Appearance: How To: Color Matched Headlight "Eyelids"
03-21-2011, 04:40 PM
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How To: Color Matched Headlight "Eyelids"
This project went faster than I thought it would. I took pictures of the steps but I didn't really make sure I did exactly step by step because I felt if I did that it would have taken me much longer but here is the How To color match paint your eyelids (Headlights)
Before:
After:
Things you will need:
Step 1: Take your masking tape and use the body lines off the fenders to mask a line around the lens that matches the front facia line. Be sure once you mask the line off you use your finger to make sure the tape adheres completely to the lens or all the paint will leak under the edge and make they end line look like garbage.
Step 2: Take both of the Headlights out with the 10mm socket + socket wrench. Be sure you unplug it before you try to walk away from the vehicle. I know that sounds like "Duh, Common Sense!" but you'd be surprised...
Step 3: Once you completely mask the entire light assembly except the area to be painted, use a degreaser or oil remover to take off any road grime or glue somehow on the lens surface.
Step 4: Use soapy water and a dry towel to clean the lens again taking anything you left from Step 3 off. Set your lights aside.
Step 5: (Optional) Hood Gap Delete: Take some thin styrofoam like the kind you get when you buy a new TV or computer and break it into 2" x 2" squares. Reach behind the bumper from the area where the light sits and look for the black factory styrofoam inserts resting on the front collision bumper, shown in the picture below:
Step 5b: (Hood Gap Delete) Close the hood completely to verify that you put enough styrofoam to actually delete the gap. At the same time be sure you didn't put too much. The way you can tell too much is if the vertical piece rubs tightly to the bottom of the hood lip and it sticks out from the hood about 1/4".
Step 6: Go back to your lights and take the 180 grit sandpaper and rough up the lens in the unmasked "to be painted" section until its not perfectly clear. This step will ensure that the primer and top color layers don't run / bubble and adhere to the surface properly. Once you complete this step, be sure you use Soapy Water and a dry cloth to remove any dust created by sanding.
Step 7: Take your lights to an open area away from vehicles and wind but still as much sunlight as possible (This will reduce drying times between coats) Apply a light primer coat and until its evenly coated in the unmasked area, example:
Step 8: Repeat Step 7 at your discretion. I sprayed the primer coatings 5 times total before I started spraying color.
Step 9: Once you complete the primer coats, allow it to completely dry for at least 15 minutes. I regapped my sparkplugs to .038 from .035 while I waited for the primer coat to finish.
Step 10: Apply a light - medium coat of your color matched spraypaint. You will notice there is a small amount of primer still showing through the first light coat of color. This is normal and do not spray another coat until the first coat dries. The picture below is 5 Coats Primer, 3 light coats of "Olympic White" color matched. The picture below that one is 6 coats of the color matched spray paint. I used a Medium final coat of the color matched and allowed it to dry for 15 minutes before I went to Step 11.
Step 11: Using the same technique with the color spray paint, Start the clear coat light and build the shine up. I have 5 Coats Primer, 6 Coats Olympic White, 6 Coats High Gloss Clear Coat. The average time between coats (Except for the final coats for each layer was 5-8 minutes in direct sunlight)
Step 12: After you allow the 5th coat of Clear coat to dry, Apply a heavy final coat of clear coat where you can see the sunlight / reflection very easily. Allow the final layer to dry for about 20 minutes before attempting to unmask the light for reinstallation into the car.
Step 13: After allowing final clear coat to dry and cure, carefully unmask it by pull the tape off in the direction of the line to prevent peeling or flaking in wild directions.
Step 14: Reinstall the lights onto the car being sure you lift the inside edge of the front facia off the light as you shimmy it back in or you will have some blemishes.
Step 15: Finish your beer / drink, wait an hour per beer, and drive around if you want. You'll have to wait until dark to re-verify the aim of the headlight (From the Optional Hood gap delete but for now, you have eyelids:
Step 16: Enjoy!
Before:
After:
Things you will need:
- 10MM Socket + Socket Wrench
- Duplicolor Colormatch GM Spraypaint
- Duplicolor High Gloss Clear Coat Spray
- Duplicolor Sandable Black Primer
- Patience
- Beer / Drink
- Music
- Masking Tape
- Newspaper to Mask with
- 180 Grit Sandpaper
- 1000 grit sandpaper
- Time
Step 1: Take your masking tape and use the body lines off the fenders to mask a line around the lens that matches the front facia line. Be sure once you mask the line off you use your finger to make sure the tape adheres completely to the lens or all the paint will leak under the edge and make they end line look like garbage.
Step 2: Take both of the Headlights out with the 10mm socket + socket wrench. Be sure you unplug it before you try to walk away from the vehicle. I know that sounds like "Duh, Common Sense!" but you'd be surprised...
Step 3: Once you completely mask the entire light assembly except the area to be painted, use a degreaser or oil remover to take off any road grime or glue somehow on the lens surface.
Step 4: Use soapy water and a dry towel to clean the lens again taking anything you left from Step 3 off. Set your lights aside.
Step 5: (Optional) Hood Gap Delete: Take some thin styrofoam like the kind you get when you buy a new TV or computer and break it into 2" x 2" squares. Reach behind the bumper from the area where the light sits and look for the black factory styrofoam inserts resting on the front collision bumper, shown in the picture below:
Step 5b: (Hood Gap Delete) Close the hood completely to verify that you put enough styrofoam to actually delete the gap. At the same time be sure you didn't put too much. The way you can tell too much is if the vertical piece rubs tightly to the bottom of the hood lip and it sticks out from the hood about 1/4".
Step 6: Go back to your lights and take the 180 grit sandpaper and rough up the lens in the unmasked "to be painted" section until its not perfectly clear. This step will ensure that the primer and top color layers don't run / bubble and adhere to the surface properly. Once you complete this step, be sure you use Soapy Water and a dry cloth to remove any dust created by sanding.
Step 7: Take your lights to an open area away from vehicles and wind but still as much sunlight as possible (This will reduce drying times between coats) Apply a light primer coat and until its evenly coated in the unmasked area, example:
Step 8: Repeat Step 7 at your discretion. I sprayed the primer coatings 5 times total before I started spraying color.
Step 9: Once you complete the primer coats, allow it to completely dry for at least 15 minutes. I regapped my sparkplugs to .038 from .035 while I waited for the primer coat to finish.
Step 10: Apply a light - medium coat of your color matched spraypaint. You will notice there is a small amount of primer still showing through the first light coat of color. This is normal and do not spray another coat until the first coat dries. The picture below is 5 Coats Primer, 3 light coats of "Olympic White" color matched. The picture below that one is 6 coats of the color matched spray paint. I used a Medium final coat of the color matched and allowed it to dry for 15 minutes before I went to Step 11.
Step 11: Using the same technique with the color spray paint, Start the clear coat light and build the shine up. I have 5 Coats Primer, 6 Coats Olympic White, 6 Coats High Gloss Clear Coat. The average time between coats (Except for the final coats for each layer was 5-8 minutes in direct sunlight)
Step 12: After you allow the 5th coat of Clear coat to dry, Apply a heavy final coat of clear coat where you can see the sunlight / reflection very easily. Allow the final layer to dry for about 20 minutes before attempting to unmask the light for reinstallation into the car.
Step 13: After allowing final clear coat to dry and cure, carefully unmask it by pull the tape off in the direction of the line to prevent peeling or flaking in wild directions.
Step 14: Reinstall the lights onto the car being sure you lift the inside edge of the front facia off the light as you shimmy it back in or you will have some blemishes.
Step 15: Finish your beer / drink, wait an hour per beer, and drive around if you want. You'll have to wait until dark to re-verify the aim of the headlight (From the Optional Hood gap delete but for now, you have eyelids:
Step 16: Enjoy!
TY!
and I did the Styrofoam thing a while back and the price are gone now idk where they went lol
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