rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

I have been researching different options in terms of headlight mods. My car is anthracite. I wanted to do soemthing different instead of blacking them out. At first I thought I'd clear them. Then I thought doing them body-color. I was looking into doing a headlight tint trimmed to the signals. I was seriously looking into angel-eyes. I was on the verge of ordering them but I have backed off now. My main concern is reliability. There's just no guarantee with these things and I definitely don't want to open my headlights twice if I can help it.

I finally came back to the idea of blacking them out now, keeping the signal reflector clear, seems like the best looking option; like ding069, darksom, among others. I still want to do something different though. I have a smoked out theme going on my car and definitely would love to lightly smoke the reflectors in the headlight maybe? This picture intruiged me:


I don't know if that bluish tint is from the lighting or what but anyways it demonstrates sorta what I'm aiming for. I think a similar look could be achieved by using blue rockblocker tint maybe? Instead of blue I am looking for a more smoke hue. Rockblocker options are all too dark for me. Kennedy mentioned black-chroming the parts. Kinda expensive and will take time while my headlight is in pieces. I have some "Night-shades" blackout tint spray sitting here for years. Something like watered down black spray paint. If I spray it on lightly, it will look spotty. If I spray it on evenly it will be too dark. I am looking for a very, very subtle light tint that will only minimally cut reflectiveness. There are things like this on the market, but I guess it's for pros. Wish I could get a spraypaint can of this stuff!;

http://www.innate.com/Paint/Chrome/HyperBlack.htm

Where do you get paint that is partially translucent? Something that will give tint to a mirrored finish? Model-makers use some type of paint made by Testors, but that dosen't look to be a great option. VHT, has had special lines of paint for some time now. Their lines of paint look like they were manufactured in 1991 or something, ol skool! They make a "spray-on" window tint. Looks like another type of watered down paint. Dosen't sound promising either, sounds like a mistake waiting to happen. Dupli-Color has a very creative new line of specialty products. Some new stuff has caught my eye. Anybody try this?

http://duplicolor.com/products/metalcast.html

They have a new smoke color paint! The biggest plus? It's heat resistant!! I am wondering if anyone has used this kind of paint for any kind of project? I wonder how it would look. I realize it's going more for an anodized look, I wonder how dark that smoke will look and what tint is it? (bluish, greyish, purplish?) I have a feeling it could work with some light coats to get that effect I'm looking for. Maybe I'll buy a can and practice!

If I am going to end up blacking them out, I wanted to know what finish of black paint will look better; gloss, flat, semi-gloss? I'm thinking flat. Anybody regret using a certain finish and why? Lastly, looks like I'm going to do the color mod while the headlight is out. Any cons to this? IDEAS guys! Let the smart people speak!

conan777

Hmm...sounds interesting. I have Alabaster Silver Metallic paint and was considering painting the inside of my headlights to match also. I saw someone on here that did CAT EYES and it looked awesome. I think I may go for that look myself. I think cleared with Cat eyes and either black paint or ASM to match the body color would look really nice. Let me know what you end up doing and take plenty of pics.

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

I bought the METALCAST from PepBoys today. Seems like not a lot of auto stores have the full Dupli-Color line. It was good luck they have the new smoke color in stock, looks promising. Only $6!They didn't have the adhesion promoter in stock so I have to look for that elsewhere.

You know, I was thinking; this should work great on making gunmetal emblems too! I need to practice on one first. I think I had an old Cadillac wreath and crest emblem here somewhere......

Bearcat94

Go for it rockyfeller - blaze that trail.

I think the headlights are a great idea. I was thinking about the emblems too.

If/when you do the work, post pics (good or bad) and tell us all how it went.

I'm rooting for your success.

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for the encouragement. I was so eager to test the spray out but very rushed over the weekend, no time to really do much. I had this old chrome BMW license plate frame I wanted to spray and test.



The camera has a hard time capturing what it looks like in person. The frame was a little weathered and truly couldn't show off it's reflectiveness. Also my final coat was a bit thick and the paint globbed up a bit. I didn't have the adhesion promoter either.

At least I found out the tint color of the spray is spot on what I am looking for. Not bluish, purplish or bronzish; just a nice true grey smoke. Perfect for my anthracite. I know that cap colors are hardly accurate and nothing to go on but actually the cap was also pretty accurate to the real color.



I need to practice spraying on a few items till I get confidence to do it right. I get just one shot and I don't want to mess it up on the real thing. I have a nice big can so I should have more than enough. Maybe even find a mirrored object. I don't want to spray it on too thick and block reflecting in the reflector. I want it thin, even, and subtle

ililillilillilil

i was checking out my friend's new tl-s's headlights because the paint looked so good and made a nice reflection on the bottom part with the lines. i could'nt help but notice it looked much cleaner than mine. I blacked them with duplicor engine enamel like most pple.
i'm sure you don't need heat resistant paint.,
i used duplicolor metal fx or something on my grill & tail light trim, but the richness in the color faded a lot from the sun. still looks good though.
and after a year & a half, my back emblem (1 whole small can of duplicolor nbp no primer or clearcoat) has a couple little cracks like an egg shell from slamming the trunk, i think but it still looks good.
from the cap on that can of paint, it looks like a good choice.