i had a totally random idea today to smoke my corner lights. while i did the corner lights, the same process applys to headlights, marker lights, tail lights or basically any transparent plastic surface on the vehicle.
i didnt think to take before and after pics untill i was all done, but heres essentially what they looked like before:
Materials:
-1 can of VHT “Night Shade” tinting spray (available at K-S Auto Stores)
-glass cleaner
-microfiber towel
-safe place to spray paint
Step 1:
Remove headlights/tail lights/side markers or whatever from the vehicle. take all bulbs, mounting screws, etc off of the light assembly. basically, the goal here is to get the lights as striped down to just the bare lenses as possible.
Step 2:
Tape off any surfaces that you don’t want to get this stuff on. I didnt tape anything off, because the light shroud on my corner lights is black, and you dont see the back of them anyway when they are on the truck.
Step 3:
Clean the surface that you’re going to be spraying weel with a good glass cleaner. I like to use Invisible Glass brand and a microfiber towel.
Step 4:
Shake contents of can as directed, and start spraying. I found that its actually better to spray a little more than the reccomended 12" away, and its better to more or less ‘mist’ the air around the light with the spray and let it find its way to the surface.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
This stuff runs VERY VERY easlily. if it does run, take a clean cloth dampened with acetone, and the tinting material will wipre right off. make sure you do the whole light, NOT just where it ran, so that the darkness of the tint stays consistant. repeat steps 3 and 4. I had to do one light over because the spray ran.
Step 5:
The directions say that anything more than 3 coats will make it so that NO light will be able to pass though. This stuff darkens VERY quickly, so make sure you start off with a very light coat. What you see here is the results of 2 VERY light coats. It’s actually a little darker than what i had wanted, but it’s also important to note that in person, they are not as dark as the pictures make them out to be.
Step 6:
When finished, let dry. The directions say to let dry for 6 hours before handling. I ended up spraying these outside, so in about an hour, i moved them inside, but i was very careful to NOT touch the lense.
overall, i was quite satisfied with the results. I absolutely SUCK at spray painting things, and these came out very well and were easy to do. seen as how i did them and they came out good, ANYONE should be able to do them. I am getting clear headlights with HIDs over the winter, and am obviously going to do them as well so the whole thing doesnt look stupid. I would also like to note that the directions on the can advise AGAINST clear-coating. it says that it can leave a ‘cloudy haze’ on the lense. any other questions, feel free to ask.
