How do you paint the inside of your headlight?

Fev · 01-06-2007, 07:05 PM

hey, i was asking around and told there was a thread in here somewhere that can help me. i have a ba futura with the chrome headlights and i want to pull it apart and either paint the inside black or the colour of my car Pearl Blue..

how the hell do i get about doing this? i was told an over was involved..

LUXO_8 · 01-06-2007, 07:08 PM

if you want to paint them black, just swap them with some black ones from someone, surely there would be someone interested in the chrome ones.

its a bit difficult for someone that hasn't done it before, especially when the black lights you're wanting to create already exist

Fev · 01-06-2007, 07:10 PM

havnt found anyone so far...
i dont wanna buy black headlights as they around about $150+ each. definately cant afford that

LUXO_8 · 01-06-2007, 07:13 PM

you could always buy a pair off ebay, then sell yours on ebay once you have the black ones in.
im not knocking your idea, but take it from me, id you don't re assemble them 100% they will leak and just fog up.....

Fev · 01-06-2007, 07:15 PM

well when i reassemble them ill overseal them with silicone glue or somthing..

Fev · 01-06-2007, 07:17 PM

i also wanna do it so i can say ive done somthing custom and visible on my car lol.. i might get the inside done in the Blue Pearl.. somthing different to everything else on the road

au2sw · 01-06-2007, 08:11 PM

you may also want to check the legalities of such an idea too. im not sure, but i believe there are certain standards in place for how the light reflects etc from the housing. as i said though, im not sure....just a thought. you dont want to get a canary for it.

bodes-sh · 01-06-2007, 10:33 PM

^^i think what he means is the surrounds of where the globe holders are, not the actual reflector of the light

JC · 01-06-2007, 10:38 PM

Shouldn't this be in the Contemporary cars section. It has nothing to do with an AU.

Anyway, to do this:

1. Place headlight assembly in oven (preheated to lowest temp, around 100C)
2. Pull headlight apart once glue is melted (somewhere ebtween 6 and 14.3 minutes
3. Use a scourer/scotch brite to remove the chrome bits from the bezel (housing), but do NOT remove any chrome off the reflector
4. Prime
5. Paint your choice of colour
6. Put the assembly roughly back together and put back in the oven for around 5.8 to 11.3 minutes to remelt silicon
7. Reassemble headlight properly
8. If required, use extra Silicon around the joins to totally seal it.

GlennBA · 01-06-2007, 10:42 PM

what JC said, except when i did mine in my AU i never bothered scouring the chrome off because i used 2 pack paint and you'd see the scratch marks through it. Also instead of using an over i used heat lamps, but i think also a blow dryer would suffice because you don't have to heat the glue that hot for it to become pliable.

Fev · 03-06-2007, 12:56 PM

thanks guys. i asked in the ba thread but no1 really knew what to do.. all i got was somthing to do with an oven and that the au guys know how to do it

JC · 03-06-2007, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fev

thanks guys. i asked in the ba thread but no1 really knew what to do.. all i got was somthing to do with an oven and that the au guys know how to do it

The AU guys know how to do everything! A BA is just a newer AU anyway, so it shouldn't be too much different.

Fev · 02-09-2007, 03:35 PM

ok guys, i know its been a long time since i first made this thread but today i am doing it.. GOd damn that glue is annoying to remove.. and the headlight is too big for my oven!!.. hair dryer works but it can only do a small amount at a time, so when one side is soft the other goes hard again etc..

im gonna try and use the oven with the door open at 90 degree's for like 10 mins..

when its all finished ill show ya all pics of the finished product. ive got 2 cans of Pearl Blue and 2 cans of top clear coat and i ended up buying 2 black headlights from a guy a lil way up the road off ebay for $60 with no damage

lol sucka.. i hope it works out..

FGII-XR6 · 02-09-2007, 03:53 PM

get intouch with doc he does it professionally http://www.fordforums.com.au/member.php?userid=2372

Fev · 02-09-2007, 07:02 PM

ok everything is painted and put back together, now im just fitting them to the car.. i just threw them both in the oven and it worked a treat

Fev · 03-09-2007, 12:02 AM

Here we are, all done and lookin great

i also made a how to thread
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...84#post1694584

eXi7w0unD · 03-09-2007, 04:36 PM

i got a quote to get it professionally done. he said to use a heat gun to get the cover off and soda blast the chrome off, clean it, plastic prime it, 2pac paint, clear coat and to put it back together.. $300 dollars a light. he also said leave it for 2-3 days.

JC · 04-09-2007, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fev

Here we are, all done and lookin great

i also made a how to thread
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...84#post1694584

That doesn't look too bad for a BA!

JC · 04-09-2007, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eXi7w0unD

i got a quote to get it professionally done. he said to use a heat gun to get the cover off and soda blast the chrome off, clean it, plastic prime it, 2pac paint, clear coat and to put it back together.. $300 dollars a light. he also said leave it for 2-3 days.

You must walk in with $$$$ bills hanging off you. It takes less than 2 hours to do per light, so even with the small amount of prep work and paint, $200 would be heaps. Or do it yourself for around $20 the pair.

eXi7w0unD · 04-09-2007, 06:36 PM

i want to do it myself but how would i get "gy" (galaxy blue) paint, i dont have a spray gun so aerosol can is the only choice.

with the metallic sparkle sparkle in it

JC · 04-09-2007, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eXi7w0unD

i want to do it myself but how would i get "gy" (galaxy blue) paint, i dont have a spray gun so aerosol can is the only choice.

with the metallic sparkle sparkle in it

Selected autobarn stores, as well as most automotive paint suppliers, will mix paint up based on your paint code, and put it in an aerosol for you. Cost is around $25 to $30 per large can.

Other option is Supercheap do the powerplus range of paint, and they actually have one that's for GY - around $9 per small can.

As long as you use a clear coat over the top of either option, the paint will come up as good as the paint on your car.

eXi7w0unD · 04-09-2007, 08:11 PM

do i clean all the chrome off or can i paint straight over? should it be a plastic vynal paint or metal paint or is it just "paint" and it goes on anything. hehe cheers