15psi

Just wanted to share a recent project (experiment)

Recently bought my 996 and while the weather was nice I performed the #1 project I had planned on trying. Slightly tinting the surround of the headlights and the turn signals. The turn signals were tinted with a thick plastic when I bought the car, but didn't like the application.

So I removed the headlights from the car, removed the plastic tint from the signals, cleaned up the lenses and masked off the headlight and driving lights. The sprayed with a 'tint' paint. My thought was to slightly tint the surround. Give the signals an extra coat if needed. And then spray with a clear coat.

Here are the results. I ended up with 2 coats. No extra on the signals. Signals are nice and bright when used.

The POC worked, but the spray paint spit a little and the spray pattern is so-so. I'll probably respray them in the spring with the black EOM color mixed with clear to achieve the same transparent look that the tint paint provided, but with the control of a professional spray gun.

Thoughts?

Jim

DCP

This is the first mod that I have seen to the headlights which I like. Nice work. What is this "tint paint" stuff?

Dave!

Hey that's pretty well done and came out nice. Good idea that I'd like to try but I'm pretty sure it would end up looking ugly and moldy on a yellow 996.

15psi

Thanks- I used this stuff. "VHT NITE SHADES NITESHADES Night Blackout Tint PAINT" You can get it from most parts stores. Will need to clear coat afterwards since the tint is a matte finish. The can I used 'spit' a little, not sure if it is typical. Also the spray pattern was narrow and you have to be careful to get an even coat.

It is interesting that the tint is slightly blueish. I recently sprayed a spoiler with black OEM paint and was curious to see if I thinned it, would it also be blueish. Sure enough it was. Very similar.

If you try this, clean the lens real good. Also practice spraying on some something else to get a feel of the spray pattern. Cardboard will work.

The nice thing is if you don't like it, just wet sand with 600, 1500. Then polish with high speed wool buffer & 3M polish.

Edgy01

For a bunch of guys who claim that the "headlights don't matter" you are obsessed with how they look. Any tint will result in less bright lighting at night. In fact, application of that stuff violates US DOT lighting standards.

tooloud10

Didn't sound like an obsessive post to me, and it doesn't appear that the application is really going to affect the regular operation of the headlamps, just the fogs and the turn signals. I wouldn't worry about it and you could specifically point it out to a cop and they wouldn't recognize anything ticketable in this case.

I kinda like it.

Edgy01

My only concern is that in today's economy, the authorities are looking for any opportunity to ticket (income!) and when you alter lighting it becomes a safety issue. Trust me, your turn signals are now darker than before. (I personally like that look, but it's not me you have to talk your way through!)

peavynation

I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think a cop would ever even notice, unless he's a 996 aficionado and has a big bug up his butt going out looking to be a d*ck.
There's so many ricers runnin around So Cal with their coffee can exhausts and blacked out rear lights and headlights, and I don't see them in the fixit-ticket lines.

I like the look! I'm with Dave, it has to be on the right color car for it to look right. And you have that color, 15psi!

15psi

Well I did ask for thoughts....

Not really obsessed about lights- but I am obsessed about cars.

This was a "what if". You might notice that the headlight and fog/driving lights are not covered at all. I masked them off. So they are as bright as ever. I was concerned about the brightness of the signal, I want people to know I'm turning. I checked it agains the stock one as I sprayed coats. Virtually no difference- was surprised how bright they are. The concept was to put on as little tint as possible and see through it. I didn't want black covers.

Mathemagician

Looks pretty darned good to me. Well done!

Doug996InKC

Nice job Jim. Is that the 15psi red Miata in the background?
Oh, and did you work on the wing yet?

Edgy01

You have to wonder why Porsche didn't offer that as an option on the appropriately colored (dark) cars--it looks very good.

Dharn55

I like the way it looks, although I think it would look even better on the lights without the amber lowers.

15psi

I fully agree. Never liked the ambers. But I'll have to live with then until I can find reasonably priced 'clears'. 1k is too much for me for turn signal lens.

15psi

Doug- That is one of them. Fun car.

I painted and clear coated the Taco. With all the angles it is fun to have good coverage, and not have runs on the clear. Over the weekend, I wet sanded it and will spray one more clearcoat. Looked nice.