[GTRACER88]

Ok well for some who might be in a pickle to tint their head lights or not, do it. This is a very very easy task that all you need it paitence and make sure your afternoon is free.

List of supplies
VHT night shade spray tint: $11
Duplicolor Clear coat: $4.99
Sand paper wet (800 grit or 1000 grit, (i wanted 1000 grit but O'reily didnt have any), 1500 grit, 2000 grit): $8
Meguires car polish: ? I used what i had.
Orbital buffer: ? have one.
Bucket of water with soap: ? used what i had.
Masking tape: $3
Razor blade: $1.50
Meguires glass polish (optional but makes it really shine): $9
Time: ~6 hours!!

Total cost: ~$50

For starters, i started with the head lights then moved to the tail lights as the head lights were drying.

Remove the head lights



Then unscrew the head lights and the turning lights



Remove the entire light from car. I then took the 800 grit wet sand paper and sanded off all the gloss from the lights. Here is where the bucket of soapy water comes into affect. Make sure you keep the sand paper WET at all times!



Sanding is the MOST IMPORTANT PART! SO TAKE YOUR TIME!
After you take off all the shiny parts from the lights tape off the area that you dont want to paint. Remove any dust caused by the sanding by spraying water to remove it. I tapped off the entire perimiter of the lights. Use the razor blade to cut off tape that you dont need. After thats done the head lights are ready to be tinted.

Take the can and spray even coats. THIS PART IS CRUCIAL! Do NOT let the paint drip!! Its better to do multiple THIN coats than to start all over because you wanted to do it fast. This takes time. Make sure your in a well ventellated area. I did mine out side on the drive way. Yes ghetto paint station...




While I allowed my head lights to dry their first coat I took off the rear tail lights. There are 4 bolts that are holding the tail lights in position. Remove all 4 and the lights come off. Unscrew all 4 lights and the tail light is off.

This part is the same as the head lights. I decided to tape off the reverse lights because i wanted to keep them white (I wanted to be different and the look BAD ASS in my oppinion! ) Use 800 grit wet sand paper and sand down all the gloss off. Remove dust with water. Tape off all the parts that you dont want to spray then the tail lights are ready for tinting. Again, SPRAY THIN COATS and make sure there is no drip. This is what my first coat and second coat looked like...

First:


Second:


It took me about 4 to 5 coats to get me where I wanted it to be!
Let the tail lights dry and go back to the head lights. If they need more apply another coat.

After the head lights are where you want it to be i "LIGHTLY" scratched the tint on the lights. There should be small and little scratches. (This applies to the tail lights too!)

Next I applied clear coat. This step I didnt hold back. Runs here are ok but keep them to a minimum. (This applies to the tail lights too!)

I then too the 1500 wet sand paper and begin sanding away at the clear coat (keep the sand paper wet at all times!). This step will eliminate the clear coat runs. Again, remove dust with water then step up to the 2000 grit wet sand paper. Same process keep the sand paper wet and remove dust with water. After this part is done you put the head lights and tail lights back on the car.

Your almost done. Remove all the tape around the lights and then I polished the lights with a buffer. This will bring out some shine.

Finally, I passed the meguires glass polish which really brought out the shine.
Take a look at before and after.

Before:



After:



Your done!

[GTRACER88]

Another shot of the rear... Its my favorite part of the whole project!

[XectriK]

Good write up man. Maybe one day I'll try that.

[k2xsnow]

awesome, i want to do it now. not sure when. how are your lights at night? can you tell a difference?

[jsando1]

Nice work!! those tints look sweet and your right taping the reverse lights gives it a nice touch. Qk ques, are you going to swap out the fog lights or do the same thing.

[GTRACER88]

I almost did the fogs but then I felt that it would just be hidden with the bumper and might not look right. So I didn't do it and love it how it is. I'll post some pictures at night. They almost look no different. Honestly I can't even tell between the differences. I think it's one of those things where you might make yourself believe that it did make a difference. Then again it all comes down to how thick the coat is. That picture made it seem dark but in reality the front aren't that dark.

[jsando1]

couldnt help but notice those fat tires.. whats tires you running? did you drop the car?

[Serlin]

just my .02...
It looks good, but you are just begging for a ticket with tinted headlights and tails...

That wouldnt last a month here in Florida without a ticket.

[mrsinister2424]

You ass end looks great!

[GTRACER88]

Originally Posted by jsando1 couldnt help but notice those fat tires.. whats tires you running? did you drop the car?

315/30/18 Falken azenies. Droped 2 inches. No rub in the rear.

Originally Posted by Sirl just my .02... It looks good, but you are just begging for a ticket with tinted headlights and tails... That wouldnt last a month here in Florida without a ticket.

Honestly that's the least of my worry. It's illegal here in Houston too. I'm running no cats, DB level is too high, 3% tint (double limo), single beam head lights, and now one just burnt out.

Originally Posted by mrsinister2424 You ass end looks great!

Thanks!

[Serlin]

^^^ Then Rock On!!!

[GTRACER88]

Cool. Maybe this can be a sticky.

[jsando1]

is that 18X9 on front and back?

[GTRACER88]

18x9 front 275/40/18 and 18x10 rear 314/30/18

[Blitz34]

+1 this would make a good sticky.

[Novanutcase]

Not to rock the boat but why would you tint your lights with spray when you can buy vinyl tints that are super easy to lay on and if you get a fix it it's as easy as just peeling them off???

Cost is more or less the same and you get more uniformity light to light! Way less messy too!!! JMO!!!!

John

[GTRACER88]

1 I didn't want it to be too glossy. I wanted some flat black. 2 I can control the darkness my way. 3 this way I was able to do the rear with out having to worry about messing up the tint because I accidenly cut too much.

[M.P. Cobra Fan]

Please put a shirt on next time. Thanks.




But good job. Why did you leave the reverse light open?

[GTRACER88]

Originally Posted by M.P. Cobra Fan Please put a shirt on next time. Thanks. But good job. Why did you leave the reverse light open?

Lol I was waiting for someone to make that comment. I like the fact that it's unique and no one has it done. Or so that I have seen. I think it worked out amazingly well. Like I said before that's my favorite part of the whole project.

[dannyboy281]

I'm in the process of doing mine headlights right now. Do you guys think i should smoke out the grill pony since i have the mach 1 grill delete or no, if so how many coats. Also my stang is black so do you think this would be overkill.