# painting taillights



## go4broke44 (Jan 14, 2003)

i know, i know, i should have done a search. well i've looked around and no one has really made a clear definition of how to paint the tails, i got the testors transparent candy apple red paint, and im ready to go. do i paint the inside of the taillights, or the outside of the lens? since it looks like the orange color goes all the way through to the outside. anyone done this before? im looking to paint the orange part of the taillights red, kinda BMW style i guess.


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## 707nismo (Mar 14, 2003)

go4broke44 said:


> *i know, i know, i should have done a search. well i've looked around and no one has really made a clear definition of how to paint the tails, i got the testors transparent candy apple red paint, and im ready to go. do i paint the inside of the taillights, or the outside of the lens? since it looks like the orange color goes all the way through to the outside. anyone done this before? im looking to paint the orange part of the taillights red, kinda BMW style i guess. *


 u can paint either its up to you. i painted jus the orange and it looks very nice. such an easy cosmetic mod and a good one. id post pics but i need a digicam


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## AVERAGE (Aug 9, 2002)

my roommate did that on his crx and it came out very nice. he just painted the outside


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2003)

like this???










i just masked off the clear reverse and the edges and then sprayed like three coats of the stained glass paint on to it...then just hit it up with like three coats of clear...

hope this helps
bonnie


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## 707nismo (Mar 14, 2003)

bunk8017 said:


> *like this???
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 looks good, a lil darker than stock though. the testors paint is almost exactly the same as stock and no clear coat is needed because its for plastic


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## go4broke44 (Jan 14, 2003)

so your saying that you spray the outside of the light housing? makes it alot easier than taking it apart


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## 707nismo (Mar 14, 2003)

go4broke44 said:


> *so your saying that you spray the outside of the light housing? makes it alot easier than taking it apart *


 yeah there is no need to take it apart and paint the inside, jus give it alot of coats and turn your hazards on to see how red it is and your set peace


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## Rama (Mar 8, 2003)

here is a question I have for this if you do paint the inside do you need to run paint thinner first or will the red just take over?


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

dont use paint thinner, OMG, that shit'll fuck up the tails

just wet sand them down with a 400 grit and work down to a 600 grit till everything is removed


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## 707nismo (Mar 14, 2003)

Rama said:


> *here is a question I have for this if you do paint the inside do you need to run paint thinner first or will the red just take over? *


 im not sure, i wouldnt even try if u where you. jus paint the orange on the outside of the tails. jus clean it good and mask everything off and paint


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## go4broke44 (Jan 14, 2003)

illestrice, are you saying you can sand the red off?


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

go4broke44 said:


> *illestrice, are you saying you can sand the red off? *


no u cant sand the red off, but if u sand they'll turn white(foggy) from scratched plastic, and that would be better to work with


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## Rama (Mar 8, 2003)

OK thanks I am just shaky on painting the outside of the signals - question here if you don't sand down and you paint the inside of the turn signals will the red bleed through the plastic and in a sense take over the orange coating or will sanding down be necessary?


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2003)

don't even try to take apart your lights...just paint the outside and make sure that you sand it down a bit...just to scuff it up for the paint to hold on to...if you don't sand it, it will flake off...its really easy...should only take a few minutes...if you use the krylon stained glass paint you only have to wait like 10 minutes between coats...i did mine the week after i bought the car and haven't had any problems... 
hope this helps...
bonnie
bonnie


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

ok, i got my stuff smoked, i'll take pics asap


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## go4broke44 (Jan 14, 2003)

sweet, i want to see it


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## 9double8 (Jul 9, 2002)

I painted the outsides of mine. I did not sand them. Just cleaned them up used the Testors Candy Apple Red and it came out sweet. Check out my sig for pics. Hope that helps.


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## Psch91 (May 18, 2002)

I was just wondering, I will paint mine hopefully by the end of this week, is it illegal to paint the clear back up part red? I live in florida by the way. I just dont like how there would be three red parts, and then one white part. I would like to have 2 red and two white (civic style) or else just all red. Thanks


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## 7875 (Apr 3, 2003)

beat ya illestrice 








painted outside with illest rice's simple instructions and they came out nicely, listen to what he says to do


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

dude, your car looks so dope in that last pic, oh shit, so shiny and all, get a tint and DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN, straight stealth!! 

:thumbup:


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## HLBulldog (Mar 12, 2003)

so illest rice, how many coats of paint and clear did you put on, which ones did you use (brand)


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