testarossa_td

Ok so having had my car bunged in the rear I figured hey why not mess with it so that others can learn. So I experimented with varying levels of the Testors Transparent Candy Apple Red 1605.
Here are the pictures illustrating the process I took.
I am not a professional body man or painter so anybody can do this!

Here is the paint you will use so very little of it is not even funny.
(You could probably do a fleet of cars with one can...seriously)



Masking the middle bar off, I would wedge the tape in between the lense starting at the outer edge then fold it down over the bar.



I then took an exacto and cut along the groove, laying the blade flat against the top of the lenses below.





I then folded the overhang and pushed it flat with the blade up against the underside.



I opened up the hatch and peeled back the top part of the tape. When applying the tape, I overlapped so that it would be easier to remove and to insure coverage. With the tape peeled back I wedged newspaper under it and taped it down to each other and the body. The inside area by the license plate allowed me to put my hand behind the paper to insure and good bond with the tape.



Here is a first shot comparison in regards to one light layer of Candy apple and the stock light. I would stop at one light layer if you like the next two pictures and want to keep the shine.







But I figured in for a penny in for a pound. So I hit it with another layer of red much heavier this time. I let it dry and hit it with a layer of Duplicolor Clear coat. I had inteneded on attempting to polish the two layers out to a shine....but actually liked the slightly frosted look. On top of which I realized that trying to buff these with all the raised tool markings dot etc would be an ugly task.



Here are the end results. Pay no attention to the bung and missing underspoiler etc...my car is in a transitional phase.



Here are a couple of variable shots. The first shows a shot I took in the morning with reverse lights on. The other two are options that might be worth considering. The bottom one would keep a neat white outline.




Class dismissed. Rant below

On another note I was pulled over last night...for those who say red does not attract officers of the law(and I was really nice not saying what I was thinking
I was on a looooong country road heading home when coming the opposite direction (this is a barely two lane country road) I see on the horizon a state trooper just cruising along I of course check my speed 35...so I continue to plug along then as he gets closer he flashes his lights, so I figure "who knows maybe he is just doing that to get me to slow down for some reason" so I continue up a bit, then I see he is turning around....now I am PISSED! but not remotely surprised(having dealt with this BS so many times before). Anyway I pull over and block one lane of this barely two lane country road and wait. He walks up and gives me the classic "You were going kind of fast there" BS To which I replied this is a country road and I was not going fast" Coincidentally on this country road going fast will get you a new suspension if you don't end up in a ditch. "Do you know how fast you were going" No I replied. "I clocked you doing 49" Which I know is BS and said I don't believe so, but could you tell me the speed limit on this road.(Knowing there are no speed limit signs anywhere for the next 5 miles) "You don't think there is a speed limit on a country road?" He asks me. I am sure there is, but whatever it may be I was not exceeding it. I said. To which he does the standard. License and proof of insurance. Mean while tons of cars have gone whizzing by at speeds far greater than I was even thinking about going. He comes back after I am sure checking my Shiat. and says the ever classic...well today we are just going to give you a warning. Thank you officer Whiteside(yes that was his name). And I move on down the line. My wife came home an hour later and said he was still sitting up where he wrote me the warning. Here is the warning for your amusement.
With all the classic car misspellings and check out my violation!
I thought about telling him...
"I don't want a ticket, I just want a ride in my Porscha"
Sung to the key of the Motorcycle song by Arlo Guthrie....

Mongo

49 in a 35? I've had a cop issue me a warning (aka lip) about this one time for doing 62 in a 50. I told him that I am running lower profile tires and just got them yesterday so the speedometer speed may be different.

That helped me get out outta that one. My best suggestion man would be to pay the ticket. It's not worth wasting your money for getting caught at that speed.

Really sorry to hear this Testarossa Maybe the cop was jealous of your toy and your talent for painting. She looks great with the red lights

Best of luck to you man.

testarossa_td

Not 49 in a 35 ...0/40 or Zero mph over 40...which is his theoritical mph on this country road....where there are no speed limit signs anywhere!!!

But it was a warning and not a ticket and just the standard BS that some of us Porsche® guys have gone through repeatedly! and it will never change!!

But I think the bright red Porsche helped get his attention!

Thanks for your empathy...and reading my rant

Macfreak007

haha, look again, it is only a warning. If he would have written you a ticket, taking it to court wold have gotten it thrown out almost definately. I thought the speed limit on semi unmarked country roads always defaulted to 55???

testarossa_td

Yeah..I have had to do that on a couple of occasions same as this. I was given a BS ticket because I was driving a Porsche® and the officer wanted to look cool. But what Pisses me off is that I have to take time off from work and my life and deal with someone elses inferiority complex...both male and female fuzz. On the country road...who knows the speed limit...I guess whatever your car can take

Mongo

saw it, sorry. a "Warning" here in California is a $10 fix it ticket or a ticket to send you to traffic school plus $XXX dollars. I think there is a serious misconception here

Macfreak007

damn, that sucks stig, did not know that!
so they can have an inferiorty complex and make you pay???
BULL!

89AZ944

I lived in TX for a short time and I think that county (read not state maintained) roads fall into a weird category because of the rural nature of the state. Looking at the 0/40 notation, it could be officer's discretion to determine what a "safe" speed is.

Kind of like some state's interpretation of the "Drunk in Public" statutes. In some states you don't have to be actually drunk or under the influence, you just have to appear to be drunk to be arrested(Don't ask me how I know......).

95Juan

Stig, do you know if red reverse lights are illegal in cali? i thought that they were, as almost anything you do to your car in this state is regulated and probably illegal. thanks for putting this how-to up, testarossa, i'd always wanted that look on my rear lights.

also, would this be possible with black gloss paint or would the lights just come up really dim and ugly? i'm not looking for the GTO tail light/headlight cover look, but i have a nice black/white theme going on outside the car now, and the tail lights just love to throw the whole thing off.

testarossa_td

No problem. They are illegal here in TX as well, which made my run in with the fuzz that much more amusing! But I gave you a couple of other options to choose from

Fishey

Country Roads that are unmarked are 55mph here in Ohio.

Mongo

Yes and No. Techinically, smoked or blacked out tail lights are illegal according to DOT and Caltrans if I recall (not sure if they changed this law). I believe the red ones are too. However, if the tail lights are functioning a cop won't give you an attitude about what color they are. DOT would sanction them because the car didn't come that way originally.

EFF DOT. That's my 2 cents on them.

JustinL

Is there any way to bleach the colour out of the orange and red sections? I think it would look nice with one white stripe.

95Juan

do you think it's possible with black? i havent pulled my tail lights apart to find out what color the actual bulbs are, but i always liked the smoked out tail light look.

testarossa, i have pics of my car in the "who has the most beautiful 944 here" thread. pg 26. do you think you could find some time to PS some of those pics together into an avatar and maybe add in a mexican flag.....considering i am the rennlist mexican ambassador? thnaks.

95Juan

hey, i work for DOT. come on, we're not that bad! Cal Trans Improves Mobility Across California....at least that's what we say....