How to do S55 treatment to tail lights?

[sflrainmaker01]

I have an extra set of tail lights from a C-Vic. Since the car is going to get painted soon, I figured I might consider having the S55 treatment done to them. That way I have both! ;)

Since I will have to prepare them for paint, what is the best way to do this?

[fastblackmerc]

Scuff the surfaces that will get painted, make sure everything is clean of dirt, grease wax, etc., tape overhe areas that don't get painted, clean again, paint, take off all the tape and clear coat everything.

[sflrainmaker01]

Is there a certain kind of tape that is easy to work around all those contours?

[Mr. Man]

Might want to consider doing the reverse lite covers as well. Looks better when done to do both taillites and reverse lites.

[sflrainmaker01]

Might want to consider doing the reverse lite covers as well. Looks better when done to do both taillites and reverse lites.

:hmmm: Hmmmm. Good point. And, I will have the c-vic rear fascia panel as an extra too. :up: However, I would need to tint the b/u lights on that panel

[fastblackmerc]

Is there a certain kind of tape that is easy to work around all those contours?

I used 3m painters tape.

[fastblackmerc]

Might want to consider doing the reverse lite covers as well. Looks better when done to do both taillites and reverse lites.

I assumed he'd also do the reverse lenses since that is included in the "S55" mod.

[whitey]

I didnt scuff mine, i just wiped them down with rubbing alcohol. For the tape, try taping over the recessed area, then take a hobby knife and cut off the excess tape. The recesses will guide the blade to the contour and as long as you dont go bat guano crazy with pressure, you wont cut the lens enough to notice. I used black rustoleum, with a clearcoat on top. The black started to slightly fade over a year, so i recommend getting a better grade black paint. As for the clearcoat, get 2 cans, use each can on the each of the lights, if you do one light with a half can, and use the other half can on the other light, it will possibly orange peel on you like one of mine did. After getting them professionally done, i asked the paint shop guy why that happens with clearcoat spray paint and he said its a lot to do with the chemistry of spray paints and the amount of propellants left in the can. Ive always had issues with spray paint clearcoats and what the guy said makes perfect sense.

sent from my mobile home.

[sflrainmaker01]

I didnt scuff mine, i just wiped them down with rubbing alcohol. For the tape, try taping over the recessed area, then take a hobby knife and cut off the excess tape. The recesses will guide the blade to the contour and as long as you dont go bat guano crazy with pressure, you wont cut the lens enough to notice. I used black rustoleum, with a clearcoat on top. The black started to slightly fade over a year, so i recommend getting a better grade black paint. As for the clearcoat, get 2 cans, use each can on the each of the lights, if you do one light with a half can, and use the other half can on the other light, it will possibly orange peel on you like one of mine did. After getting them professionally done, i asked the paint shop guy why that happens with clearcoat spray paint and he said its a lot to do with the chemistry of spray paints and the amount of propellants left in the can. Ive always had issues with spray paint clearcoats and what the guy said makes perfect sense.

sent from my mobile home.

Well, I figured that I would do as much work as I can myself and the painter said he would paint these other things for free. So, the painting would be professionally done in the end. I'd just be the taper/prepper.

[whitey]

Good deal man, it took me around 45 min to prep both. Im not saying to not sand them, but just giving my personal experience. No chipping or peeling.

sent from my mobile home.

[Mebot]

Might want to consider doing the reverse lite covers as well. Looks better when done to do both taillites and reverse lites.

Disagree. I am not a fan of the reverse lights S55 treatment. For any color.

Just my $.02

sent from a Samsung Galaxy far far away..

[slickster]

Make sure you want it attempt in dry weather

[ajdereicup]

Do scuff the WHOLE light because like previously mentioned you're going to shoot the paint then pull the tape off (helps to leave a little tab sticking up where you can grab it easy and pull all the tape off VS fighting with it when the paints still malleable) and then your going to clear over the WHOLE light to help prevent edges where it might peel. Scotchbrite would be fine to use to scuff it up.

As far as taping you want to look for vinyl tape AKA plastic tape as thin as possible. being vinyl you can kind of "bend" the tape to follow the corners as opposed to regular painters tape which trys to bunch up if you try and get it to follow a sharp corner. You just do it on the edge then fill in the center with regular painters tape unless you want to spend all day taping with tiny strips. You can use something such as a pen without the tip out to push the tape into the corners and hold it as your going around if you have sausage fingers like I do and can't press it into the corners.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/3M-6405-Plastic-Tape-1-4-Inch-x-36-Yards-Blue-471/16795169
^^^That's the type of tape you need as thin as possible

If you do the reverse lights too you'd have to grab another trunk panel because as far as I know the lens don't come off of the trunk panel you need to remove it all as one piece.

Make sure they do an even amount of paint on both sides or else when it lights up it'll look like crap. I just dusted it on mine so when my lights are on it still glows through a little bit so people can still see it perfectly fine at night. It's not really emitting red light like the unpainted parts but it glows red. But if they put a bunch of layers on one of the lights then the other not enough one may have the glow effect where the other doesn't let any light through where it's painted but a professional shop should know about that

[sflrainmaker01]

Do scuff the WHOLE light because like previously mentioned you're going to shoot the paint then pull the tape off (helps to leave a little tab sticking up where you can grab it easy and pull all the tape off VS fighting with it when the paints still malleable) and then your going to clear over the WHOLE light to help prevent edges where it might peel. Scotchbrite would be fine to use to scuff it up.

As far as taping you want to look for vinyl tape AKA plastic tape as thin as possible. being vinyl you can kind of "bend" the tape to follow the corners as opposed to regular painters tape which trys to bunch up if you try and get it to follow a sharp corner. You just do it on the edge then fill in the center with regular painters tape unless you want to spend all day taping with tiny strips. You can use something such as a pen without the tip out to push the tape into the corners and hold it as your going around if you have sausage fingers like I do and can't press it into the corners.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/3M-6405-Plastic-Tape-1-4-Inch-x-36-Yards-Blue-471/16795169
^^^That's the type of tape you need as thin as possible

If you do the reverse lights too you'd have to grab another trunk panel because as far as I know the lens don't come off of the trunk panel you need to remove it all as one piece.

Make sure they do an even amount of paint on both sides or else when it lights up it'll look like crap. I just dusted it on mine so when my lights are on it still glows through a little bit so people can still see it perfectly fine at night. It's not really emitting red light like the unpainted parts but it glows red. But if they put a bunch of layers on one of the lights then the other not enough one may have the glow effect where the other doesn't let any light through where it's painted but a professional shop should know about that

Has anyone done a S55 treatment in black using the VHT Night Shades instead of regular black paint? :thinker:

[fastblackmerc]

Using VHT is not Iike doing the S55 treatment as it won't be body color.

[sflrainmaker01]

Using VHT is not Iike doing the S55 treatment as it won't be body color.

The reason I was thinking this is I have seen some of these people tint their tail lights soooo dark with the VHT, that it might be an interesting look.

[fastblackmerc]

The reason I was thinking this is I have seen some of these people tint their tail lights soooo dark with the VHT, that it might be an interesting look.

The darker the lenses the less light shines thru. Would be really bad if you got rearended because no one saw your taillights.

[sflrainmaker01]

The darker the lenses the less light shines thru. Would be really bad if you got rearended because no one saw your taillights.

I was talking about the VHT Dark NightShades in place of the BLACK paint one would use for the S55 treatment. Rather than PAINT the S55 treatment with BLACK paint, use the VHT NightShades instead.;)

[fastblackmerc]

I was talking about the VHT Dark NightShades in place of the BLACK paint one would use for the S55 treatment. Rather than PAINT the S55 treatment with BLACK paint, use the VHT NightShades instead.;)

The VHT isn't dark enough and would look "off" compared to the black paint.

[Zim Hosein]

I used M painters tape.

3M blue or green fastblackmerc? :confused: I only ask because I find while more expensive, the 3M green tape doesn't let as much "bleed-through" as does their blue tape.
Thanks in advance for your opinion! :beer:

[BLACKMAGIC03]

Just smoke the whole thing...done.

[fastblackmerc]

3M blue or green fastblackmerc? :confused: I only ask because I find while more expensive, the 3M green tape doesn't let as much "bleed-through" as does their blue tape.
Thanks in advance for your opinion! :beer:

I used blue......

[PRCARGUY]

One of these days I want to get around to doing this mod. Just don't have the time lately. :(

[Zim Hosein]

I used blue......

I guess that I should spend more time when prepping w/ the 3M Blue painter's tape then! :o

Thanks fastblackmerc! :beer: