LogicWavelength

iTrader: (2)

Upon request I am writing this DIY on how to make a black housing headlight. I don't have any photos of the DIY because I didn't think to even make this guide until after I had started. If I ever do another set of these lights, I will photograph the process.

There is a tutorial in the DIY section that covers how to remove the front bumper cover in detail. However, when it comes to removing the cover, be careful not to break any of the clips that hold it on. If broken, the bumper cover will not line up properly (due to chassis flex) with the front quarterpanel and possibly leave an annoying gap. Follow this DIY until the disassembly of the headlight housing.

- - - SUPPLIES - - -
flathead and phillips screwdrivers
can of spraypaint*
can of plastic primer**
sillicone bathroom sealant (clear)
caulk gun
heat gun or hairdryer (seriously)
masking tape
razor blade

* = this is whatever color you want to paint the housing. In this DIY I used flat black.
** = this is not necessary if you sand the chrome off... but it wouldn't hurt.

- - - PART ONE - - -
Using the flathead screwdriver, pry open the metal clips that line the edge of the headlight unit. I believe there are 5 (I don't have the headlight in front of me) Next, begin heating up the black tar stuff with the heat gun. It is already quite soft, but it still is tough stuff. Heating it up real good speeds up the process and helps prevent damage. After its heated, use the screwdriver to work down the gap between the front cover and the rear of the housing. As you open it, try and get a hand in and gently rip apart the two halves.

Use the screwdriver to scrape off any of the tar stuff that is in the channel on the rear section of the housing. Get as much out as possible, because we're going to be filling that with sillicone. The same goes for the front cover.

- - - PART TWO - - -
Remove the two screws that hold the chrome plastic housing to the front cover. It will then slide out with some TLC. Reach your finger into the hole for the turn signal and pop out the amber cover. Underneath, on the lower section, is a clear reflector - remove that as well. Now that the chrome piece is alone, we can get to the fun part.... prepping.

Some different options are now before you. You may want to leave the amber cover on with chrome under it, you may want it all black, you may ditch the clear reflector, you may not, etc, etc, etc. For my headlights, I am removing the amber cover and leaving the clear piece, yet painting underneath, as seen here.



If your intention is to sand the chrome off, do it now. But its not necessary to go through all that hardcore labor... use plastic primer.

Also, if you plan on painting the entire housing black, skip Part Three.

- - - PART THREE - - -
Begin masking off the parts you want to remain chrome. I found that taking the edge of the tape and VERY carefully laying down and edge with it gave me a great result... look at how cleanly the inside lip of the parking light is edged in the above photo. Sloppily taping the section then cutting the edge with a razor may damage the chrome's edge and peeling off with the tape. Just take the extra 30 minutes to lay the edge with the tape itself.

Here is my only other picture. If you look very, very closely to the bottom left of the parking light circle, you can see my tape's edge that I laid out.



When all the masking is done, we move on to the painting phase.

- - - PART FOUR - - -
Set the housing on the surface you intend to paint it on. The shop where I do my work actually has a painting booth. However, a cool, dry, dust free place is basically all you will need. Don't paint on the lawn - it will turn out like crap. In choosing a lacation, you are choosing the quality of the finish... any dust or debris will settle on the wet paint and be immortalized in your headlights.

Dust a few layers of primer over the headlight. Hold the can about a foot away and don't hold it in one place - always keep it moving. The first coat should just barely cover the chrome... you may still be able to see it through the primer. Wait about 5-10 minutes and repeat this process. Two coats of primer is all you should need, so we move on. Give the primer some decent time to dry before applying the color. Basically, repeat this "dust-dry-dust-dry" process a few times until you are happy with the quality of the coverage. I did 5 coats. If painted properly, there should be no streaks or run marks. (check out the first picture again) Let the paint dry overnight.

- - - PART FIVE - - -
Use the heat gun to warm up the tape a bit so it doesn't strip any chrome off when you peel it. I actually had a bit come off anyway, but such is life. If you don't have a good idea of the finished piece up to this point, check out that first photo again. Begin the reassembly of the housing by attaching any reflectors or amber covers you wish or don't wish, taking special care not to scratch any paint off. Here is a photo of the housing and the reflector together.



Gently slide the housing back into the plastic cover and reattach with the screws. Take special note to clean out any fingerprints you may have left on the inside of the lens cover because once you seal this puppy back up, its not gonna get clean in there.

- - - PART SIX - - -
Prepare the sillicone and the caulk gun to reseal the lens cover to the back of the housing. Run a bead about the width of the channel that the cover goes into. You want alot of sillicone, but not too much that it goops all over the friggin place. I may have used too little, but it will still seal just as well. There is still going to be a ton of black tar in there, no matter how well you scraped it out, so there is plenty of adhesive in there. Here is a photo of the bead.



Make sure that all the edges of the cover are in the channel and begin reattaching the metal clips. The clips are needed for the sillicone to set because the cover will pull away in the lower rear corner. The clips will hold it down while the sillicone becomes strong enough to hold it on its own.... but it doesn't matter because the clips stay on.

Let the headlights sit overnight again, if possible. This means you are 2 days without headlights, but we want everything to be perfect... our 7th Gen is our baby... anyhow - reverse the process for reconnecting and reattaching the headlights and the front bumper on to the car and you're done.

If a moderator could sticky this, I think that this DIY would help out alot of people and generally be a good resource on this topic. But thats just me

dacivic

iTrader: (22)

Nice thank you. gonna try it in the summer.

acidbaby

iTrader: (15)

good job

thomusvoo

cool..
use alittle more glue

TeLLy

iTrader: (23)

Hey guys, just a recommendation for paint. I use Krylon Fusion (that stuff that bonds to plastic). I didn't have to sand/prime my housings at all and the paint really STICKS. Doesn't clump/drip/bubble either. You know when you put the headlight housings back into the lens to screw them down, if your paint isn't totally dry (or you put too thick of a coat to start) you may actually rub off paint if you touch the housing to the lens by accident, but if you use the Krylon stuff I've accidentally hit (I rush things sometimes) and nothing comes off. It does give a bit of a gloss, which is great for the Nighthawk Black drivers - under the lens, it's a PERFECT match, looks totally OEM. If you wanna gunmetal finish, start with the Krylon Fusion in black, then do one light coat - a DUSTING - of Duplicolor Graphite wheel paint. Nice and dark, with a metallic sheen to it.

Excellent DIY LogicWaveLength.

Bogus1

iTrader: (1)

GideoN

Do you have pics of those DIY headlights on a car?

flipmoderacer02

iTrader: (8)

that is a perfect example of what a DIY should be...good job man...

LogicWavelength

iTrader: (2)

thank you... no pics on the car yet because they aren't on the car. I am putting them on with my Hella 7300K HIDs i just ordered.... booyah!

Bogus1

iTrader: (1)

^^^Sweet I wanna see it when it's done. That's kind of the same thing I was planning on doing.

Fletchman04

really nice post...this is way better than spending 300 beans on projector headlights

CoupeStylz

iTrader: (4)

Mine are similar, but graphite to match my wheels:

http://www.7thgencivic.com/memberrid...cat=500&page=1

RMSIHPA

man that kicks A$$.
Good job

TurismoDreamin

iTrader: (1)

Hey logic, can you update these pictures...im gonna try it this weekend (or as soon as you can update the pictures )and although its pretty self-explanatory anyway, its always nice to compare my work to others...

popee

iTrader: (9)

hey!! if you guys want,i have a pair of black headlights for sale got them off a member off here,
pm me if anyone is interested

JustUbiquitous

good thread would like the pictures to be reposted if possible thanks

DsevenEm2

iTrader: (6)

why cant i see any pics??

speedricerx

iTrader: (5)

cuz the thread is like 3 years old

ClutchEm2

Someone rehost the pix.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

did anyone decide to read the first post?

DsevenEm2

iTrader: (6)

true...so why is this post back up on the main page? i thought there was sum kind of update or something where the pics were here but i guess not. i was jus wondering, not a big deal.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

no, someone just bumped it from the dead. its getting locked since there wont be any pics.

speedfoos

iTrader: (17)

Don't lock it. I'll resurrect it with new pics of the process once I do this myself. Give me a couple weeks. I'll just quote Logic's post or get him to inject them into the original one.

DDragon7

Sounds good speedfoos.

LogicWavelength

iTrader: (2)

I have the old pics someplace on imageshack and on here. I'll see what I can dig up.

LogicWavelength

iTrader: (2)

Fixed

speedfoos

iTrader: (17)

Cool!! Good stuff man.

But, I'll see your misfires and raise you a "No tach signal" on who's turbo sucks more!