbye taillight.
yup, and the tabs on the tails tend to be a lot tighter than the headlight.
Don't even bother trying to take apart the rear center panel....I tried one day using a heat gun, it was impossible...and I've done my fair share of taking apart lights.
Ideally, you should take apart the tails and paint it in the inside, but that's even a big job too. There's a good chance it'll get screwed up....
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but i was gonna try it
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