So tonight I bought a can of NiteShades that Advance had special ordered, some clear silicone rtv, and some Krylon clear coat spray paint.

Because tinting tail lights is illegal in IL I planned on taking off the clear cover off my lights, the NiteShading the chrome in the altezzas then rtv'ing the clear covers back on.

After coming home and removing the inner tail light I noticed that not only are the covers glued like crazy but that have pretty big pins holding them in as well. Now I have heard of people putting the lights in the oven for ten minutes to loosen the glue, but then I would still have the pins to worry about and I dont think my family would be pleased if the lights melted in the oven.

So does anyone know of an easier method to do this? Its driving me insance b/c I just spent all this money.

 

Do you have any pictures? Front, rear, sides of these tail lights? Maybe the pins aren't so bad. I'm planning on doing something similar, maybe we can figure it out together.

StevePhy

 

I will try to remember and put some up sometime. Its really annoying taking them off and on! But I may be able to see the clips w/o taking them off.

Does anybody else have any ideas? Help!!!!!!!

I guess I may just use a drill to get rid of the tabs, and then use a heat gun and hope they dont melt. I think that is more safe then the oven.

I get off work in about an hour, so Ill see if I can do anything with it today.

 

Sounds good to me. I havent looked on Google much, no time. But if I find anything I will be sure to let you know stevephy. When are you planning on doing this to your tail lights? And are they stock?

 

They are not stock. They look like this: http://www.matrixracing.com/images/P...CWT-712BC3.jpg

My plan is to get them opened up (through the oven process) and have them painted to match my cars color (white).

The overall manufacturing of these items is less than ideal. The finish looks good from a distance, but once you get up close you can see molding lines where flash is still visible, plus when they were put together, you can see where the adhesive was hardened a little making the seams not fully flush, letting in moisture and such.

From what I have gathered, information-wise, you remove all rubber gaskets, seals and bulb plugs from the tail light assembly. Preheat your oven to 260 degrees. Using a cookie sheet and some foil, place the tail light assembly in the oven, as far away from the heat source as possible, for six minutes. Remove from the oven, use a screwdriver or two to pry the lens away from the housing.

Some people have suggested that using a heatgun is also viable, but I think I'm going to go with the oven. Although I'm not sure if I will be able to fit the center portion into my oven. We'll see.

I've had the new tail light assemblies on my car, just to see how they look, without messing around opening them up. I will probably take them off, reinstall the originals, and then start doing surgery soon. I've been working so much, I haven't wanted to start any projects, plus I don't need to get them open until my car gets repainted (who knows when that will be).

I plan on doing the same thing to my headlight assemblies as well. They will be projector refits that I'm looking to paint.

Let me know what you think.

StevePhy

 

Sounds like a plan to me. But the only problem is that I think our oven only goes as low as 350 degrees. Do you think you'll be putting them in the oven soon? Let me know how it works out. Im still worried about the clips, that by the time I get them undone the glue will have cooled back so. So I will prob. just drill them out, and fill them with rtv when im done.

As for the moisture, just get some clear silicone (rtv) and either put it on all the seals or just where its leaking in. It works really well.

And when you paint it make sure to use quality paint and prep the surface well. And also to use a clear coat over the paint so it wont flake and then you wont have to take them off again.

 

Yahoo! Alright, well I have the lens covers off and have applied one coat of Nite Shades! It isnt the most even, but oh well! I will probably write a tutorial on it. Anyways, does anyone know how many coats of Nite Shades and Clear coat to put on? The NiteShades says no more than 3 b/c light may not shine through, but the niteshades isnt over light. I dont want it pitch black, but somewhat dark!

 

Well here are my trunk lights with 1 light coat and a second thicker coat. Hows it look?!

As for my corner, big lights. I was thinking of keeping the rounded chrome parts chrome. So for example, the chrome ring that encircles the red lens and clear signal lens would be chrome. Then the cylnders that make the rings would also be chrome, so when you are ALONG the car, look at the side of my tail lights youll see two chrome cylinders but all of the flat stuff would be blacked out! Whatcha guys think?!


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Anybody[8D]?! Whatcha think about the big ones if I cover that section in black w/ a little chrome left though!?

Anyways, the trunk lights are done and installed. They look pretty good, though one carner kin d of sticks out...so Ill have to work on that. After work, I will start on the big sections. Wish me luck!

 

Pictures?