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Old 08-01-2007, 11:29 PM
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Next Headlight Mod?

So this weekend im going to take my headlights apart to replace the moisture bags/repaint/remove all silicone and re-apply. (some know i had a moisture problem a couple weeks back) Im looking for some comments about a "mod" i may also do during this. Of all the blacked out head lights ive never seen this done before.





I know the photoshops are not the best...but its just to get a rough idea. I plan on taping off all of the HID light, removing the fog bulb, and then painting all of the chrome reflector for the fog light. Making my headlights truely BLACKED OUT.
Personally i never use my fogs to begin with, but with this i may start doing it with one other change. I love the way my Amber turn signals "reflect" off the flat black already in my headlights. So im thinking/hoping that a set of yellow fogs will do the same effect of a dull reflection like the turn signals have.

Let me know what you guys think.
Ill be starting this on friday most likely.
Old 08-01-2007, 11:49 PM
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come on now....15 people have looked at this. All im looking for here are some, "yea do it" or "no it will look like poo". Anything?
Old 08-02-2007, 01:09 AM
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Its been done, let me search to show you a pic....
Old 08-02-2007, 01:16 AM
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Old 08-02-2007, 01:16 AM
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^Except the little chrome cap was left chrome...
Old 08-02-2007, 01:20 AM
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Piss im not the first
Oh well that pic is exactly what i needed for a kick in the ass to do it.
Well i guess ill be the first to paint the chrome circle inside the fog.

Thanks man
Old 08-02-2007, 01:24 AM
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Old 08-02-2007, 01:30 AM
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That first pic of your car is straight sex
Old 08-02-2007, 01:40 AM
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Sorry, I am confused.

I thought these were the fog lights:



Is the fog light location different in the 07's vs earlier 3G TL's?
Old 08-02-2007, 01:46 AM
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Yes.
Where your Day Time Running Lights are, is where the 04-06 "Fog Lights" are located.

Thanks for more pics of that guys setup...whos is that btw?
Old 08-02-2007, 01:50 AM
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btw PPLAPW
your inbox is full, cant respond to your PM
Old 08-02-2007, 01:54 AM
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Originally Posted by sT04Louis
Yes.
Where your Day Time Running Lights are, is where the 04-06 "Fog Lights" are located.

Thanks for more pics of that guys setup...whos is that btw?
OK, thanks. Could not figure out why that light could be blacked out.

Pic was high-jacked from a post by Ahmad310 here: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1792227
Old 08-02-2007, 02:07 AM
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Make sure you use hi-temp paint for the fog light reflector part, just in case you turn the fogs on one day on accident. You don't want it bubbling up the paint inside..that would be a major pain to open up the headlights again to repaint it.
Old 08-02-2007, 07:47 AM
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Stl...
I plan to do something very unique with my headlights... Maybe my idea will spark something new and different for you.

Last week I picked up a set of "really bad shape" headlights for cheap. All I wanted was the inner pieces from them for this custom project.

The chrome fog bezel, turn signal reflector, and and chrome bar I just sent off to be black chromed (see the grill thread). Those pieces will look like the TL-S tails when they return.
The black framing will be painted gunmetal to match the bottom of the A-spec lip.

I haven't decided to do the projector cap yet... I may have that regular chromed for contrast.

The last detail... I have some leftover carbon fiber overlay. See the "flat area" on the left side of the headlight (below)? I plan to trim me out a small piece and apply the CF there. That a great spot to do something really cool.

No angel eyes, those are for BMWs, and have reliability issues. I have though about some leds in there... Not sure on that yet...

Old 08-02-2007, 09:01 AM
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Damn Kennedy, that sounds like it's going to be really sweet...looking forward to pics.

sT04Louis, I think what you're talking about will look good, especially with yellow fogs.
Old 08-02-2007, 09:33 AM
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I like your ideas, especially the black chroming of the interior parts


Kennedy, it sounds like you are doing some major work on your ride!

How many projects do you have going at once?...headlights, interior, emblems, grill, etc.

I can't wait to see the results!
Old 08-02-2007, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by paz840
I like your ideas, especially the black chroming of the interior parts


Kennedy, it sounds like you are doing some major work on your ride!

How many projects do you have going at once?...headlights, interior, emblems, grill, etc.

I can't wait to see the results!
Lots... Since most mods are "parts driven" and I'm waiting on them, I have a few projects underway.

Interior will be here Friday. I'll finish that up and snap some photos Friday/Saturday.

I'm still waiting on black chrome pieces (grill/emblem), we're trying to get the color just right. Probably another week on that, my test peice is curing.

The headlight project is easy because I have these spare parts, well worth the $80 investment. Now I can get all the parts prepped and ready, when it comes time to clear the headlight, it's as simple as removing them, opeing them up, removing stock parts and installing the new ones.

I still have a Conmptech super charger sitting in the garage... too many mods, too little time. no real hurry for that yet, Ireally wanna get this aestitic stuff finished first.
Old 08-02-2007, 11:12 AM
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Try using the Nissan butyl rubber this time to seal the headlights instead of silicone. Maybe it won't leak that way.
Old 08-02-2007, 11:40 AM
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Originally Posted by rockyfeller
Try using the Nissan butyl rubber this time to seal the headlights instead of silicone. Maybe it won't leak that way.
aka "hondabond"
Old 08-02-2007, 12:35 PM
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Im guessing the dealership would have that "hondabond" stuff?

Also another idea i was gonna try out is. Removing all of the current sealant, re sealing, and then get some adhesive silicone "tape" and use a heatgun or hair dryer to "bond" it to the sealant and cover all of the space between the lense and headlight assembly so no water is sitting in the gap just waiting to find a space to get inside the housing.
Anyone got any experience with that method? Or got any names of products to throw out there?
Old 08-02-2007, 12:56 PM
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here's where I got my headlight sealant:

http://www.mynismo.com/products/?id=5577&rsku=0

It is the Nissan OEM Sealant (Hondabond) stuff that a lot of people have used...it comes in a roll, and you can make the "bead" of sealant as thick or thin as you want. And it can be heated and reheated over and over like the OEM sealant. I haven't had any leaks or moisture since I used it (I did have problems with silicone)....overall, it works great!
Old 08-02-2007, 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by paz840
here's where I got my headlight sealant:

http://www.mynismo.com/products/?id=5577&rsku=0

It is the Nissan OEM Sealant (Hondabond) stuff that a lot of people have used...it comes in a roll, and you can make the "bead" of sealant as thick or thin as you want. And it can be heated and reheated over and over like the OEM sealant. I haven't had any leaks or moisture since I used it (I did have problems with silicone)....overall, it works great!
Exactly what i was looking for, and i dont have to use silicone
Hopefully the nissan dealership by my house has some. Or at least the honda or acura dealerships 20min from my house.
If not this goes on hold till next weekend.
Old 08-02-2007, 02:39 PM
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Hit a snag...kinda. The Nissan dealership does not have any instock. But the acura dealership does have the hondabond. The parts department at acura says that the hondabond is in a tube like normal silicone.
I just want to make sure im getting the right thing, and that honda bond isnt a "roll of tape" like the nissan Butyl tape?
Old 08-02-2007, 02:56 PM
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That's the stuff.

Hondabond comes in a tube, which is what I didn't like about it. Squeezing it out of a tube can lead to uneven appication. The good thing about the Nissan oem sealer is that it comes in a roll and you can stretch it and fill the headlight channel evenly.

But the Hondabond will work just as well if used correctly.
Old 08-04-2007, 02:59 AM
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Well i painted my lights without any problems today..But of course, there had to be something that goes wrong.

Anyways...head off to dinner tonight, turn on my lights on the drive home. Get home and i have moisture forming on the inside of the driver side headlight. How i dont know, im seriously about to give up on these lights.

There is no way water got into the light or was in it before. The lights were totally taken apart today to be repainted and resealed. I used hondabond, and on top of that i used a rubber "tape" to double seal the seam. Threw that all in the oven for 5 min or so, formed the rubber to a tight seal, and re installed the lights.

Like i said im about to give up and just buy new lights off ebay.
Old 08-04-2007, 05:40 AM
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Open up the back of the headlight plug and place a silica packet in there overnight, and then take it out in the morning, and plug the bulb back in.
Old 08-04-2007, 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by PPLAPW
Don't mean to hijack but does anyone know what rims are on that car? Or a link to the thread about that car?

Thx
Old 08-04-2007, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by aznbo187
Open up the back of the headlight plug and place a silica packet in there overnight, and then take it out in the morning, and plug the bulb back in.
i placed brand new silica packets in it before i resealed....
Old 08-04-2007, 02:56 PM
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Try leaving your car outside on a hot day, with the back bulb unplugged for a few hours. If that doesn't work, I would try some new silica packets just squished in place of the bulb and then at the same time sitting in the sun for a few hours. Because if you say that the seal is waterproof, the moisture is already in there and it would be pointless to open it up again. Good luck!
Old 08-04-2007, 02:57 PM
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Oh, and if you don't have hot weather, just sit there with a blow dryer blowing into the back of the housing for a bit (moving the blow dryer around of course)
Old 08-04-2007, 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by PPLAPW
That non a-spec kit is growing on me. Looks great with that color. I hate the rear end of the a-spec kit, but want to get something for the front.
Old 08-04-2007, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by ADabsolutNDN
Don't mean to hijack but does anyone know what rims are on that car? Or a link to the thread about that car?

Thx
Search for Arizona. Thread is titled Hot TL in Arizona or something like that.
Old 08-04-2007, 11:29 PM
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Originally Posted by sT04Louis
Well i painted my lights without any problems today..But of course, there had to be something that goes wrong.

Anyways...head off to dinner tonight, turn on my lights on the drive home. Get home and i have moisture forming on the inside of the driver side headlight. How i dont know, im seriously about to give up on these lights.

There is no way water got into the light or was in it before. The lights were totally taken apart today to be repainted and resealed. I used hondabond, and on top of that i used a rubber "tape" to double seal the seam. Threw that all in the oven for 5 min or so, formed the rubber to a tight seal, and re installed the lights.

Like i said im about to give up and just buy new lights off ebay.
Yeah, that SUCKS.....

Did you leave the moisture pack things in the healights, or did you take them out when you re-installed?

I put an extra one in each headlight before i put them back on the TL
Old 08-05-2007, 11:02 PM
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couple pics of the lights


Old 08-06-2007, 12:28 AM
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Wow, gives it a more serious angry look. If you had a meshed out grille the car would look deadly!
Old 08-06-2007, 12:37 AM
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looks pretty bad ass
Old 08-06-2007, 12:59 AM
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That looks sick man!

About the moisture, let it cure for a couple days. When I opened the second time one of my headlights I had moisture in there a couple days. I let it air out by removing the turn signal bulb. Since, it hasn't leaked one bit... I'm sure you sealed it right, I bet its a better seal than mine since I used silicone, just give it some time.

God I love your drop...
Old 08-06-2007, 02:28 AM
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Thanks for the comments on the lights. I do have to admit, i start cheesin when i pull up behind a truck with a chrome bumper or just a clean tail gate and i see that reflection of just my HID's muggin every car around. As for grill...i got a 4 day weekend in two weeks...maybe, just maybe if i can setup a time to get it painted and i get my hands on a dremel...


Originally Posted by PPLAPW
About the moisture, let it cure for a couple days. When I opened the second time one of my headlights I had moisture in there a couple days. I let it air out by removing the turn signal bulb. Since, it hasn't leaked one bit... I'm sure you sealed it right, I bet its a better seal than mine since I used silicone, just give it some time.

God I love your drop...
Last night i took out my turn signals and put silca packets from shoe boxes tied to strings inside the headlight. Removed all of the visible moisture, but after a drive back to tacoma tonight i saw a small amount of fog in the housing. Ill take the bulb out again tomorrow and repeat with silca packets.
Old 08-06-2007, 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by PPLAPW
is that grill painted or is it a seperate assembly? that looks excellent!
Old 08-06-2007, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by leedogg
Search for Arizona. Thread is titled Hot TL in Arizona or something like that.
not pplapw's car, but it just looks painted grill

pplapw's is coolerest
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