[Stupid] Question about smoking tail lights

Haris · 06-09-2012, 10:51 PM

Hey everyone,

I am going to attempt to smoke the tail lights of my Z tomorrow and I want the reverse (white area) of the lights untouched. What kind of masking should I be using? Is simple masking tape okay? Will I still be able to effectively sand the surroundings while I have the mask on or should I mask it after sanding the entire light?

It's my first time doing anything like this by my self, I am also technically impaired so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

simota1 · 06-10-2012, 06:53 AM

blue painters tape is the best.... the cleaner you tape the better the end results....

if your scared to tint the tails with paint... why not get smoked overlays... same effect

except if you mess up you just rip them off

SgtGoldy · 06-10-2012, 06:57 AM

^+1

Also if your set on smoking em yourself watch a good number of youtube videos. I smoked my last cars taillights and it turned out great. Just have to be patient and Prepare Prepare Prepare. Preparation is the difference between an awesome job and a mediocre one.

simota1 · 06-10-2012, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SgtGoldy

^+1

Also if your set on smoking em yourself watch a good number of youtube videos. I smoked my last cars taillights and it turned out great. Just have to be patient and Prepare Prepare Prepare. Preparation is the difference between an awesome job and a mediocre one.

^^^^ yessir!!!! its all about the prep work also

Haris · 06-10-2012, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the tips guys, one more thing though:

When do I apply the mask to light? Before sanding or after sanding? I was told by another enthusiast it should be applied after I sand it and I should remove it when applying the clear coat. I just wanted to confirm.

And thanks for all the DIY's you contribute Simota - really cool stuff. If this goes well I might start trying other things too.

Glokwork · 06-10-2012, 11:28 AM

I didn't sand mine. I used bluebat overlays with reverse cutout at first but I wasn't pleased with the results. Then I sprayed the entire light with a mixture of clear coat and several drops of black. Used a few coats to get the desired darkness and it looks phenomenal.

USMCASA · 06-10-2012, 11:57 AM

3m makes a fine line masking tape which is vinyl and will come off in much more sharp edges. i'd finish out the edges in it and use the wider paper type tape to cover the large area. the thin vinyl tape comes in 3mm, 5mm and 10mm thicknesses.

Baer383 · 06-10-2012, 12:44 PM

Yep did mine my self in a paint booth with a real paint gun.

Don't use a spray can

SPOHN · 06-10-2012, 12:49 PM

Going to have my new ones done. Talking to someone now that can do a matte finish with spray gun with a type of clear.

Haris · 06-10-2012, 06:32 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone, here are some pics of the results if anyones interested. I personally love them, but everyone has their own tastes.

imgur: the simple image sharer

SgtGoldy · 06-10-2012, 07:42 PM

Wow you went real dark! Looks good, did you clear coat em? Also watch out, i hear some states its illegal. No idea how Canada is though

864Zbeast · 06-10-2012, 07:51 PM

Sick haris! Did u take the lights off? I want to do mine but I tried to take the lights off and found it difficult and didn't try anymore.

Ps I alsO tried the overlay and it cracks so I want a clean look if I do it

Haris · 06-10-2012, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SgtGoldy

Wow you went real dark! Looks good, did you clear coat em? Also watch out, i hear some states its illegal. No idea how Canada is though

The picture is a lot darker since the camera quality is poor. You can still see a visible tint of red in real life, I only used 2 coats of VHT nightshades.
And yeah, I used 3 coats of clearcoat gloss. Most people I talked to in Canada said they never got pulled over for something like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 864Zbeast

Sick haris! Did u take the lights off? I want to do mine but I tried to take the lights off and found it difficult and didn't try anymore.

Ps I alsO tried the overlay and it cracks so I want a clean look if I do it

I did take the lights off. From what I read, doing it with the lights on is a horrible idea. Personal message me on what step you got stuck at and maybe I can help you out on what you should be doing.

I used this guide by the way: DIY: of complete FOG LAMP install
Scroll down to step 2

KaienZ34 · 06-10-2012, 09:38 PM

One coat of vht and two coats of clear.

864Zbeast · 06-10-2012, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haris

The picture is a lot darker since the camera quality is poor. You can still see a visible tint of red in real life, I only used 2 coats of VHT nightshades.
And yeah, I used 3 coats of clearcoat gloss. Most people I talked to in Canada said they never got pulled over for something like this.

I did take the lights off. From what I read, doing it with the lights on is a horrible idea. Personal message me on what step you got stuck at and maybe I can help you out on what you should be doing.

I used this guide by the way: DIY: of complete FOG LAMP install
Scroll down to step 2

Ok awesome thanks!

06-09-2012, 10:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Haris Base Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 6 Drives: 2011 370z AT Rep Power: 13	[Stupid] Question about smoking tail lights Hey everyone, I am going to attempt to smoke the tail lights of my Z tomorrow and I want the reverse (white area) of the lights untouched. What kind of masking should I be using? Is simple masking tape okay? Will I still be able to effectively sand the surroundings while I have the mask on or should I mask it after sanding the entire light? It's my first time doing anything like this by my self, I am also technically impaired so any advice is appreciated. Thanks. t3h r0nz likes this. Last edited by Haris; 06-09-2012 at 10:54 PM.

06-10-2012, 06:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
simota1 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Dededo, Guam Posts: 6,642 Drives: solid red 370z 6mt Rep Power: 405	blue painters tape is the best.... the cleaner you tape the better the end results.... if your scared to tint the tails with paint... why not get smoked overlays... same effect except if you mess up you just rip them off __________________ *TOP SECRET/POWERHOUSE AMUSE/ARC/DAYTONA RACING/VARIS/MINES/GANADOR/J-LINE/WORK EMOTION CR KAI/GT SPEC/CARBON SIGNAL/ZOOM ENGINEERING/ CARBON FIBER ELEMENT/STILLEN/*

06-10-2012, 06:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
SgtGoldy A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 3,503 Drives: C63 AMG - LSD Rep Power: 650	^+1 Also if your set on smoking em yourself watch a good number of youtube videos. I smoked my last cars taillights and it turned out great. Just have to be patient and Prepare Prepare Prepare. Preparation is the difference between an awesome job and a mediocre one. __________________ C63 AMG LSD - Straight Pipe - EuroCharge v5 - Vossen CV7 - IG: @SuperFastYo

06-10-2012, 11:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
Glokwork A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 2,657 Drives: 11 370Z MB 6MT Rep Power: 22	I didn't sand mine. I used bluebat overlays with reverse cutout at first but I wasn't pleased with the results. Then I sprayed the entire light with a mixture of clear coat and several drops of black. Used a few coats to get the desired darkness and it looks phenomenal. __________________ Precision Turbo Tial Turbosmart Fast Intentions Seibon Prosport Advan AD08R HKS Hipermax IV Nismo Evo-R PW:JDM UpRev Pioneer Escort Volk CE28N Top Mount Single Turbo 551whp/482wtq@10psi

06-10-2012, 12:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
Baer383 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lawrenceville,Ga Posts: 4,293 Drives: My foot up your azz Rep Power: 30	Yep did mine my self in a paint booth with a real paint gun. Don't use a spray can GOBLUE likes this. __________________ 2013 ZL1 754 rwhp 747 rwtq

06-10-2012, 10:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
Haris Base Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 6 Drives: 2011 370z AT Rep Power: 13	Thanks for the tips guys, one more thing though: When do I apply the mask to light? Before sanding or after sanding? I was told by another enthusiast it should be applied after I sand it and I should remove it when applying the clear coat. I just wanted to confirm. And thanks for all the DIY's you contribute Simota - really cool stuff. If this goes well I might start trying other things too.

06-10-2012, 11:57 AM	#7 (permalink)
USMCASA A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NC Posts: 1,152 Drives: 09 370z CY M6 Rep Power: 18	3m makes a fine line masking tape which is vinyl and will come off in much more sharp edges. i'd finish out the edges in it and use the wider paper type tape to cover the large area. the thin vinyl tape comes in 3mm, 5mm and 10mm thicknesses.

06-10-2012, 12:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 46 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 221	Going to have my new ones done. Talking to someone now that can do a matte finish with spray gun with a type of clear. __________________

06-10-2012, 06:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Haris Base Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 6 Drives: 2011 370z AT Rep Power: 13	Thanks for the advice everyone, here are some pics of the results if anyones interested. I personally love them, but everyone has their own tastes. imgur: the simple image sharer

06-10-2012, 07:42 PM	#11 (permalink)
SgtGoldy A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 3,503 Drives: C63 AMG - LSD Rep Power: 650	Wow you went real dark! Looks good, did you clear coat em? Also watch out, i hear some states its illegal. No idea how Canada is though __________________ C63 AMG LSD - Straight Pipe - EuroCharge v5 - Vossen CV7 - IG: @SuperFastYo

06-10-2012, 07:51 PM	#12 (permalink)
864Zbeast Track Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Walhalla/Clemson, SC Posts: 874 Drives: 09 BS 370z Rep Power: 15	Sick haris! Did u take the lights off? I want to do mine but I tried to take the lights off and found it difficult and didn't try anymore. Ps I alsO tried the overlay and it cracks so I want a clean look if I do it __________________ Avant Garde M310 gloss black/ Nitto Invo/ black fangs and rear diffuser/ gloss black roof/ tinted tail lights/ GT-R start button

06-10-2012, 09:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
KaienZ34 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: LA. not L.a. Posts: 21,652 Drives: Z34 Tour/Sport Rep Power: 178	One coat of vht and two coats of clear. __________________ *"These Violent Delights Have Violent Ends"* http://www.the370z.com/members/kaienz34-albums-z34.html

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