ok so...today i get a wild hair up my ass, and decide to smoke(rattle can) my tail lights on my TL. so stupid me i get off work at 3...by the time i get home w/ everything it is 4 oclock(it get dark around 5). so i start sanding and taping everything off(to lazy to figure out how to remove them...stupid mistake). by the time i actually get to sprayin its about 430 and im using rustoleum enamel(bad choice im guessing). get about 2 coats done, sanding in between and then its dark. so i go inside and wait for a little while. about 30 min later i decide to go back out and attempt to finish in the dark. so i sand the last coat and start the top coats. fast forward 45 min....all done tape removed go to turn the lights on and.....EWWWW it looks like absolute crap! not even at all. also i got some over spray(mist) from the top coat on parts of my car. so what do you guys recommend. i was just going to deal with it until tomorrow and then take them out and sand em down and redo them? or should i try something else? also what should i use to get rid of the over spray? elbow grease and a wet cloth or is there something i can use chemical wise? any help is appreciated.

 

buy a vinyl sheet for 13 bucks. It looks nice, shinny and did I mention professional? You will need to blow-dry it so it "seals" and "bends" to the light. I did both and I WOULD highly reccommend doing the film.

 

fixed em and now they look sweet!!! removed dealer tag and painted the taillights!

 

 

The smoked taillight looks really nice.
Question:
Is your TL Nighthawk Paint or Black?
If it is nighthawk, does the smoked taillight look etchy when the car is hit by the light and shines blue?

 

i believe its nighthawk but no it looks fine...are you from Dubuque?(username)

 

No, not dubuque. :P or w.e you may be asking for.
Ah, so I guess the taillights still looks fine.

I was thinking about smoking my taillights, do you think it's possible to list the process in smoking them?
I tried reading your description but it got really complicated for me.
Also, is it illegal to smoke your taillights?

 

is it illegal...some states yes...some no

DIY
1)remove tail lights(can be tough)
2)lightly sand, i used 100 Grit
3)wash lights completly w/ soap and water
4)Dry or let them dry, i was impatient and used a hair dryer
5)Take your Krylon Fusion black plastic paint and lightly "dust" the light. spraying 6" to a foot above. TAKE YOUR TIME AND LET EACH COAT DRY COMPLETLY
6)Lightly Sand inbetween each coat
7)once disired darkness is achieved(it wont take many coats to make it look black) lightly sand your last coat and then once dry wash it again
8)Then take your GLOSS Top coat and do the same process(light misting coats) but instead of 2-3 coats, I did 10-15
9)Let the Clear coat dry each time
10)Wet sand or buff to match the glossiness of your ride...

Dubuque is the town where im from...some people abbriviate it dbq thats why i asked.

 

I think you need to retouch your blacked out tips.. .. jk.. barkeeper's friend will do the trick. Nice job.. I'm pretty sure that's completely illegal but it came out clean.

 

^^^ blacked out tips? it actually shines through very well...i mean not as bright durring the day but its still pretty bright when the break is hit!

 

no.. your exhaust tips.

 

AHHH I get it now...lol