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Should I black out my head lights?

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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 09:27 AM
  #1  
white1991rs's Avatar
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Car: 1991 Camaro RS/1989 Formula
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Should I black out my head lights?

I've been thinking about painting my headlight buckets for a while but I cant decide. These are pictures from before it got the new rims.

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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 09:29 AM
  #2  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

i say do it. makes it look so much better
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 09:48 AM
  #3  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

It will look cool but it is not safe.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 09:57 AM
  #4  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

...

Last edited by LHernandezJr; Jul 17, 2014 at 06:32 PM.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 10:00 AM
  #5  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Originally Posted by motobooks
Not safe?
You will see less at night as the tint will dim the lights. it is better to find some kind of aftermarket head lamp that has dark background on them insted of dark outside.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 10:21 AM
  #6  
white1991rs's Avatar
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From: Michigan
Car: 1991 Camaro RS/1989 Formula
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Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

I think its safe, I have HID headlights and they're pretty bright.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 10:38 AM
  #7  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

...

Last edited by LHernandezJr; Jul 17, 2014 at 06:32 PM.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 11:43 AM
  #8  
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Car: 1988 Firbird formula 350
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Axle/Gears: 3.27 Nine Bolt
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

I like the look with the buckets blacked out also.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 12:42 PM
  #9  
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From: WINDSOR, CO
Car: 91 Z28, 87 SC, 90 IROC, 92 RS
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Transmission: T56, 700r4's, and NADA
Axle/Gears: 3.89, 3.42, 3.23, NADA
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Originally Posted by carattini
You will see less at night as the tint will dim the lights. it is better to find some kind of aftermarket head lamp that has dark background on them insted of dark outside.
I think you misunderstood the question, and answered the misleading title of the thread... He's want opinions on black headlight buckets (IROC's & Z28's), or to leave body color (RS).

Your correct if speaking of "tinting" the actual headlight lenses

OP - Make them black!!!!
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 01:40 PM
  #10  
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Car: 1987 T/A WS6 T-Tops/92 RS
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Axle/Gears: 2.73/3.23
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

The car looks killer as is, but I do like the blacked out buckets. Maybe use Plasti Dip first to make sure you like the look, if so peel it off and use real paint.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 02:41 PM
  #11  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

I like it with the buckets blacked out.

I had a white 92 RS, looked just like that. Love the white with red interior combo.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 02:49 PM
  #12  
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Car: 85z28(sold),91 rs, 15'Mazda3GT
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Transmission: 700r4 rebuilt with kits+ vette serv
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Originally Posted by 2007xl50
The car looks killer as is, but I do like the blacked out buckets. Maybe use Plasti Dip first to make sure you like the look, if so peel it off and use real paint.
I second that, I was just about say exactly the same thing
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 03:39 PM
  #13  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Paint them...especially on a white car.
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Old Feb 7, 2013 | 03:51 PM
  #14  
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From: long island ny
Car: 1987 camaro sc
Engine: lg4 305
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

paint the pockets black. the all white body looks a little to plain
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Old Feb 8, 2013 | 10:19 AM
  #15  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

paint them black.
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Old Feb 8, 2013 | 10:20 AM
  #16  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

YES, Please
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Old Feb 8, 2013 | 07:32 PM
  #17  
lb9 GTA's Avatar
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Car: '88 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 305 TPI
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Leave it alone. It look so much cleaner with the headlight buckets body colour.
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Old Feb 8, 2013 | 08:16 PM
  #18  
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Car: 89 Black IROC-Z convertible
Engine: 305 TBI
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

I agree. Leave them white. I think it keeps the white, crisp & clean looking. But as 2007x150 suggested, this is a place where using plast-dip makes sense. If you like it you can make it permanent, if you don't, peel it off.
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Old Feb 9, 2013 | 01:55 AM
  #19  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Normally I'd say go for it, but your car is so clean it doesnt really need it. Just a really, really nice car.

But if you want to, you can always plastidip them so it's not permanent. You can see how you like it and it really looks good enough to leave alone as is if you mask it well.

Three caveats:

1. Be very meticulous in your masking
2. The more coats, the easier the stuff is to remove later. Aim for 4 coats.
3. If you let it dry before removing the masking tape, it will pull the plastidip off. You must remove masking tape IMMEDIATELY after last coat, and try to get as many coats in as quickly as possible. The wetter the stuff is when you pull the tape, the better.

It's a balance between giving enough time for each coat to cure properly before a new coat (The stuff is VERY forgiving, though), getting enough coats on it to make it easily removable, and getting done fast enough to pull the masking tape without stretching/pulling the plastidip thats partially cured. 3 coats is around full coverage, so just give it one more nice coat after that and you should be good to go to go ahead and yank off your masking.

Here is how mine turned out:



Notice it doesn't clash too badly with my bowtie grille, which was the main concern I had. It's nowhere near an exact match for the factory semi-gloss, but its not too far away, either.

Last edited by InfernalVortex; Feb 9, 2013 at 01:59 AM.
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Old Feb 9, 2013 | 02:09 AM
  #20  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

I like them body color .. it's an RS

~DaVe
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Old Feb 9, 2013 | 01:54 PM
  #21  
Ron U.S.M.C.'s Avatar
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
Engine: TBI,5.0
Transmission: Automatic 700R4
Axle/Gears: Eaton Posi,3.42,LPW Ultimate Cover
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

The more I look at the photos the more I like the white buckets. If you had a little more black on the car like black racing stripes/etc. the black would be appropriate. What do your new wheels look like ?
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Old Feb 9, 2013 | 02:11 PM
  #22  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

I've never liked body color headlight buckets. I say go black. Like stated before, you should try Plastidip so you can peel it off if you don't like it. You could try using glossifier too so it'll have more of a gloss look.
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Old Feb 9, 2013 | 03:29 PM
  #23  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

white1991rs , I am in the same boat as you. I have a pretty clean car aswell with body colored buckets, I don't know what I want to do. Everyone says paint them black, however to me black buckets look a little dated, I like to have a clean, up to date/restomod look.

I will plasti dip them and see how I like it though.
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Old Feb 9, 2013 | 07:38 PM
  #24  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Black buckets on a white car does look killer
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Old Feb 9, 2013 | 08:05 PM
  #25  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

My answer is always yes to black buckets.
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Old Feb 10, 2013 | 07:31 AM
  #26  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

I like the clean look of white buckets on your car.
I agree with plasti dip if you want to try it out first
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Old Feb 10, 2013 | 12:08 PM
  #27  
white1991rs's Avatar
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From: Michigan
Car: 1991 Camaro RS/1989 Formula
Engine: 5.0 L03 V8
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Originally Posted by ronusmc
The more I look at the photos the more I like the white buckets. If you had a little more black on the car like black racing stripes/etc. the black would be appropriate. What do your new wheels look like ?
American Racing Torq Thrust II's.

Here are a couple photo's of them on the car.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/afte...you-think.html
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Old Feb 10, 2013 | 12:17 PM
  #28  
white1991rs's Avatar
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From: Michigan
Car: 1991 Camaro RS/1989 Formula
Engine: 5.0 L03 V8
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Originally Posted by InfernalVortex
Normally I'd say go for it, but your car is so clean it doesnt really need it. Just a really, really nice car.

But if you want to, you can always plastidip them so it's not permanent. You can see how you like it and it really looks good enough to leave alone as is if you mask it well.

Three caveats:

1. Be very meticulous in your masking
2. The more coats, the easier the stuff is to remove later. Aim for 4 coats.
3. If you let it dry before removing the masking tape, it will pull the plastidip off. You must remove masking tape IMMEDIATELY after last coat, and try to get as many coats in as quickly as possible. The wetter the stuff is when you pull the tape, the better.

It's a balance between giving enough time for each coat to cure properly before a new coat (The stuff is VERY forgiving, though), getting enough coats on it to make it easily removable, and getting done fast enough to pull the masking tape without stretching/pulling the plastidip thats partially cured. 3 coats is around full coverage, so just give it one more nice coat after that and you should be good to go to go ahead and yank off your masking.
Thanks man, I'm definitely going to try this before make anything permanent.
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Old Feb 10, 2013 | 12:37 PM
  #29  
onthedownlow's Avatar
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

When I had my car painted they had forgotten to paint the buckets. So I did it myself and it came out great, and wow what a difference it makes on a white car. After the buckets were painted black it seemed to give the front end more depth and just an overall better look, however to each his own.
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Old Feb 12, 2013 | 08:53 PM
  #30  
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From: Indiana
Car: 1989 Red IROC Z28 Convertible
Engine: 5.0 L TPI LB9 V8
Transmission: A4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: Should I black out my head lights?

You know what they say. Once you go black you'll never go back. I say paint them black.
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Old Feb 12, 2013 | 11:55 PM
  #31  
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Re: Should I black out my head lights?

Originally Posted by lmidden
paint the pockets black. the all white body looks a little to plain
X2
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