DIY: VIDEO!! Baking 370z Headlights for Paint, LED's etc

Dallaz · 01-31-2013, 05:00 PM

Hey guys, just got both of my headlights open for painting the housings as many have done here on the forum, and I recorded the WHOLE process including stripping the headlight of everything necessary to put it in the oven, showing you everything you'll need to get the job done, and the actual "opening" process itself. I've recently been PM'ing as many people as possible who have successfully and unsuccessfully opened their headlights using the oven method to see what works and what doesn't, as well as what I learned myself from getting the process wrong the first time.

The videos should explain everything, however if there is anything I missed or that you are concerned about just ask on this page so it can be displayed for everyone and I'll get back with answers ASAP.

This is a series of 3 videos because I do not skip anything or speed up the video and youtube limits your videos to around 10 minutes, there is just short of 30 minutes of video so there you go.

I'm not going to have all 3 videos on this page until late tonight or tomorrow as I just don't have enough time to upload/post it all before work, so there will be some missing pieces to the puzzle until I get off work tonight and upload the last video.

FIRST VIDEO

Stripping your Headlights for the Oven (part 1)

Video 2

Video 3

Baking your headlight and opening it

Please read the videos Description

NOTE!!!!

VERY IMPORTANT!!!

I took out the HID's ALL WRONG..... If you take them out the way I did in the video you may damage your hid bulb or the silver assembly attached to it.

THE PROPER WAY to take them out is, after removing the circular plastic piece by rotating it, giving you access to the HID assembly, you simply need to rotate the large silver piece and it comes right out AND THEN you will be able to remove you actual HID bulb separately from the larger silver square-ish shaped block by pinching those wires right behind the bulb to free it from the housing. This may sound confusing but once you just rotate the large silver block from the bulb it will be very obvious.

What I did was simply yank the whole thing out (silver block with HID attached) which is not smart lol however I had done no research at the time on stripping these or switching HID bulbs out.

ALSO IMPORTANT!!!!

If you place a towel underneath your light when taking it apart, MAKE SURE it is a Micro Fiber towel and not just any towel lying around, like we used. The reason I say this is, you will get scratches on your lens from the downward pressure placed on the light combined with the fact that it is hot out of the oven.... YOU WILL SCRATCH YOUR LENS so again, use a soft, clean microfiber towel and do not set your lens down on the carpet while its hot or that may also cause scratches.

IF YOU DO SCRATCH YOUR LENS

Its not the end of the world, you will just have to use some polishing compound with a microfiber applicator pad to get them out, possibly using some rubbing compound before the polish..... If thats not enough and the scratches are too deep, you will have to get a headlight restoration kit that includes fine grit sandpaper and wet sand it before using your polishing compound.

It will be easier to do this after you have painted and reassembled your lights but before putting them back on the car, or you will have to mask off your painted surfaces around the headlight to avoid scuffing your paint with the sandpaper as well as not getting any plastic restoration compounds from touching your paint as well.

Twist this off!! Do not pull it
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402506.451784.jpg

Light after opening
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402582.950807.jpg

5 screws (maybe 6) will be holding your housings, shrouds, and reflector to the lens, remove those, then you can take everything apart. I recommend practicing putting these parts back together a few times before painting them because if you aren't careful you'll scratch one of your painted surfaces trying to get these back together.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402608.450574.jpg

Most people do not paint this little plastic piece
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402813.750711.jpg

Nothing will get completed before installing a professional paint booth in someone else's garage!
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402906.417847.jpg

After first coat.

Reflector, which by the way do not try to take the reflector apart from the silver/chrome piece it is attached to or you will most likely break it, just paint it all the same color, or mask off the silver/chrome edge if you do not want it painted.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402967.968082.jpg

Housing.
DO LIGHT COATS!!
You can do as many coats as you feel necessary I suppose but do the light and from the recommended distance away from your surface or your paint will run, DO NOT try to get every little nook and cranny on the first few coats, just take your time, do one angle LIGHTLY, then after 10-15 minutes, do another angle lightly, until it is all covered and your happy.

Cannot stress the light coats enough, when I did my door handles, I tried to do too much in one coat and it started to run, so I had to sand it and prep it for paint again the next day.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403001.368179.jpg

Blinker shroud.
I placed my blinker shroud on a small Dixie cup so I could get a better angle on it and good coverage. You will have to mask off the clear lens because it does not come apart.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403020.100940.jpg

HID shroud.
For this I just set it straight on newspaper, this shot might have been after a few coats. Again, just do light coats. I was worried about getting good coverage in the "ridged circle" area but just spray at different angles and after a few coats everything will look great.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403438.634141.jpg

Here's everything back in the kitchen, ready for reassembly after being painted. I'm pretty sure I only let the paint dry for an hour or so before we put these pieces back together and tossed the housings back in the oven.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403575.084527.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403679.184408.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403691.867834.jpg

JUST TRYING TO SHOW YOU GUYS AS MANY PICTURES AS POSSIBLE!!

These are iPhone pics so excuse the resolution and quality.

When you are ready to put your lights back together make sure there is no dust on ANYTHING before putting them in the oven or it will be inside after they are back together. Just press them together as good as you can before placing them in the oven at 250 degrees for 10 minutes, the same way to took them apart. After the 10 minutes in the oven, immediately press them back together and put pressure on every area (best with 2 people) and have one person screw in all screws while the other is holding the light with pressure. I did not use any additional sealant, there really is a lot of silicon on both sides of your housing once they're separated and I did not feel the need to add anymore, as well as many others who have done this.

NOTE: when you pull your lights from the oven for reassembly, there will be moisture on your HID lens, which promptly dries and leaves no marks, it's just the heat pulling in moisture from the rag you had wet under your light in the oven.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403797.700992.jpg

Now time for putting them back on your car.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360404205.084405.jpg

Perfect match!
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360404232.451250.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360404248.734358.jpg

BEFORE: YUCK!!!

AFTER: OOOOH!

frost · 01-31-2013, 05:35 PM

First!!!! Get rocked Clint!!!

Spikuh · 01-31-2013, 06:34 PM

FIRST!!!! Get rocked Nina!!!

sexZness · 01-31-2013, 06:34 PM

very nice, Westin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spikuh

FIRST!!!! Get rocked Nina!!!

glad to see this was the highlight of your day

Spikuh · 01-31-2013, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sexZness

very nice, Westin

glad to see this was the highlight of your day

I got this **** on endless repeat.

sexZness · 01-31-2013, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spikuh

I got this **** on endless repeat.

Y U ALWAYS NO ON TOPIC?!?!?!

Spikuh · 01-31-2013, 06:50 PM

To be fair, how often am I on topic?

I'll check out the first video later Westin.

Dallaz · 02-09-2013, 04:05 AM

All 3 videos are finally up!

pbhakta · 02-09-2013, 09:35 AM

This is an awesome write up. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

Sent from my HTC using Tapatalk 2

Wiggins3377 · 02-09-2013, 09:43 AM

Subd

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dallaz · 02-09-2013, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbhakta

This is an awesome write up. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

Sent from my HTC using Tapatalk 2

No problem, had fun putting this together. When I do the next set for some local guys (hopefully soon), I'm
going to redo the first 2 videos and make it only 1 detailed video now that I'm confident on the whole process and know how to do it quickly.

Red_Z · 02-09-2013, 01:50 PM

Sub!!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

sexZness · 02-09-2013, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallaz

No problem, had fun putting this together. When I do the next set for some local guys (hopefully soon), I'm
going to redo the first 2 videos and make it only 1 detailed video now that I'm confident on the whole process and know how to do it quickly.

I'll be your guinea pig!!!!!

frost · 02-09-2013, 02:21 PM

Hey Westin, you want me to like, merge your posts together?

Spikuh · 02-09-2013, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frost

First!!!! Get rocked Clint!!!

Cheater!!!

It all looks good Westin, we just need to get you a hood now!!!

01-31-2013, 05:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dallaz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: North Dallas Posts: 1,272 Drives: 09MontereyBlu370z6MT Rep Power: 16	DIY: VIDEO!! Baking 370z Headlights for Paint, LED's etc Hey guys, just got both of my headlights open for painting the housings as many have done here on the forum, and I recorded the WHOLE process including stripping the headlight of everything necessary to put it in the oven, showing you everything you'll need to get the job done, and the actual "opening" process itself. I've recently been PM'ing as many people as possible who have successfully and unsuccessfully opened their headlights using the oven method to see what works and what doesn't, as well as what I learned myself from getting the process wrong the first time. The videos should explain everything, however if there is anything I missed or that you are concerned about just ask on this page so it can be displayed for everyone and I'll get back with answers ASAP. This is a series of 3 videos because I do not skip anything or speed up the video and youtube limits your videos to around 10 minutes, there is just short of 30 minutes of video so there you go. I'm not going to have all 3 videos on this page until late tonight or tomorrow as I just don't have enough time to upload/post it all before work, so there will be some missing pieces to the puzzle until I get off work tonight and upload the last video. FIRST VIDEO Stripping your Headlights for the Oven (part 1) Video 2 Video 3 Baking your headlight and opening it Please read the videos Description NOTE!!!! VERY IMPORTANT!!! I took out the HID's ALL WRONG..... If you take them out the way I did in the video you may damage your hid bulb or the silver assembly attached to it. THE PROPER WAY to take them out is, after removing the circular plastic piece by rotating it, giving you access to the HID assembly, you simply need to rotate the large silver piece and it comes right out AND THEN you will be able to remove you actual HID bulb separately from the larger silver square-ish shaped block by pinching those wires right behind the bulb to free it from the housing. This may sound confusing but once you just rotate the large silver block from the bulb it will be very obvious. What I did was simply yank the whole thing out (silver block with HID attached) which is not smart lol however I had done no research at the time on stripping these or switching HID bulbs out. ALSO IMPORTANT!!!! If you place a towel underneath your light when taking it apart, MAKE SURE it is a Micro Fiber towel and not just any towel lying around, like we used. The reason I say this is, you will get scratches on your lens from the downward pressure placed on the light combined with the fact that it is hot out of the oven.... YOU WILL SCRATCH YOUR LENS so again, use a soft, clean microfiber towel and do not set your lens down on the carpet while its hot or that may also cause scratches. IF YOU DO SCRATCH YOUR LENS Its not the end of the world, you will just have to use some polishing compound with a microfiber applicator pad to get them out, possibly using some rubbing compound before the polish..... If thats not enough and the scratches are too deep, you will have to get a headlight restoration kit that includes fine grit sandpaper and wet sand it before using your polishing compound. It will be easier to do this after you have painted and reassembled your lights but before putting them back on the car, or you will have to mask off your painted surfaces around the headlight to avoid scuffing your paint with the sandpaper as well as not getting any plastic restoration compounds from touching your paint as well. Twist this off!! Do not pull it ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402506.451784.jpg Light after opening ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402582.950807.jpg 5 screws (maybe 6) will be holding your housings, shrouds, and reflector to the lens, remove those, then you can take everything apart. I recommend practicing putting these parts back together a few times before painting them because if you aren't careful you'll scratch one of your painted surfaces trying to get these back together. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402608.450574.jpg Most people do not paint this little plastic piece ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402813.750711.jpg Nothing will get completed before installing a professional paint booth in someone else's garage! ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402906.417847.jpg After first coat. Reflector, which by the way do not try to take the reflector apart from the silver/chrome piece it is attached to or you will most likely break it, just paint it all the same color, or mask off the silver/chrome edge if you do not want it painted. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360402967.968082.jpg Housing. DO LIGHT COATS!! You can do as many coats as you feel necessary I suppose but do the light and from the recommended distance away from your surface or your paint will run, DO NOT try to get every little nook and cranny on the first few coats, just take your time, do one angle LIGHTLY, then after 10-15 minutes, do another angle lightly, until it is all covered and your happy. Cannot stress the light coats enough, when I did my door handles, I tried to do too much in one coat and it started to run, so I had to sand it and prep it for paint again the next day. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403001.368179.jpg Blinker shroud. I placed my blinker shroud on a small Dixie cup so I could get a better angle on it and good coverage. You will have to mask off the clear lens because it does not come apart. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403020.100940.jpg HID shroud. For this I just set it straight on newspaper, this shot might have been after a few coats. Again, just do light coats. I was worried about getting good coverage in the "ridged circle" area but just spray at different angles and after a few coats everything will look great. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403438.634141.jpg Here's everything back in the kitchen, ready for reassembly after being painted. I'm pretty sure I only let the paint dry for an hour or so before we put these pieces back together and tossed the housings back in the oven. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403575.084527.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403679.184408.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403691.867834.jpg JUST TRYING TO SHOW YOU GUYS AS MANY PICTURES AS POSSIBLE!! These are iPhone pics so excuse the resolution and quality. When you are ready to put your lights back together make sure there is no dust on ANYTHING before putting them in the oven or it will be inside after they are back together. Just press them together as good as you can before placing them in the oven at 250 degrees for 10 minutes, the same way to took them apart. After the 10 minutes in the oven, immediately press them back together and put pressure on every area (best with 2 people) and have one person screw in all screws while the other is holding the light with pressure. I did not use any additional sealant, there really is a lot of silicon on both sides of your housing once they're separated and I did not feel the need to add anymore, as well as many others who have done this. NOTE: when you pull your lights from the oven for reassembly, there will be moisture on your HID lens, which promptly dries and leaves no marks, it's just the heat pulling in moisture from the rag you had wet under your light in the oven. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360403797.700992.jpg Now time for putting them back on your car. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360404205.084405.jpg Perfect match! ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360404232.451250.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360404248.734358.jpg BEFORE: YUCK!!! AFTER: OOOOH! fuct, Mike, ZCarMan and 39 others like this. __________________ AeroJacket Lip Kit \| GTR switch \| NISMO S-Knob \| Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING\| 5% Tint \| Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim \| VOSSEN CV3's \| Painted Headlights \| CF Diffuser Last edited by frost; 02-09-2013 at 04:18 PM.

02-09-2013, 04:05 AM	#8 (permalink)
Dallaz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: North Dallas Posts: 1,272 Drives: 09MontereyBlu370z6MT Rep Power: 16	All 3 videos are finally up! Spikuh likes this. __________________ AeroJacket Lip Kit \| GTR switch \| NISMO S-Knob \| Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING\| 5% Tint \| Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim \| VOSSEN CV3's \| Painted Headlights \| CF Diffuser

02-09-2013, 09:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
pbhakta Enthusiast Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Kansas City Posts: 333 Drives: 11 GM 370z T/S 6MT Rep Power: 13	This is an awesome write up. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Sent from my HTC using Tapatalk 2 __________________ 2011 6MT 370Z Gun Metallic :: Stillen G3 CAI :: Swift Springs :: EvoR :: JWM LEDs :: TommyKaira :: Forgestar F14 :: Motordyne Shockwave))) E370 :: CS Spec-Me Lip :: AeroJacket

02-09-2013, 09:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
Wiggins3377 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 3,236 Drives: 40th 370 Rep Power: 77	Subd Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ AccuAir/ AirRex/ Amuse/ Bride Japan/ Carbon Fiber Element/ Carbon Signal/ Evo-R/ NRG/ Project Kics/ Samco/ Shine Auto/ SPC/ SPL/ Stance/ Stillen/ Takata/ Top Secret/ Work

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02-09-2013, 01:50 PM	#12 (permalink)
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