DIY - Painting Your Headlights

[G35papa]

"Inside" behind the turn signal lense!

"shiny stuff on the inside"

[NaiveRapture]

I still consider the part I left as "the inside" as in it's the "inside" of where the light would be reflected... FAIL. I need to take the headlights out to change the bulbs... I'm not 100% satisfied with the paint job so *maybe* I'll fix that part and paint them a more glossy black. If I want to paint over that, I shouldn't need to sand and re-prime will I? Just scuff up the paint and paint over it?

One step I messed up on also was, I cleaned the inside of the lenses the day I started the project, but didn't seal the headlights until the following day... in the mean time, cat hair and dust got on the inside of the lens!! That's really annoying!

Oh yeah, and something I would recommend, when buying sand paper (at least from autozone or the like) just buy the BIG sheets, and cut them up into smaller sections... the huge pieces are the same price as the smaller sections and you get more than twice as much!!!

[G35papa]

You don't have to take the lights apart to change the bulbs. You can access the bulbs from behind the wheel well. (there is a DIY on this procedure). Scuffing up the existing paint is fine (I would use 600 grit for that).

Yeah, if you let the lenses sit overnight, you will most likely get dust inside them. If you have a compressor, I would spray them down/out with air to get the dust out. You can also use compressed air in a can. (little details I do when I do headlights).

Did you use black primer for the base coats? If you want a nice dark matte black finish, use black primer and Duplicolor Bumper Coating. I love the finish of this paint.

Good luck and +1 on getting the big sheets

[NaiveRapture]

Originally Posted by G35papa

You don't have to take the lights apart to change the bulbs. You can access the bulbs from behind the wheel well. (there is a DIY on this procedure). Scuffing up the existing paint is fine (I would use 600 grit for that).

Yeah, if you let the lenses sit overnight, you will most likely get dust inside them. If you have a compressor, I would spray them down/out with air to get the dust out. You can also use compressed air in a can. (little details I do when I do headlights).

Did you use black primer for the base coats? If you want a nice dark matte black finish, use black primer and Duplicolor Bumper Coating. I love the finish of this paint.

Good luck and +1 on getting the big sheets

You can get to it from behind the fender well lining? I'll have to look into it... It does seem kind of like a poor design haha. Have any pictures of what the bumper paint looks like??

[G35papa]

DIY Replacing Clearance/City Fogs/HID bulbs

Bumper paint

[NaiveRapture]

I might have to give this bumper paint a try! lol

[sfgr415]

Chris... are those my lights on the table?

[G35papa]

Why yes, they are Giacomo

[sfgr415]

sick

[Black 6MY]

Very good stuff!,
Thanks for the DIY

Hopefully the newer gen Gs are very similiar

[Mercinator]

jK I started like 1 hr ago and its goin good so far just getting my first light off now

update: on primer stage now wooo hooo for waiting ill probably be done around 11 or 12 lol

update: LOL 3 am putting my first light back on woot

[MJION]

Have you guys gotten any Condensation inside the light after opening and resealing them?

-Thanks

[G35papa]

I did on the first set I did which were my own headlights but the only reason I did was because I used a set of lenses off of some ebay headlights. They don't seat properly onto the base as the OEM ones do. All the other sets I've done, including sfgr415 above, have never had any signs of condensation. If you are weary about it still, add some sealer around it.

[sfgr415]

Originally Posted by G35papa

I did on the first set I did which were my own headlights but the only reason I did was because I used a set of lenses off of some ebay headlights. They don't seat properly onto the base as the OEM ones do. All the other sets I've done, including sfgr415 above, have never had any signs of condensation. If you are weary about it still, add some sealer around it.

+100... No condensation what so ever. The oem Nissan rubber butyl (sp?) works wonders. Its a popular sealer over at HID Planet.

Just whatever you do, make sure not to use silicone. Vapors tend to mess up the lenses.

[Big Rob]

Very nice write-up, Papa. It was so thorough, for a minute, I almost believed even I could do this myself!