Nicole

Just a quick follow-up on my experiments with the tinting film: I did this on the tail lights this weekend, and it looks stunning.

I had to sand the lettering and markings off the lights first, whcih I was really hesitant to do. But over the years these lights had suffered enough that I felt I would not destroy perfect examples of 928 tail light lenses,... besides, they are still available, in case they are needed.

So, I added the film to the top section of the tail light lense, and removed it from the rear side markers, so that the red lenses have the same color, and the orange is the same on the back and in the front side marker. I did not yet have the time to deal with the little bumpers between turn signal and fog lights. Maybe that's a topic of a wrenching party at my house, where we can all learn and do it?

Sorry for the poor quality of the picutres - it was already getting dark when I came back today... Judge for yourself: Hot or Not?

PS: More clear turn signal lenses are currently on their way from Germany. US front side markers in clear and smoked are to arrive around mid-February.

chaadster

Definitely hot.

Are you thinking that the externally applied tint will be durable enough for permanent use, or do you have something else planned, such as custom colored replacement lenses?

Nicole

Since the orange and red seem to be fused together, we'd have to make a whole new lense. Replacing those large lenses would be difficult - I don't have a vendor that could do it and that I would trust. So, the answer is no, I don't have a product coming for this.

For my own car, I'm currently in experimentation mode. Putting that tinting film on without bubbles turned out to be much more tricky than I thought - in fact, I might have to redo the driver side again.

I haven't researched paint solutions, yet, even though I know they exist. I fear that applying the paint evenly is extremely difficult, and the potential of overtinting is great. Also, using the film, if I ever get a fix-it ticket for the tail lights, I can just rip off the film and be back on my merry way home, where I would reapply it...

Now, the front side markers, I can't wait to see how the tinted ones come out.

Vancouver83LTD

so will the red testors paint work on the orange GTS style 87-up taillights?

Nicole

Tony Harkin has done this on his 87 S4. It looks absolutely stunning - you can't tell. But when you follow him and watch the lights, they are uneven between both sides, and one side is somewhat hard to see in daylight. Maybe, if you do a search here, you can find a picture of his car.

I believe Keith Widom from socal928 has done this also in the meantime. He started with tinting film, but I believe it was him who said it was not durable enough. Maybe he'll chime in here...

Vancouver83LTD

you're talking about the paint?

laneskelton

You can paint the tail lights with a translusent paint if you want a smoked look.

Nicole

Yes, I was responding to your post on testors paint.

Normy

I did exactly this on my previous car, a VW Corrado. Only I used the paint method- the window tint film I initially used kept peeling off.

I remember that I took the lenses off, placed them next to each other on papers on the garage floor, and used inexpensive Krylon paint to tint them out. The technique that worked and allowed them to be even involved holding the can about 5 feet above the lenses and allowing the mist of paint to fall on them evenly. I did it in stages too- misted the lenses, looked at them, then misted/looked until they reached the desired level of tint.

The only problem with doing it this way is that you get a flat finish; it looked good, so I never messed around with buffing the lenses in order to give them gloss.

Looks great Nicole!

N!

AO

Okay...
It seems there's some interest in how to paint your lenses, so here's how I did it. This is for the front side markers, but I'm sure it could work for the rears too.

Fist step is to mask off the lens as cleanly as possible. Tony H gave me teh tip on using electrical tape. It really works well for this.


Then continue to mask off with news paper and masking tape. This is to eliminate overspray on your fender.


I used Testors #1605. Translucent Candy Apple Red Gloss.



Keep in mind that this paint does NOT dry quickly, so plan ahead. I found that a slightly thicker coat works better than thin coats. To speed things up, I used my wife's hair dryer to get teh paint to set up and ready for a second coat. If you use this method you can finish one lens in about 15-20 min.
Here's the 1st coat.


By the 3rd coat, I felt I had good enough covereage to un-mask the lens. You might need a 4th or 5th coat depending on how thick you apply the paint.


Finished results!

dr bob

Is there a Candy Apple Black, for those of us with mono-chroma cars? That might take care of the "tint towards black" that Nicole is moving towards. Would work well on anything from dark silver (slate) all the way to black I suspect.

It might also be possible to blend some of the original car color with clear to make a pseudo/partial body-colored lens, using an air-brush to apply. It may be time to experiment soon.

IcemanG17

Andrew
That looks really sharp!!! I like it!

Nicole
The tint turned out good too...can't wait to see it in person! Does the clear lenses also come with yellow bulbs..or are the stock bulbs yellow to start with?

Normy

That's very well done Andrew!

I tinted my side markers black in order to hide them, until I can get the car painted and the holes filled. Note: these do not light up anymore- the bulbs/wireing have been removed.

[one of these days I'll actually get around to having it painted!]

Again, cheap paint used. I simply took them off and painted them on the garage floor, didn't have to mask anything. Notice how they basically hide in the picture.

N!

AO

According to Testors, they also make the following "transparent" colors:
Blue, Green, Cany Apple Red, Hot Rod Red, Candy Grape, & Black Window Tint.

Someone might want to try the Black Window tint... sounds like maybe a match for Nicole's project.

Larry928GTS

Does anyone know if using LED replacement bulbs in the tail or marker lights would cause the burned out bulb warning in the dash to be activated?