[banflu]

hey all
i got white indicators from a UK site about 2-3 weeks ago and, like Onkel, I think they are too white!

has anyone ever used tint-spray on indicator or tail light lenses?
do you think it will look good if i spray a light tint on them?

i do not want them to be black at all, i just want them to be a little darker than they are now.
i should have gone for smoked but they were twice the price

 

[H-TownBenzoboy]

banflu - 3/6/2005 5:48 PM

hey all
i got white indicators from a UK site about 2-3 weeks ago and, like Onkel, I think they are too white!

has anyone ever used tint-spray on indicator or tail light lenses?
do you think it will look good if i spray a light tint on them?

i do not want them to be black at all, i just want them to be a little darker than they are now.
i should have gone for smoked but they were twice the price

Read this. This may be of some help to you.
http://www.benzworld.org/publications/pub.asp?id=164
-Joe

 

[Sivonen]

Wash the lights twice with thinner (test the thinner to "hidden" part of light so it doesn't melt the plastic).

Mix lacquer (about 95%) and black paint (5%) and paint many thin layers.

When finished, wax the lights so they look more "real" -> not like painted.

You can ask your paint shop to mix the paint/lacquer to a spray can if you dont have a spray gun. Ask a proper paint brand that is suitable to plastic.

 

[banflu]

good idea that. theres a shop called spray-it locally and i know he mixes paints in spraycans... so i will go ask him when i'm ready to do this!

thanks

 

[BF_JC230]

dupont and ppg along with a few others make clear coat based tints in any color...use that.

spray clear base
spray tint
spray clear finish

automotive finish
jake

 

[banflu]

hmm ok.. just 1 question, why the clear base?

 

[banflu]

i followed your advice and got some lacquer and black paint mixed in a spraycan. i tried it a little bit on the wall in the garage ([:I]) and it looked clear!!
but then i tried it on plastic (bucket lol), i masked the whole thing except a small part (like 1 x 2 inches) and sprayed LOTS of thin layers.. and it did come out mildly tinted

so it was a good idea i just wish i told him to add a little more black paint, cause i really need quite a thick layer (overall) to get the desired finish.

will post some pics when i do the actual thing.

oh. he said that this will adhere to plastic no probs. also when i asked about painting the grille, he said i can use this "lacquer" as a base coat, then spray it black... i.e. i can use this instead of the plastic primer. i found this strange but it makes sense i guess..

 

[banflu]

BEHOLD - home made smoked blinkers [][8D]

 

[banflu]

and before..

 

[BF_JC230]

thats how you do it!
the clear base gives the mixed ratio something to start with that is "pure"...did you start by prepping the plastic with a scratch pad or 600 plus sand paper? not touch it with you r hands / oil..and use Prepsol??? that (sanding) kicks the polished surface down and gives the clear and paint some thing to stick to...also did yoiu spray an automotive clear over it all when you are done? like a two part dupont? with hardener....i just tinted my bumper lights on my W203...same thing...base of clear, two or three layers of tint...then a good two part hardened clear...love it!

looks great...
jake

 

[banflu]

no, i only cleaned them well with thinner first. they lost the shine and looked dim and ugly before spraying
and now they;re all shiny and new []

i didnt spray a clearcoat but i dont need to (i think) because this paint is basically A LOT of "clearcoat" and a little bit of black. i am not sure if i will buy another can and smoke them a bit more later..

 

[H-TownBenzoboy]

Looks great. Great quality looking product, looks like your hard work paid off. Beautiful.[]
-Joe

 

[BF_JC230]

i agree they look great...dont go too dark, balance them with the headlights...
i just spray pure clear on principle...you dont have too...

take luck
jake

 

[banflu]

thanks

i will leave them as is for now, i will not focus on spraying the grille (and probably adding more chrome a la avantgarde), and also spraying the headlight surrounds. i bought some readymade tailight tint spray to see what it was.. i tried it at home on a plastic bucket ([]) and it is D-A-R-K!!! it was like black spray, only a little bit clear so light would flow through it! definetaly not good for my indicators. maybe i will spray the grille with it to give it that shiny look.

 

[BF_JC230]

here is what i did on my w203

 

[banflu]

that is a NICE car Jake!! [8D]

 

[Onkel-Benz]

banflu - 3/27/2005 2:35 AM

BEHOLD - home made smoked blinkers [][8D]

NICE! []

But i think you should go for a pair of these bulbs who "blink" orange!

I have them in my indicators like these:

 

[BF_JC230]

banflu - thank you i love my w203...

onkel - can you please post a little more info on those bulbs...where to buy - cost- etc...i "made" a set a few years ago when i installed my clear lenses...i took a yellow bulb and dipped it half in high tem exhaust silver paint...it looks silver when off, then on relfects out against teh paint, against the rear chrome wall and to the world...

i hated that "sunny side up egg" look

thanks
jake

 

[JR_Rider]

Wow, you guys need to step your bulb game up. I am sure that you all will like this site, it is the best, cheapest source for all sorts of automotive bulbs. Merry Christmas!! www.autolumination.com

 

[Onkel-Benz]

BF_JC230! I bought the bulbs from a internetstore in Sweden. Very cheap. 4,50 Euro.
But there are several kinds of that bulbs.
Philips silvervision blinkerbulbs i have tried. But they arent so good that they i have now.