swisscheese

ahh, my bad! just remembered the car of my ex. this one had the export lights.

First pic you can see the export lights, the outer side is amber.

on the second there is a rear foglight on the bumper as required in Germany

The Project

iTrader: (6)

Great thread. Thanks for the comprehensive step by step.................think I'll make this a weekend project this spring.

DigitalMonarch0

Hi All-

Sorry that I've been gone for a while, I graduated school and have been working on getting a new job. I'm back now, and noticing all the replies to this thread.

The pictures are broken, I will get them hosted and working again within the next couple of days.

I submitted this post to the admins to try to get it posted on the tech-articles page, but I haven't seen it yet. Does anyone possibly have a connection to find out what happened?

--Pat

DigitalMonarch0

My apologies again for the links being broken so long. I created a photobucket account today and linked appropriately.

Can anyone provide any advice for buffing the lenses out AFTER you paint them on the outside? I didn't use any clear, so I wonder if I can even buff them at all...?

IROCZman15

iTrader: (25)

damn it; i bought a can of candy apple translucent paint a few months ago and had it sitting on MY shelf in the garage; and someone stole it, probably my brother;

i was going to do this mod today (even tho its cold, id use a heat gun to warm the plastic)

now i ahve to go buy another can , damn

krisb410

iTrader: (9)

Please explain your logic on this.

Gibson27

iTrader: (1)

If someone wanted smoked lenses you could just add a little black base color to the clear and the more layers the darker they get. Then when at the desired darkness just sand and buff.

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

For the base model firebird(or formula) taillights(86?-92)

1. The color won't match the red of the red parts in the taillight, it turns out more orange maybe red-orange

2. The surface of the plastic part inside of the taillight is not flat. It has "hills". By putting paint inside it changes how the lense part looks when light shines through it. The paint fills in the areas between the "hills". Sorry i have a limited vocabulary tonight.

I don't recommend painting on the outside of the firebird taillights either, still doesn't match perfectly color-wise. The best and most difficult method I've found is to cut out a section from another taillight and epoxy it in.. Thats what I'm doing on my custom taillights, that and a few other things...

91 355 z28

has anyone tryed venturing into making LED tail lights??.. i dont want them gay clear lenses or nothin but i do want to use my GTO black outs nd cops keep giving me **** because the lights arent bright enough duringg the day.. so i am thinking about using led's because theyre pretty bright.. some company should make a whole replacement blackout assembly with led's

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

LED bulb replacements are available in the aftermarket. The blinker flashers have to be swapped out with LED compatible flashers.

Anything else would have to be custom-made, custom-designed.

Someone has made LED taillights for a camaro where they drilled holes on the inside of the plastic taillight lenses and stuck the LEDs in those.

krisb410

iTrader: (9)

Firebat.

Ok, I see, maybe on the firebird tail lights, but on my camaro tail lights, I had them painted on the inside, Most people can't see the slight difference in colors.

My 3rd brakelight is a LED board. PM me if you want more info on it.

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

this is the result when painting on the inside for a firebird taillight. Sorry its a cell phone pic. If you look to the far right, thats where i sprayed a little on the outside.

ZZ4 86 Z28

iTrader: (1)

whats wrong with spraying the outside on a camaro taillight? if you prep it right, spray the red (preferably on all red lights too, just to make sure they all match), and then clear it, there should not be a problem at all...

ewwewwnotme

Ok anyone know a good popular store to get the Testors Candy Apple Red Translucent paint from?

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

Hobby Lobby has it. Maybe try some other hobby stores too????

IROCZman15

iTrader: (25)

yeap; i got my small spray can from a hobby/model shop . too bad someone in my family stole it; guna have to buy more; ive also heard that wallmart has them?

ewwewwnotme

I went to walmart today and even looked on their website and they had nothing. I got a couple hobby shops around im going to check out.

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

nope, walmart doesn't carry it

ewwewwnotme

How many coats did anyone use that painted from the inside of the taillight?

DigitalMonarch0

Any local mom & pop hobby store should carry the paint. The "big-box" stores didn't have it when I looked either.

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

I did about 6-7 i think. As you spray the coats and let them dry compare them to the other sections. I also put 1-2 coats of nightshades over the red to help match better:

Painted from the inside:

IROCZman15

iTrader: (25)

i just did this mod this past weekend; painting them from the INSIDE

i put on 7 coats of the said red translucent paint; it turned out good; im very happy i did it

i did notice that even though i cleaned the inside of the lenses well; when everythign was dry and reassembled correctly, teh shade of red is a little bit duller; probably because the lense is clouded with the paint,a nd you cant see the reflector as well anymore

its ok tho, i hated the orange stripe on there

i did buy some Meguiers "clear plastic polish" and plan on rubbing some of that on the outsides of the lights , to buff them to a nice shine

- and you guys WERE right, those tabs' and plastic retainers are VERY fragile; i went into the project with the attitude that"if i go slow, i can easily not break anyhting" wrong; that plastic is brittle as an egg; if you bend it so slightly, it breaks offf;; but yea, i did glue them all back together tho, and uses some black sealant around the joints of plastic


very glad i did this mod; thank to the couple guys who wrote up the instructions above, helped out a lot- much better than flying blind at it

fbodyguy86

now what about doingthe reverse lights red also do you think that` would be illegal or get me in trouble i got a "custom" light up valance from GTS a few years ago basically take the black pieces of the taillights and its a red lens that covers from reverse light to reverse light think it might look good if itwas all red all the way across

by the way the plate is relocated o the rear bumper

thanks

IROCZman15

iTrader: (25)

off of the top of my head; i dont see any way that would be legal; or pass inspection, or be legalally allowed... i cant think of any vehi8cle that doesnt have white/clear reverse lights; which is done on purpose; so u can see whats behind u when ur backing up... i mean it sounds liek a good idea; i'd liekt o eliminate the white lights from my taillights, but i dont see any way that would be legal at all.. correct me if i am wrong tho

ZZ4 86 Z28

iTrader: (1)

reverse lights also have to be obviously known as reverse lights right when they are seen. please show pics of this valence you are talking about with the all red.

fbodyguy86

here is what i have on the back of my camaro i think it would look better if the` lens were red all the way across

krisb410

iTrader: (9)

I'm sorry George, I just don't like that at all

I think the plate on the rear bumper looks like a hack job, maybe a firebird bumber would do a better job there.

And that center section just looks funny to me. Doesn't really "go" with the car.

Sorry

IROCZman15

iTrader: (25)

ok, here are some pics of my "red-taillight mod"

i did this about a month ago; but ive just been too busy to actually even load up the photos to here..

now, OBVIOUSLY the car is getting painted (within the next 3 weeks) and that is why the paint is all scuffed up/missing/dull.. so look past that

i used the translucent red that is stated on the first post here; and you can read up about 7 posts to see how i did it (pretty much the same as everyone else that did thier on the inside)

ok 4 pics: attached

comments?

fbodyguy86

was going to put a firebird bumper on but its too short on the sides so i think when i get it ready for paint im going to shave the antenna door locks and get a license plate box from like one of those mini truck places and get that mounted on the back so its recessed in a little bit and that would look better but i was thinking bout painting the turn signals and reverse lights red so that its red all the way across kinda like the firebirds are

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

good job guys...if i was to do it over again, i would have painted the inside and polished the outside but it still looks tons better than factory

i only used about 4 coats and it worked fine.

heres my thread
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...red+tail+light

86-Iroc-Z

I just bought mine at Walmart for like 3 or 4 bucks. It's beside the model cars in the toy section.

Arvizu9618

iTrader: (1)

I got these off ebay and I'm going to install them dead center in the black portion of the tails next to the existing clears.
I tested them in my kitchen with the lights out and they are bright as hell.
I've already redded out the entire tails, the clear section is now red and is wired exactly as the turn signals.
Pics to come soon.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390461555736...ht_7227wt_1161

RT

zenish

i agree.maybe use two of those led strip daytime running lights mounted on the bottom of the bumper for backup lights.that should be bright enough.

Arvizu9618

iTrader: (1)

Here's some pix of my mod:

swisscheese

wow! looks good!!!

how good is the illumination of the rear area when backing up with this leds?

Arvizu9618

iTrader: (1)

The Ill. is very good, IMHO better than stock.

swisscheese

Finally I have to do this mod too.

I have a spare set of tails laying around for the last two years...

86_irocz-28

im working on doing this all red segments will be be my brake lights as well

Cale Sahl

iTrader: (2)

I like that look. Now if we could wire in some sequential turn signal lights . . .

Arvizu9618

iTrader: (1)

That was the plan, then I sold the car...

86_irocz-28

4 brake lights and 4 turn signals(2ea side)