DIY - Smoking your Tail lights.
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From: London, Ontario, Canada
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DIY - Smoking your Tail lights.
**Disclaimer** - In no way am I responsible for the repercussions that may occur doing this DIY. I am not telling people to do this, I am merely explaining how I did it. Do this at your own risk... ohh... Off Road Use Only 
Materials Needed:
1. 800grit wet/dry Sandpaper
2. 1200grit wet Sandpaper
2. Bucket of soapy water (preferably Dish soap)
3. Windex
4. Lint Free Cloth
5. Masking Tape
6. VHT NightShade (part# SP-999)
Optional
7. Clear Coat (Enamel Based)
Step 1.
Start by filling your bucket with water and dish soap. This procedure is used by the old timers because dish soap actually strips your hands free of any oils and dirt which can leave a residue on your taillights.
Step 2.
Grab your 800grit sandpaper and dip it in the bucket of soaper water. Now begin sanding your taillights. You want to sand evenly across the lights while occasionally dipping your sandpaper into the bucket of soapy water to prevent it from drying. Keep sanding and sanding and sanding. Don't miss any spots and remember to get all the edges. Also do not get any water into the bulb holes in the back.
Step 3.
Clean lights really well with just water and no soap. Dry them off with your lint free cloth and let them sit to further dry. From now on, whenever you handle the lights wash your hands with dish soap right before you do. This will get rid of the oils from your hands that may cause the paint to not stick to your tails.
Step 4.
Once your tails are dry, wash your hands with dish soap. Now grab your masking tape and start taping off any area's you don't want to get overspray. ie. the grey plastic all around the lens and tape the bulb holes shut.
Optional - you can also mask off the little white reverse light if you don't want to smoke that out.
Step 5.
Before you start painting, make sure you lenses are free of finger prints, dirt, dust, water, etc... Use your lint free cloth to give them a final wipe down before you start spraying.
Now you're ready.
Step 6.
Crack open your bottle of VHT NightShade and shake it up a bit. Now following the painting instructions on the bottle, spray VERY THIN COATS evenly across the taillights. Try and do this in a well ventilated area but make sure it's not to windy as it might blow dust onto the paint.
Wait about 4-5 mins before applying the next coat. Repeat this step as many times as you desire. I did 4 coats.
Step 7.
Once you're happy with the amount of coats you have sprayed, put the taillights aside and let them dry for atleast 12 hours.
Once they're dry you can wet sand with 1200grit sandpaper to get rid of any dust and prep them for clear coat (that's if you're going to clear coat them).
Clean them off and dry them if you've decided to sand them.
Step 8. - Optional
Once again wipe down your taillights and make sure there's no finger prints, dust, etc.... Crack open your bottle of Clear Coat and shake (remember, Enamel based clear coat is what you need. Using Lacquer based will strip the NightShade). If you opted to mask off the little white reverse light, take off that tape.
Now spray in the same manner you sprayed the NightShade, thin and evenly. 2-3 Coats of clear should be enough waiting atleast 10mins inbetween coats. Let the tails dry for atleast 24 hours.
The other option, which I highly recommend and this is the route I took, is to take your tails to a professional paint shop and get them to spray it with some clear coat. This method will look the best.
Step 9.
When they're dry, remove the remaining masking tape and smile... you're done!
Now you can Polish or Wax them to get them to shine even more.
Materials Needed:
1. 800grit wet/dry Sandpaper
2. 1200grit wet Sandpaper
2. Bucket of soapy water (preferably Dish soap)
3. Windex
4. Lint Free Cloth
5. Masking Tape
6. VHT NightShade (part# SP-999)
Optional
7. Clear Coat (Enamel Based)
Step 1.
Start by filling your bucket with water and dish soap. This procedure is used by the old timers because dish soap actually strips your hands free of any oils and dirt which can leave a residue on your taillights.
Step 2.
Grab your 800grit sandpaper and dip it in the bucket of soaper water. Now begin sanding your taillights. You want to sand evenly across the lights while occasionally dipping your sandpaper into the bucket of soapy water to prevent it from drying. Keep sanding and sanding and sanding. Don't miss any spots and remember to get all the edges. Also do not get any water into the bulb holes in the back.
Step 3.
Clean lights really well with just water and no soap. Dry them off with your lint free cloth and let them sit to further dry. From now on, whenever you handle the lights wash your hands with dish soap right before you do. This will get rid of the oils from your hands that may cause the paint to not stick to your tails.
Step 4.
Once your tails are dry, wash your hands with dish soap. Now grab your masking tape and start taping off any area's you don't want to get overspray. ie. the grey plastic all around the lens and tape the bulb holes shut.
Optional - you can also mask off the little white reverse light if you don't want to smoke that out.
Step 5.
Before you start painting, make sure you lenses are free of finger prints, dirt, dust, water, etc... Use your lint free cloth to give them a final wipe down before you start spraying.
Now you're ready.
Step 6.
Crack open your bottle of VHT NightShade and shake it up a bit. Now following the painting instructions on the bottle, spray VERY THIN COATS evenly across the taillights. Try and do this in a well ventilated area but make sure it's not to windy as it might blow dust onto the paint.
Wait about 4-5 mins before applying the next coat. Repeat this step as many times as you desire. I did 4 coats.
Step 7.
Once you're happy with the amount of coats you have sprayed, put the taillights aside and let them dry for atleast 12 hours.
Once they're dry you can wet sand with 1200grit sandpaper to get rid of any dust and prep them for clear coat (that's if you're going to clear coat them).
Clean them off and dry them if you've decided to sand them.
Step 8. - Optional
Once again wipe down your taillights and make sure there's no finger prints, dust, etc.... Crack open your bottle of Clear Coat and shake (remember, Enamel based clear coat is what you need. Using Lacquer based will strip the NightShade). If you opted to mask off the little white reverse light, take off that tape.
Now spray in the same manner you sprayed the NightShade, thin and evenly. 2-3 Coats of clear should be enough waiting atleast 10mins inbetween coats. Let the tails dry for atleast 24 hours.
The other option, which I highly recommend and this is the route I took, is to take your tails to a professional paint shop and get them to spray it with some clear coat. This method will look the best.
Step 9.
When they're dry, remove the remaining masking tape and smile... you're done!
Now you can Polish or Wax them to get them to shine even more.
I just burnt my tongue
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 0
From: Chino Hills, CA
Rep Power: 321 heres a couple of things i want to add...u dont have to let it sit for 12 hours just until its flash dry than i recommend sanding the paint on the first coat with 1500 or 2000 grit sand paper than putting on the rest of the coats...paint booth for spraying would be nice if u have access to one...also spray gun clear coat is best if u have access to it too...heh i do...what i did on my friends mustang and his vic
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