HID painting (build progress thread)

[mjmallon]

Well, its been very nice this weekend in Southern Ca., so I decided to start painting my HIDs today. My inspiration comes from CDsilver02, his lights are gorgeous, and my attempt it to copy what he did here:

http://forums.focaljet.com/exterior-...k-warning.html

I bought a second set of the chrome inserts from a wrecked car, so that I wouldn't have to disassemble the lights prior to painting.

cheers,

-- michael


4/13/2008

I decided to start with a liberal silver coat, to make sure the rings got coated cleanly, and right as I finished the driver side and moved to the passenger, the wind kicked up and messed up some of the paint, so I've got a couple spots I need to wet sand and re-spray, though that won't happen until later in the week.

After I finish the silver touch up, I'm going to take as long as necessary to cleanly mask the rings, then I'm spraying the inserts glass black (duplicolor DSM100) and then of course its a couple coats of clear.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the silver.






Here you can see some of the trouble thanks to the wind

more trouble spots



4/18/2008

Well, I did today what I should have done from the beginning, sand the inserts down to remove all the chrome, as the adhesion promoter simply didn't help the paint stick well enough, and if I'm going to do this, its going to be done right. Anyway, the driver side insert cleaned up beautifully using a scrub brush, some detergent, and some 1000 wet-sanding. There's still a tiny bit of chrome in some hard to reach places, but I have a plan for that. The passenger insert was a royal pain, and there's still more to sand in the tight sports, but I'm going to use an old trick... brake fluid, should take the paint and the remaining chrome right off, then I can go over everything again with the 1000 grit, let it dry for a couple of days, and have a second go at painting this coming week.

Some pictures of the stripped inserts...







4/23/2008

Well, I finished stripping the chrome off over the weekend, and sprayed the first coat of silver on the rings yesterday, and let it dry overnight as I had to work in the evening. So this morning I wetsanded the rough edges on the silver, and am ready to spray a second coat, only to find that every freaking auto shop in town is out of the Duplicolor DSFM341 (silver frost) ERGHHHH!!!!

So, now its on hold until I can find the paint somewhere (without having to order straight from duplicolor at $13 / 5oz can which is a total ripoff!)

Anyway, on to the pictures, the first two are from the weekend, after the brake fluid treatment to strip the chrome, and the following are from earlier this morning, before I sanded.


This was a real trouble spot, and the brake fluid took the paint and chrome right off!

I'll say again, brake fluid does wonders!



For those wondering, I intentionally over-sprayed the rings, so that I have a little more room to work with the black, to hopefully get a super clean line where the two colors will meet.

4/28/2008

Managed to find a couple cans of silver paint online for a reasonable $6 each instead of the absurd $14 from duplicolor directly, so these are back on, just on hold until I get the paint. Up, down, up, down... just like a rollercoaster!

4/30/2008

Supposedly my order shipped today, and will be delivered on tuesday, so assuming the paint is right, these may be done next week finally!

[citriK SVT]

need to find me a set of inserts to play with.

[Phacade]

I really want to paint my HIDs but I gotta admit that I'm chicken, $900 lights and all...

[mjmallon]

Originally Posted by Phacade

I really want to paint my HIDs but I gotta admit that I'm chicken, $900 lights and all...

Believe me, I hear ya, lol.

If I hadn't found the second set of inserts to paint, I probably wouldn't have done it.

Hopefully I'll have time to finish the silver tomorrow morning, then spray the black and clearcoat by thursday/friday, so the weekend will be install time!

cheers,

-- michael

[Phacade]

Can't wait to see 'em.

[cdsilver02]

I glad I could be of service

[1svt4u2c]

Nice, wish I could find myself a second set to do this to as well!

Originally Posted by Phacade

I really want to paint my HIDs but I gotta admit that I'm chicken, $900 lights and all...

Yup! I just finally got the balls to go out and get some 2000 grit WetorDry sand paper and try to wetsand my H.I.D.'s to get rid of the garbage on them. Since I was able to get a good start on that with the help of Corey (CWCZX3) I think I might have to paint my headlights when it gets warmer out.

Can't wait to see some updates.

-Matt

[mjmallon]

Well I didn't have enough time this morning to wetsand and finish the trouble spots, so I'll do that tomorrow, then I'll wait a full day, and spray the black and clear (which I bought today) on friday, and hopefully crack 'em open and install them on sunday.

For anyone who's interested, when I'm done with mine, I'll probably sell the chrome inserts after the first good rain here (to make sure that I re-sealed them properly) and I may even pre-paint them for you for a fee, but this is all subject to change of course until I finish mine.

cheers guys,

-- michael

[Phacade]

Depending on the "fee" and pending pictures, I may call dibs on that.

[mjmallon]

update... check the first post.

cheers,

-- michael

[o2_designs]

I'm painting my ST170's I just picked up. Its a royal pain to paint chrome housings. I've learned from doing stock Focus lights, you need to sand the chrome. I just use this green foam sanding thing to scratch up the chrome, clean them really good, and go to town with painting. Its worked perfect so far on my other lights. I've already got one housing done. Just need to finesh the the second and I'll be good.
You've got alot more ambition to sand teh whole housing then I ever would...Wow.

[1svt4u2c]

Dibbs on the inserts!

-Matt

[Phacade]

Originally Posted by 1svt4u2c

Dibbs on the inserts!

-Matt

Look four posts up.

[mjmallon]

updated the first post,

cheers!

-- michael

[1svt4u2c]

Originally Posted by Phacade

Look four posts up.

Yea, you said you "MAY" call dibs, meaning Might, correct? And if Might is like, maybe, then it was still up in the air.....So I called Dibs.... Oh well....I tried....lol

-Matt

[mjmallon]

EDITED 4/28/2008 - not going to sell them...

Managed to find a couple cans of silver paint online for a reasonable $6 each instead of the absurd $14 from duplicolor directly, so these are back on, just on hold until I get the paint. Up, down, up, down... just like a rollercoaster!

Hooray!

cheers,

-- michael

[cdsilver02]

Sorry to hear that, I was looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Why would you be selling your car? Or garaging it?

[mjmallon]

EDIT - Double post, please delete

[EuroAyres]

If you want a super good looking line to seperate the black and chrome see if you can find easy edge. That will look good.

[1svt4u2c]

Originally Posted by mjmallon

EDITED 4/28/2008 - not going to sell them...

Managed to find a couple cans of silver paint online for a reasonable $6 each instead of the absurd $14 from duplicolor directly, so these are back on, just on hold until I get the paint. Up, down, up, down... just like a rollercoaster!

Hooray!

cheers,

-- michael

........... awww. Oh well, glad to hear that you are going to be getting some more paint soon. Cant wait to see some more progress pics!

-Matt

[-GZ-]

i did mine in gloss black to match my car. i think it looks a ton better. heres a before and after of mine.

[greyZXtre]

whoa what happnd to that left one? you leave it in the oven too long?

[-GZ-]

no thats called oxidation. thats what they looked like before i replaced the lenses and painted them.