Painting Tail Lights

FRDnemesis · 04-28-2012, 05:52 PM

"If" you are interested, I am heading to North Carolina this coming weekend to help a friend who has a Performance/Custom Paint Shop in Rockingham.

$80 for tail lights

$20 "per set" of side markers

$10 for small-med 3rd brake lights

$20 for Large 3rd brake lights (like a CTS-V)

They are done light enough where they will not attract any attention from the cops and when you turn your lights on or hit your brakes, they are just as bright as they would normally be. The tail lights on my vette have been done if you'd like to see them?

They have 3 coats of clear coat base coat mix and then a 4th coat of straight clearcoat.

Then they are compounded and buffed with 3 stages of compound.

As anyone who has been around painting knows, a majority of the work is in the masking off of the lights.

AverageJoe · 04-28-2012, 06:05 PM

Here are pics of the ones from geoffs old formula.

FRDnemesis · 04-28-2012, 06:33 PM

Thanks Joe, appreciate it!

-jeff

FRDnemesis · 04-28-2012, 06:49 PM

With the lights off in the last pic, they look dark but only because it is night time. Out in the sun you can still see the light redish color of the lenses.

They are/stay super shiney because it is literally clearcoat so they polish up beautiful.

csikx · 04-29-2012, 10:22 AM

Think he can do them darker? I have my tail lights done, but I'd like my side lights almost black. Right now, I just have the acrylic covers over the side lights. Thanks.

05Saleen · 04-29-2012, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csikx

Think he can do them darker? I have my tail lights done, but I'd like my side lights almost black. Right now, I just have the acrylic covers over the side lights. Thanks.

Is this against the Law??? My son has tinted tail lights and Goose Creek loves to pull him over and gives him a hard time about them being tinted.

chrisheltra · 04-29-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05Saleen

Is this against the Law??? My son has tinted tail lights and Goose Creek loves to pull him over and gives him a hard time about them being tinted.

Couldnt have anything to do with the way he drives...

FRDnemesis · 04-29-2012, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csikx

Think he can do them darker? I have my tail lights done, but I'd like my side lights almost black. Right now, I just have the acrylic covers over the side lights. Thanks.

Yes, he can; "if" you want them that way?

csikx · 04-29-2012, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05Saleen

Is this against the Law??? My son has tinted tail lights and Goose Creek loves to pull him over and gives him a hard time about them being tinted.

SECTION 56-5-4510. Tail lamps required.

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a train of vehicles shall be equipped with at least one tail lamp mounted on the rear which, when lighted as herein required, shall emit a red light plainly visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear; provided, that in the case of a train of vehicles only the tail lamp on the rearmost vehicle need actually be seen from the distance specified.

SECTION 56-5-4590. Color of clearance lamps, side-marker lamps, reflectors, stop lights and back-up lamps.

Front clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color. Rear clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color. All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect a red color, except the stop light or other signal device, which may be red, amber or yellow and except that the light illuminating the license plate or the light emitted by a back-up lamp shall be white.

*So, if you tint your lights black it is illegal.

bwelch · 04-29-2012, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05Saleen

Is this against the Law??? My son has tinted tail lights and Goose Creek loves to pull him over and gives him a hard time about them being tinted.

Not if your a police officer.

csikx · 04-29-2012, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwelch

Not if your a police officer.

I didn't see that exception? I get my lumps, pay my ticket and move on. It isn't a moving violation, so there are no points on the license. You gotta pay to play.

Matts94Z28 · 04-29-2012, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csikx

I didn't see that exception? I get my lumps, pay my ticket and move on. It isn't a moving violation, so there are no points on the license. You gotta pay to play.

bwelch · 04-29-2012, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csikx

I didn't see that exception? I get my lumps, pay my ticket and move on. It isn't a moving violation, so there are no points on the license. You gotta pay to play.

Its grandfathered in.

schardbody · 04-29-2012, 01:31 PM

i had to remove the tint from my tails multiple times on my colorado, got tired of the constant harassment so i finally just left it off.

05Saleen · 04-29-2012, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisheltra

Couldnt have anything to do with the way he drives...

Might be......Your no angel. You street race!! You leave burn out's in your employer's parking lot. We are guilty of doing stupid things.

chrisheltra · 04-29-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05Saleen

Might be......Your no angel. You street race!! You leave burn out's in your employer's parking lot. We are guilty of doing stupid things.

You should see the really stupid things I do that I don't admit to. lmao

FRDnemesis · 04-29-2012, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisheltra

You should see the really stupid things I do that I don't admit to. lmao

^^^

that guy

Carlrx7 · 04-29-2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRDnemesis

With the lights off in the last pic, they look dark but only because it is night time. Out in the sun you can still see the light redish color of the lenses.

They are/stay super shiney because it is literally clearcoat so they polish up beautiful.

So thats what those tail lights look like. hehehe!

looks good!

brewerz28 · 04-30-2012, 04:31 AM

ohhh burn..

KissMyWhiteSS · 05-01-2012, 02:38 AM

This is how my 01 SS looked. They looked Jet black when the lights were off, but shined plenty bright when on. In fact, I was pulled for speeding in Sumter by a state trooper and he told me they looked good. He said typically they'll write warnings/ tickets but he said he could without a doubt see my lights, and this was 12 in the afternoon.
Now mu dad had some on the Tahoe and got pulled by a state trooper here in S'ville. He gave him a warning for them, but I think he was profiling and was surprised to see my dad driving it.

04-28-2012, 05:52 PM	#1
FRDnemesis Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: rancho cucamonga crka killaz Posts: 1,689	Painting Tail Lights "If" you are interested, I am heading to North Carolina this coming weekend to help a friend who has a Performance/Custom Paint Shop in Rockingham. $80 for tail lights $20 "per set" of side markers $10 for small-med 3rd brake lights $20 for Large 3rd brake lights (like a CTS-V) They are done light enough where they will not attract any attention from the cops and when you turn your lights on or hit your brakes, they are just as bright as they would normally be. The tail lights on my vette have been done if you'd like to see them? They have 3 coats of clear coat base coat mix and then a 4th coat of straight clearcoat. Then they are compounded and buffed with 3 stages of compound. As anyone who has been around painting knows, a majority of the work is in the masking off of the lights. Last edited by FRDnemesis; 05-07-2012 at 01:41 PM.

04-30-2012, 04:31 AM	#19
brewerz28 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: the corner of get a map and fuck off Posts: 565	ohhh burn.. __________________ *"I don't fuck around anymore, I got a man under the hood."*

05-01-2012, 02:38 AM	#20
KissMyWhiteSS Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Summerville Posts: 240	This is how my 01 SS looked. They looked Jet black when the lights were off, but shined plenty bright when on. In fact, I was pulled for speeding in Sumter by a state trooper and he told me they looked good. He said typically they'll write warnings/ tickets but he said he could without a doubt see my lights, and this was 12 in the afternoon. Now mu dad had some on the Tahoe and got pulled by a state trooper here in S'ville. He gave him a warning for them, but I think he was profiling and was surprised to see my dad driving it. __________________

04-28-2012, 06:33 PM	#3
FRDnemesis Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: rancho cucamonga crka killaz Posts: 1,689	Thanks Joe, appreciate it! -jeff

04-28-2012, 06:49 PM	#4
FRDnemesis Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: rancho cucamonga crka killaz Posts: 1,689	With the lights off in the last pic, they look dark but only because it is night time. Out in the sun you can still see the light redish color of the lenses. They are/stay super shiney because it is literally clearcoat so they polish up beautiful.

04-29-2012, 10:22 AM	#5
csikx Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 1,398	Think he can do them darker? I have my tail lights done, but I'd like my side lights almost black. Right now, I just have the acrylic covers over the side lights. Thanks.

04-29-2012, 01:31 PM	#14
schardbody Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,158	i had to remove the tint from my tails multiple times on my colorado, got tired of the constant harassment so i finally just left it off.