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Gary
02-25-2008, 18:17
I figured i would put all these out there. Its more to help each other out rather then to make profit. If you dont trust yourself to do them then have someone else do it for you. Me myself i messed up the first set i did and would say didnt perfect it till about the 5-6th set of headlights.

Materials needed.

- 600 Grit Sand Paper
- Rubbing Alchahol
- Clean Rags (Old White T-SHIRT)
- Black Non-Drip Spraypaint (I used Duplicolor)
- Sandable Primer (I used Grey)
- Rubber Gloves
- Oven
- Clamps or Tape
- Cooking sheet
- Hand Towel


Step 1.- Undo all the wires and bulbs from the headlight. Take the HID parts off the headlight. Basicly nothing left on the light except the shell and the backing.
- You leave the motor for the headlight adjusting. So heres a go round of stuff off the top of my head to take off.
1. Bulbs
2. Wires

Step 2.
- Preheat the oven to 250 Degrees.
- Place Cardboard cut out over the cooking sheet so theres not direct metal contact to headlight.
- Place the headlight on the cardboard (do not have it face down)
- Place damp towel over the headlight so that your sweating the headlight rather then heating it up.
- Put into oven and let it sit there for about 15mins.
- Pull out of oven and begin to pry open from the inside(foglight) corner of the headlights.
- Pull apart very slow. If need be place the headlight back into the oven, resoaking the towel and placing it back on there
- Repeat steps above for pulling it apart.

Step 3
- After headlight is pulled apart. Try to push all the sealant back into place and not all over the light or shell it self. (Your going to reuse the stock sealant) Its fine for there to be sealant on the outer edge of the plastic as its going to go back into the shell to seal it anyway.

Step 4
-Get something to eat. (Skipped step four so you make it up.)

Step 5 (Prepping and Painting)
- Tape over the Amber peice in the headlight if your going to keep this piece in there. (Panters tape and a razor to get it perfect)
- Take the sandpaper and DO WORK on the piece and get everywhere you can to rough this thing up so it will accept the primer and paint. You dont have to get all the silver off yet just do what you can.
- Wipe it all down with the Alchahol and use gloves. No fingerprints because its a ugly look for painted headlights.
- After its dry apply small light coats of the primer. Takes about 2 small sessions.
- Let it dry for about 10mins.
- Take the Final Paint you want the lights to be and apply in the same fashion you would for the primer. Small coats.
- Let it dry for another 10mins. (Small tip which works great is to bake it in the oven on 350 for about 5mins)

Step 6 (putting it back together)
- Take the tape off of the piece
- Place it back in the headlight plastice.
- Heat up the black back shell like you did before. (5mins) No Towel
- Pull the piece out of the oven and apply the plastic top onto it.
- While putting back together Clamp it with some squeez clamps or tape it together with painters tape.
- Let it sit for about 2 mins.
- take clamps/tape off
- Place back into oven for another 5 mins ( with damp towel over it )
** This repeat process is what will give you the seal that many mess up on.
- Pull back out and repeat the closing procedure

Step 7
- Start to put everything together.
- As you did in step one.

One problem you will come to find is that after you black out your headlight you will see scratches or res-a-doo on the headlight. Some 3m rubbing compound and some time with a white t shirt will fix it or have it buffed.

What i like to do with all my headlights is get it cleaned up and place 3m clear protective film on the headlght ( Stickercity.com ) Keeps it looking brandnew every day and is easy to clean.

There are no pictures as this is all typed from memory. Yet this will guide your way through the whole process.

I hope this helps someone.

Hibnah


EDIT: Turn off your oven before you urn the house down.

Black Magic MR
02-25-2008, 18:52
whats step 4?

Gary
02-25-2008, 19:08
Fixed. :)

A6M Zero
02-25-2008, 19:12
It could use pics just like your other DIY. But great write-up nonetheless.

Black Magic MR
02-25-2008, 19:23
Fixed. :)

word. good writeup I'm about to do this mod, just wanted to make sure all the steps were there.

Gary
02-25-2008, 19:26
If there are any questions please feel free to PM me or post it up here ill answer any questions.

EvilEvo03
09-23-2008, 18:35
well im going to go do this!!!! thanks fo rthe write up gary ill post pics when done :)

Gary
09-23-2008, 19:04
Goodluck... :)

GoGo Beats
09-23-2008, 19:27
nice write up i am gonna try this on my Lancer and see what happens

boost>women
09-23-2008, 22:22
i just say "Gary, get my shit done. NOW" then WALAH! Im too lazy to do this. Iv had plenty of time and other peoples, but Garrison is the guy to go to. His are OOOOOOfficial like a JDM brawd sleeping on the right side of my bed.

EvilEvo03
09-23-2008, 22:31
^^^^ hahaahaah i just cant have my car down for a day or deive down there to get them done....first one turned out good im painting the second on now

EvilEvo03
09-24-2008, 00:21
Gary nice write up very good to use as a reference......

my best advice TAKE YOUR TIME IF YOU DO IT YOUR SELF.....thats how youll get your best results :)

05asevo
02-17-2009, 22:57
Finished blacking my headlights out today, excellent write up!! now all i need is another cf lip ;)

EvilEvo03
02-17-2009, 23:04
^ told you it wasnt that bad :) i want to see them

05asevo
02-18-2009, 00:18
fa sho I'll drop by sometime this week

jba3
02-18-2009, 12:33
I've got some OHFISHAL Hibnah headlights and they look awesome.

EvilEvo03
02-18-2009, 20:51
I've got some OHFISHAL Hibnah headlights and they look awesome.
i have offical do it yourself head lights :)

05asevo
02-18-2009, 21:01
+1 haha

Gary
02-19-2009, 14:43
:)

cornercarver
02-20-2009, 00:42
350 degrees for 15min is a little high IMHO. When I did this mod I did 250 for 15min and the plastic was pretty soft.

Here's an instructional video how to remove the headlights. This is for some halo's but the concept is the same...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-q0SVALfus

Gary
02-20-2009, 02:45
Good catch. I didnt even know i had put 250. At first i was gonna say something but i had to check for myself.

Correct 250!

redrabbit
05-21-2009, 11:39
got my left side done yesterday, what a pain to take off all the pieces, screws, wiring, etc off the back. it's definitely time consuming. I'm gonna do my right side on Friday, since it took my freaking 5-6 hours to do the first, had trouble removing those plastic screws on the inside fender to remove the bumper.
overall, i'd say i did an okay job, paint could've been better applied, but i think it's due to the paint can i used (krylon satin black), it just didn't want to apply evenly, not fine enough of a mist? I kept my amber markers on, i'm happy with it, just hope that i sealed it back enough that i don't get any condensation issues. will post up picks when i finish both.

MadMsheen
05-21-2009, 12:03
Plastic screw? Is that the plastic bolt with the phillips on the top? If it was, you should've used the 10mm to get it off.

redrabbit
05-21-2009, 12:17
no, those pesky plastic clips with philips on top that always gets stripped when trying take them off.

Gary
05-21-2009, 16:20
ive got it down to 40mins...

jba3
05-21-2009, 21:40
Plastic screw? Is that the plastic bolt with the phillips on the top? If it was, you should've used the 10mm to get it off.


no, those pesky plastic clips with philips on top that always gets stripped when trying take them off.

Take off the undertray (if you even have one :D) and then press gently against the back of the plastic screw while gently turning it from the front (just use a screwdriver bit, not even a screwdriver) and it'll make it's way out. I learned to do it that way after stripping a bunch, but so far, nothing stripped once I learned how to do it that way.
:seeya:

MadMsheen
05-22-2009, 07:21
If you've removed the undertray, you've already removed a bunch of those fasteners. I've got some difficult ones on my car, and I do exactly what jba3 detailed to get them out.

RichJ
05-22-2009, 08:56
I hate those fasteners. How much do they cost from the dealer? I know a local vendor that sells them, but they put a hefty markup on them.

redrabbit
05-22-2009, 12:34
I hate those fasteners. How much do they cost from the dealer? I know a local vendor that sells them, but they put a hefty markup on them.

I can't remember, but they do cost a lot for small plastic pieces at the dealer, mach v had them a bit cheaper last I bought them a couple years back.

I don't use an under tray anymore, PITA to take off all the time.

Gary, 40 mins to do painted headllights is insane!!!! took me that long to remove bumper and headlight and the wires on the back.

MadMsheen
05-22-2009, 13:13
I get mine from Mach V, since the dealer is more expensive.

Evoluvin
05-22-2009, 13:15
i need my headlights painted... i don't have the time or patience to do it...

jameslk350
05-23-2009, 20:40
sorry if this is off topic-has anyone here gotten tinted film for their headlights? i've seen these but the pictures are kinda bad:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a114/scorpionch13/P1000603-3.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a114/scorpionch13/P1000606-1.jpg

http://forums.evolutionm.net/evo-x-show-shine/385830-lamin-x-tints-gg.html

Black Magic MR
05-23-2009, 22:33
that doesn't affect light output?

jameslk350
05-24-2009, 15:51
i know that's a valid concern but personally, i can't tell the difference in 100% and 90% light output with my hids. gunsmoke is the darkest and tint is the lightest you can go for the headlights-unless you take a custom sheet of smoked or charcoal...

Gary
05-25-2009, 09:57
First.

-It effects light output.
-Its not legal.
-It holds in the heat from the projector and will craxk the lense eventually.