Return of the pink tail lights
08-10-2003, 03:31 PM
#1
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Return of the pink tail lights
First of all, many thanks to Ruairidh for providing the guinea pigs. He donated his old tail lights and center reflector for a paint test.
Thanks to UPS for destroying the center reflector and splitting one of the tail lights. It really does not matter, all I wanted to do was see how paint affected the lights without ruining my own.
Unfortunately you cannot separate the lights into halves---that is expose the inside of the lights in order to paint from the inside. All you'll do is crack you lights if you try this.
I tried two methods with two different paints. 1) paint the entire outside of the light with as little paint as possible from a spray can (Dupli-color GMC bright red from Wal-Mart). All you get is an opaque light which is in fact no longer a light by definition. I got the same result when using Dupli-color tough up paint applied via brush.
Next I tried paint the perimeter of the light (which has the greatest amount of pink). Both paints made the light look bizarre. Bottom line, you need $450 to get rid of the pink---buy new ones.
Thanks to UPS for destroying the center reflector and splitting one of the tail lights. It really does not matter, all I wanted to do was see how paint affected the lights without ruining my own.
Unfortunately you cannot separate the lights into halves---that is expose the inside of the lights in order to paint from the inside. All you'll do is crack you lights if you try this.
I tried two methods with two different paints. 1) paint the entire outside of the light with as little paint as possible from a spray can (Dupli-color GMC bright red from Wal-Mart). All you get is an opaque light which is in fact no longer a light by definition. I got the same result when using Dupli-color tough up paint applied via brush.
Next I tried paint the perimeter of the light (which has the greatest amount of pink). Both paints made the light look bizarre. Bottom line, you need $450 to get rid of the pink---buy new ones.
08-10-2003, 05:49 PM
#3
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Claude - great test; I have some different results...
I bought a can of Foliatec red light tint spray (Halfords, about £12). It has made a good job of changing the lights from pink to red, especially as not much was required (this stuff is, after all, designed to change white to red). I'll compare my lights with John Boggiano's next weekend & post a summary then
I bought a can of Foliatec red light tint spray (Halfords, about £12). It has made a good job of changing the lights from pink to red, especially as not much was required (this stuff is, after all, designed to change white to red). I'll compare my lights with John Boggiano's next weekend & post a summary then
08-10-2003, 06:10 PM
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John - sorry I haven't got back to you on this...been on hols for a week; my road map is in the boot of a car currently parked at Manchester Airport; need to do some online route mapping! I will let you know asap
08-10-2003, 06:36 PM
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I actually quite like the slightly pink look - if anyone's 'upgraded' theirs to red and wants to sell the old lights and/or centre then please send me a private message.
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08-11-2003, 01:47 AM
#8
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Hi Claude, I am sorry to hear UPS screwed up. Didn't the packages each have $100 insurance as part of the price? If nothing else it might get your postage back. If you want photos of them before they were sent I can dig some up I'm sure.
08-11-2003, 06:24 AM
#10
Originally posted by Roly Baldwin
I actually quite like the slightly pink look - if anyone's 'upgraded' theirs to red and wants to sell the old lights and/or centre then please send me a private message.
I actually quite like the slightly pink look - if anyone's 'upgraded' theirs to red and wants to sell the old lights and/or centre then please send me a private message.
08-11-2003, 11:42 AM
#11
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Originally posted by Richard H
Rob,
Did you spray the centre section or just the lights? If you sprayed the centre does it effect the reverse lamp colour?
Richard 1990 C2
Rob,
Did you spray the centre section or just the lights? If you sprayed the centre does it effect the reverse lamp colour?
Richard 1990 C2
