Chicagoland Area Modern Mopars
Joining our club forum is FREE, so please take a few minutes to register and join us in Chicagoland's best Modern Mopar club on the web!

After joining, you will not only be able to communicate with our members, but other forums will be available for viewing and posting. These include our CAMM Swap section, featuring parts and vehicles for sale in the Chicagoland area, the Knowledge Base, Off Topic Areas and much, much more.

Advertisements will also be disabled for you once you join.

We openly invite you to join our online community and hope to see you posting soon!
Chicagoland Area Modern Mopars
Joining our club forum is FREE, so please take a few minutes to register and join us in Chicagoland's best Modern Mopar club on the web!

After joining, you will not only be able to communicate with our members, but other forums will be available for viewing and posting. These include our CAMM Swap section, featuring parts and vehicles for sale in the Chicagoland area, the Knowledge Base, Off Topic Areas and much, much more.

Advertisements will also be disabled for you once you join.

We openly invite you to join our online community and hope to see you posting soon!


Everything Mopar for the Chicagoland area
 
PortalHomeLatest imagesRegisterLog in

 

 DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted

Go down 
4 posters
AuthorMessage
JBBCharger
CAMM Member
JBBCharger


Location : Batavia, IL
Points : 5471
Posts : 80
Reputation : 17

DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted Empty
PostSubject: DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted   DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted I_icon_minitimeDecember 3rd 2009, 4:57 pm

I'm thinking about color matching and tinting my 06 Charger RT tail lights and would appreciate some advice. I have the following questions:

1. Where would I buy the paint to match my body color?

2. As a first timer at trying something like this, do you think I would be better off picking up a second set of tail lights to experiment on before messing around with my originals? If so, other than EBAY, where could I find a set of tails (maybe a junk yard)?

3. Are there Illinois laws that require the backup lights, reflector strips, or any other parts of the lenses to be untinted?

4. If I wanted to make a masking stencil for a custom graphic (e.g., Mopar logo, etc.), how would I do it and what material would I make it out of?

5. I figure I would need to have the following materials: primer, paint, Nightshades, masking tape, fine grit sand paper for wet sanding, and clear coat. What else?

6. Am I better off just having a pro do the work after all?

Thanks in advance for your advise.

Jay
Back to top Go down
DCSpecial
CAMM Member



Location : Far Northern, IL
Points : 5364
Posts : 57
Reputation : 22

DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted Empty
PostSubject: Re: DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted   DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted I_icon_minitimeDecember 3rd 2009, 10:40 pm

1. What color is your charger?

2. A second set would be nice if you have never done anything like this.

3. Not sure if there are any specific laws other than how far your lights have to be visible from. I would recommend not going very dark unless you have LED tails. Dark tint on stock tails with halogen bulbs makes them hard to see in the daytime. Back when I tinted a set black on one of my trucks I had a LEO that didn't like them and told me to "take the covers off". So I sanded them down and went lighter.

4. To mask off for a pattern you need a stencil that will stick to the tails (like out of self adhering masking paper).

5. No primer.....you need them to be transparent. Unless you are referring to a clear adhesion promoter.

6. A pro will be able to leave it much better with a HVLP gun vs. what you can do with a rattle can. Unless you are very good with a rattle can.


A pro that knows what he's doing will leave a clear reflection and nice depth like what my tails are:

DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted 36852

Mine are done light just to darken up the red some and avoid any issues from having them too dark.
Back to top Go down
JBBCharger
CAMM Member
JBBCharger


Location : Batavia, IL
Points : 5471
Posts : 80
Reputation : 17

DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted Empty
PostSubject: Re: DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted   DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted I_icon_minitimeDecember 4th 2009, 10:01 am

Thanks for the advice, Dan. The color is midnight blue (PB8). Sounds like you are recommending the professional route. Joey said the same thing.

Jay
Back to top Go down
DCSpecial
CAMM Member



Location : Far Northern, IL
Points : 5364
Posts : 57
Reputation : 22

DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted Empty
PostSubject: Re: DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted   DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted I_icon_minitimeDecember 4th 2009, 11:10 am

Yep, especially if you want to match the midnight blue.....you'll want it done professionally.
Back to top Go down
Hoodie
CAMM Pro
Hoodie


Location : Virginia Beach, VA
Points : 6638
Posts : 907
Reputation : 102

DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted Empty
PostSubject: Re: DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted   DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted I_icon_minitimeDecember 5th 2009, 5:33 pm

I know a guy that can get them done for 100 bucks but you gotta send 'em your lights..
Back to top Go down
eviltrycycle
Founding Member
Founding Member
eviltrycycle


Location : Almost Wisconsin
Points : 46847
Posts : 13179
Reputation : 1139

DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted Empty
PostSubject: Re: DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted   DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted I_icon_minitimeDecember 5th 2009, 5:35 pm

Yeah I would say if you are going to have them the same color as the car then professional is the ONLY way I would go.

Good luck and can't wait to see the outcome.
Back to top Go down
Sponsored content





DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted Empty
PostSubject: Re: DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted   DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted I_icon_minitime

Back to top Go down
 
DIY Tail Light Paint Matching and Tinting - Advice Wanted
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
Chicagoland Area Modern Mopars :: The Garage :: Exterior-
Jump to: