I Painted my Taillights Red Today

[LikeCDoos]

Today after getting back from the e30 meet at Mission Bay, Kevin (IL DUCE) and I decided to red out the amber turn signal of our taillights. We ran down to our local hobby/craft store and picked up some Testors Transparent Candy Apple Red (#1605), and Testors Gloss Lacquer Overcoat (#1261). This is the process we followed:

1) Mask off everything but the amber turn signal
2) Spray a coat of Candy Apple (wait til dry)
3) Remove masking tape...then tape off the white reverse light
4) Spray a second coat of Candy Apple over entire surface (wait til dry)
5) Spray 1st coat of Gloss Lacquer (wait til dry)
6) Remove masking tape covering white reverse light
7) Then finally re-spray the whole lens when one last coat of Gloss Lacquer.

I am very happy with the results. The total bill for 2 different sets of taillights was $10. Pictures will come later tonight, or tomorrow.

This article is also very good at explaining what to do, i changed it a bit but i'm sure the results are very similar: http://www.e30zone.co.uk/techtint.asp

[C ///M]

I think it was stupid to spray the entire assembly except for the reverse lights. I only applied one coat of spray to the amber area, then only one coat of clearcoat and it has lasted for over 2 years, still looks like the day I did it and it matches PERFECT while not ruining the textured look of the lens.

[GaryE30]

That's the hottest bronzit e30 I've ever seen, post some more pics.

Sorry for the Off topic. I did mine about 2 months ago, I need to clear coat them though.

[C ///M]

That's the hottest bronzit e30 I've ever seen, post some more pics.

Sorry for the Off topic. I did mine about 2 months ago, I need to clear coat them though.

sorry, i dont post pics.. I will actually take that picture down within an hour. i just wanted him to see how well the tail lights match. the car is not finished and i dont like posting pics...for my own reasons, dont ask.

EDIT: i may post a good amount of pics in the summer after a lot of other work is finished. I haevn't decided yet.l

[LikeCDoos]

PM me a picture i didn't have time to see it before you took it down. Believe me it matches very well. I sprayed the entire thing except the reverse lights to help blend the painted and non-painted section together.

[Digitalwave]

It is unnecessary to paint the entire light. Your entire tail light is going to look crappy after a few months now. That model paint is not meant to see the direct UV rays of being on a car outside, so it will all faded and oxidize, and you will have to redo it all... it's best just to do the amber section, and not dull the look of the entire light like the paint on over plastic does.

[randomtask37]

it might be worth re-doing every so often if its gona look this good.

[LikeCDoos]

Here are some pictures of the finished taillights:

[Digitalwave]

Yeah, dull just like I imagined.

[nando]

it looks good but you need to do another coat of clear. personally I'd just leave them stock or buy the real thing.

[OldUser1]

personally I'd just leave them stock or buy the real thing.

From the pictures I've seen, the real thing looks too pink.

-Kenyon

[MR 325]

I like it... Like it a lot.

But ya, maybe another coat of clear would be nice.

[george graves]

The back end of your car looks steller with the filler plate...

[C ///M]

I think yours look good, however the pre-88 tail lights look like shit, way too dark.

[rayz]

heres mine did it over a year ago

back to black helps shine it up, but I might re do them later on.