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I picked up this set of T/A lights dirt cheap from the junk yard over a year ago. I thought I could fix the discoloration/delamination of the black grid behind the lenses. They were beyond repair so I ended up breaking the grid section out.
I've been thinking about doing something like this for several months now and I finally got around to it yesterday. I wanted to go with something a little different than the just the square/rectangle type grid pattern. My original plan was to do the hexagon honeycomb pattern like the 4th gen T/A's. I thought it would flow with my 4th gen wing. But, after alot of thought I decided it would be a major PITA to get the hexagon cut outs right. So, I went with plain old circles.
Opinions?
Questions?
Cussings?
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__________________ 355 TBI/WC T-5/ 9 Bolt 3.27 Posi w/PBR's, Edlebrock headers, MSD iginition, complete WS6 conversion, open element, energy suspension poly bushings throughout, complete A.I.R. delete, 8mm wires, 165* stat, 4th gen T/A wing, all black leather 4th gen interior, Custom circle grid T/A tail lights, Sequential turn signals.
I think it looks good did you throw out firebats idea that looked good also.
I was going to go with Firebat's idea, but then I would have had to buy an extra set of base bird lights to cut up. I already had these and this was basically a "free mod" since I used stuff that I already had.
that looks awesome... i wouldent do that tho.. id just do a straght black out.. but how did u take out the grid?
The first one I just broke out the grid piece by piece by pulling it away from the clear part with needle nose pliers. It took about an hour to do it that way. The second one I basically did the same thing, but used a heat gun to loosen it up and weaken the grid. The second one took maybe 5 minutes.
What you see is what it is. The circles are are done. I taped the whole inside of the lenses and traced around a quarter with a pencil. Then I went back and cut around each circle with a razor blade and pulled all of the surrounding tape out of the lenses leaving the tape circles. I painted the inside with gloss black spray paint and then pulled the tape circles out. I've got pics through just about every step so I could eventually right up a "how to" on it. You can do any design you want this way. Firebat's idea was in the fabrication forum. He had base bird lights with 3 red strips on each side and 2 round reverse lights.
TAdan-
I was originally planning on doing the honeycomb pattern. I got the idea from the 4th gen T/A's. I decided to go with the circles because it was alot easier. I've got a 91, so there's really not much "squareness" to my rear, especially with the 4th gen wing.
__________________ 355 TBI/WC T-5/ 9 Bolt 3.27 Posi w/PBR's, Edlebrock headers, MSD iginition, complete WS6 conversion, open element, energy suspension poly bushings throughout, complete A.I.R. delete, 8mm wires, 165* stat, 4th gen T/A wing, all black leather 4th gen interior, Custom circle grid T/A tail lights, Sequential turn signals.
ok, thats cool. I see how that works. Heres an idea that may make things easier. make a template from a block or cookie cutter type deal, and just insert the little square or hexagons in there instead of cutting them in place?
Either way, nice work!
To bad you dont work for a graphics company, you could measure the tail lights, make your little hexagon shapes in the pattern desired and print out on masking laminate which is sticky on 1 side and smooth on the other...
This way you could just match corners of the lenses to the masking sheet, peel off the mask and paint through the hexagons in a perfect setup.
This is something I have thought about doing when I get my GTA. But I have an 89 Camaro and wont expect my GTA for many many years down the road.
Maybe look into getting this done sometime, just ask them for a masking with die-cutted hexagon shaped cut out and boom, you have precision design on its own masking.
The lenses were delaminated really bad, sorry I don't have any pics before I took the grid out or how to take the grid out. The black behind the clear was really bad on the ends towards the center of the car. There was no way to get the black plastic out so I had to paint the outside which is covered later.
All pics are attached below.
Removing the plastic grid:
The first one I just broke out the grid piece by piece by pulling it away from the clear part with needle nose pliers. It took about an hour to do it that way. The second one I basically did the same thing, but used a heat gun to loosen it up and weaken the grid. The second one took maybe 5 minutes. I broke it out as close to the outer edges of the lens as I could.
Sanding:
When the grid is removed, there will be indentions in the clear plastic that need to be removed if you plan on going with a pattern different than stock. If you plan on going back with the stock look you can leave them there and use them as a masking guide. I used 100 grit dry paper to get the marks out, then followed up with 220 wet, 320 wet, 600 wet, 1000 wet. Then I used Turtle wax rubbing compound followed by Mother's wheel polish.
Masking the outside:
As stated before the outside of the lenses that I had needed to be painted or you would be able to see all the delamination/discoloration of the black behind the clear that wasn't removable. I used masking tape to cover the area that I wanted to remain clear.
Masking and cutting the pattern inside:
I masked the entire inside of the lens. I used a quarter to get my pattern. All I did was trace the quarter with a pencil in the pattern that I wanted. When I was finished tracing and laying out the pattern I cut around each circle with a razor blade (it would have been much easier with an exacto knife). Once the circles were cut I removed the excess masking around each circle. Starting at one end the surrounding tape pulled off fairly easy.
Painting:
With everything masked off I painted the lenses inside and out with gloss black spray paint. I used Rust-O-Leum since that was what I had at the time. I applied 4 coats inside and out. When everything was dry I removed the masking tape. The outside is quick, the inside takes a little more time to get every circle out. The pics of it on the cooler show the outside tape removed and the tape circles on the inside still in place. Once all the masking is removed you can put the light assemblies back together and install.
All in all it's not that hard to do, I have about 8 hours +/- in the whole process. I also masked off the bird in the center section and gave it a few coats to match .
A honeycomb look like on LS1 Firebird/TA would look cool.
Kevin
__________________ 1989 IROC-Z Hardtop
2nd Place Best Restoration Thirdgen Fest 2007 -- 2nd Place Best Restoration Thirdgen Fest 2008 -- 1st Place Best Restoration Thirdgen Fest 2009 -- 3rd Place Best Modified Thirdgen Fest 2009
*Just a little Vortec set up*
He had asked me about making a honeycomb pattern template (I do vinyl, and make all the local club window lettering, decals & such) but my machine is down, and I can't get the manufacturer to even RESPOND, much less help diagnose my problem.
But it woulda be simple. I could have gotten paint mask material, applied it, then it would have peeled off EASILY.
Looks good, I think the circles go pretty good with the later GFX like yours. Honeycomb would be cool, too. What I probably would have done, is use those little tag sale dot stickers, from the dollar store.
Another idea would be, get a roll of that 3/4" masking tape, and that 1/4" masking tape. Lay it in alternating every one, right edge to edge no overlap. Then yank out the 1/4" strips and paint. It would give that old school look, but not like the ones you had before. Kinda like a modern 82-84 light. You could VHT it afterwards too.
__________________ -Adam
1990 Firebird Formula
Bone Stock 305TBI, T5 tranny, 62k Origional
UMI subframe Connectors
Another idea would be, get a roll of that 3/4" masking tape, and that 1/4" masking tape. Lay it in alternating every one, right edge to edge no overlap. Then yank out the 1/4" strips and paint. It would give that old school look, but not like the ones you had before. Kinda like a modern 82-84 light. You could VHT it afterwards too.
He had asked me about making a honeycomb pattern template (I do vinyl, and make all the local club window lettering, decals & such) but my machine is down, and I can't get the manufacturer to even RESPOND, much less help diagnose my problem.
But it woulda be simple. I could have gotten paint mask material, applied it, then it would have peeled off EASILY.
that would be sick if you could make these eventually, id probably go back to the stock look...
you siad you painted the outside of the lens as well?
Yeah, I had to paint the outside of the lenses. I wasn't able to get the black out around the edges and on the ends. The delaminated black was still visible through the clear plastic and it looked really bad so I painted the edges of the lenses black on the outside.
__________________ 355 TBI/WC T-5/ 9 Bolt 3.27 Posi w/PBR's, Edlebrock headers, MSD iginition, complete WS6 conversion, open element, energy suspension poly bushings throughout, complete A.I.R. delete, 8mm wires, 165* stat, 4th gen T/A wing, all black leather 4th gen interior, Custom circle grid T/A tail lights, Sequential turn signals.
I hate to Necro, but are the '92 tail lights made the same way? I've been thinking about doing something like this for mine, to give it that TA look again. Alot of people won't belive me that it's a TA just because I switch tail lights...
355 TBI/WC T-5/ 9 Bolt 3.27 Posi w/PBR's, Edlebrock headers, MSD iginition, complete WS6 conversion, open element, energy suspension poly bushings throughout, complete A.I.R. delete, 8mm wires, 165* stat, 4th gen T/A wing, all black leather 4th gen interior, Custom circle grid T/A tail lights, Sequential turn signals.
