Painting Headlight Bezels Black???

Black 91 LS Coupe · 02-13-03, 04:19 PM

I know some of you guys have done this, just how hard is it to get the plastic lens off once you have remove the headlights? I've tried the oven thing twice with the corners and had no luck. Broke one and gave up on the other. Is there an easier way than baking them in the oven? HELP

OlympusMons · 02-13-03, 04:58 PM

heat gun might help, go by a shop that does window tinting they usually have them

FutureX 2001 · 02-13-03, 05:18 PM

Talk to ChrisK, he's done it before.

E K · 02-13-03, 05:39 PM

The corners are held with cement. It's futile to try and get those open the usual way, at least for me. The headlights themselves are held with the silicone seal, so it's alot easier to get them apart. They're just bigger than the corners.

**502 MotorSports** · 02-13-03, 08:38 PM

yes, the corners are a NOGO.
I baked mine in the oven for a good 20 minutes, no dice. Heat gun, no dice.

The headlights are pretty eay once you ge them good and hot in the oven....
Here's what you do:

- PREHEAT oven to 250 for 10 minutes
- Place headlights in oven on a cookie sheet
- Bake for about 10 minutes, be sure to tuen them once in the process
- Pull the headlights apart at the corner, and work your way around to the middle. You may have to do a slight wiggling motion.
- Try not to get any ofthe goo on the bezel or lens...if so, celan ASAP with mineral spirits
- Remove the 4 screws and pull bezel away from Lens
- NO prep work other than making sure the bezel is clean is all you need. Use a simple windex or soft tissue for this.
- Get some Plastikote SATIN black paint and do a light coat around the bezel. This works best if you have it propped up by something like the paint cap
- Let dry for 10 minutes
- Apply another light coat
- Apply clear coat once you are sure that the entire front end and inner lip of the bezel is coated with no drips. REMEMBER - LIGHT COATS
- Screw bezel in, and place in oven for 5 minutes with headlights
- apply more adhesive if necessary
- allow to cure overnight for best results indoors.

ENJOY

ChrisK · 02-14-03, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by FutureX 2001
Talk to ChrisK, he's done it before.

I simply used a hair dryer. Heat the section you are working on and imediately start prying it apart with two flat head screwdrivers. The plastic is very strong (Unless you majorly force it) so I had no problems with it craking the lens.

ChrisK · 02-14-03, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by E K
The corners are held with cement. It's futile to try and get those open the usual way, at least for me. The headlights themselves are held with the silicone seal, so it's alot easier to get them apart. They're just bigger than the corners.

The corners actually have NO adheasive or glue at all if you can believe that. It is molded plastic, bonded fused plastic or whatever you call it. Basically it is when the simply fuse the outer plastic lens to the plastic base and it fuses (Almost melts) together. That is why it is very hard to separate the lens. I; however, did it by very carefully prying it apart. The first time I did it it cracked the lens. After a while I learned to be very patient and go very slowly. I was able to separate another set with little problems. Only thing is that you have to glue it back together. At first I used silicone and it held up, but I think plastic body filler or fiber glass would be better.

02-14-03, 02:52 AM

Does blacking out the bezels affect the light output at all?? I really like this look...but only on one piecers!! Speaking of...Chris do you still have pics of your blackened one piecers??

*Dv8* · 02-14-03, 03:17 AM

i had it done professionally. 1 peicers

~Hybrid

ChrisK · 02-14-03, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GoldenCoupe
Does blacking out the bezels affect the light output at all?? I really like this look...but only on one piecers!! Speaking of...Chris do you still have pics of your blackened one piecers??

Doesn't affect the light at all.

02-14-03, 04:18 AM

Oooooooooohhhh so nice

!!!

**502 MotorSports** · 02-14-03, 08:29 AM

the only thing it does is make the car more menacing....and if you have a Dv8'ed CAI and exhaust among other goodies, it really scares folks out of your way. Trust me

raky · 02-14-03, 10:22 AM

how much does it cost to have done professionally?

Vancouver_Legend · 03-03-03, 10:28 PM

How would this look on my stock headlights with clear corners?

Should I wait until I get one-piecers instead?

anyone have blacked out stock headlight pics?

5spdCoupe · 03-03-03, 11:00 PM

chrisk ... how hard was it to do the corners?? i really wanna do them as well as headlights

02-13-03, 04:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
Black 91 LS Coupe Legends are Remembered Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 1,076 Car 1: Black 91 LS Coupe iTrader: (2)	Painting Headlight Bezels Black??? I know some of you guys have done this, just how hard is it to get the plastic lens off once you have remove the headlights? I've tried the oven thing twice with the corners and had no luck. Broke one and gave up on the other. Is there an easier way than baking them in the oven? HELP __________________ 1991 Acura Legend LS Coupe

02-13-03, 05:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
FutureX 2001 L E G E N D Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montebello, CA Posts: 4,452 Car 1: '95 Coupe Car 2: '94 Sedan GS Car 3: '90 Coupe iTrader: (2)	Talk to ChrisK, he's done it before. __________________

02-13-03, 05:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
E K Junior Mint Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: SGV & SouthBay Posts: 640 Car 1: 91 Legend, 03 G35 iTrader: (0)	The corners are held with cement. It's futile to try and get those open the usual way, at least for me. The headlights themselves are held with the silicone seal, so it's alot easier to get them apart. They're just bigger than the corners. __________________ 91 Acura Legend Sedan LS 173 HP/180 torque 03.5 Infiniti G35 Coupe 5AT for sale 06 Infiniti Athens Blue G35 Coupe 6MT

02-13-03, 08:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
502 MotorSports 502MotorSports.com Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ATLVILLE Posts: 9,397 Car 1: e39 540i Car 2: e46 325xi \| e46 330i Car 3: S430 iTrader: (0)	yes, the corners are a NOGO. I baked mine in the oven for a good 20 minutes, no dice. Heat gun, no dice. The headlights are pretty eay once you ge them good and hot in the oven.... Here's what you do: - PREHEAT oven to 250 for 10 minutes - Place headlights in oven on a cookie sheet - Bake for about 10 minutes, be sure to tuen them once in the process - Pull the headlights apart at the corner, and work your way around to the middle. You may have to do a slight wiggling motion. - Try not to get any ofthe goo on the bezel or lens...if so, celan ASAP with mineral spirits - Remove the 4 screws and pull bezel away from Lens - NO prep work other than making sure the bezel is clean is all you need. Use a simple windex or soft tissue for this. - Get some Plastikote SATIN black paint and do a light coat around the bezel. This works best if you have it propped up by something like the paint cap - Let dry for 10 minutes - Apply another light coat - Apply clear coat once you are sure that the entire front end and inner lip of the bezel is coated with no drips. REMEMBER - LIGHT COATS - Screw bezel in, and place in oven for 5 minutes with headlights - apply more adhesive if necessary - allow to cure overnight for best results indoors. ENJOY __________________ The Hotness! Elevate Your Standards.... Legend Mod Money! Jasmyn \| 502MS Project e39 \| 502MotorSports MySpace

02-14-03, 03:17 AM	#9 (permalink)
Dv8 Get sucked in... Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: CA Posts: 4,792 Car 1: 91' 3.5lt Extreme DV8ED Hybrid 6spd Car 2: 03' G35c Blk on Blk Car 3: 92'Yukon/06'Trailer iTrader: (11)	i had it done professionally. 1 peicers ~Hybrid __________________ AEM EMS Powered. 9 yrs and counting. Results, Where are yours? 12.953@107.865MPH 95 deg. Jun. 07' 3.5 6spd-#55 jet Nitrous 316WHP@5500RPM 345Lb-ft@4100RPM NOS 06-07'N/A 234WHP@5700RPM 229lb-ft@4600RPM 06-07' 13.782@99.135MPH N/A 95 deg. Jun 07' 03' G35c Auto Vortech Supercharged pshhhh 14.3@96MPH-Stock 8 page spread Honda Tuning September 06' issue No Phone or Instant message, PM or Email only. Respect that! My Legends Website www.2slik4u.com

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02-13-03, 04:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
OlympusMons Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: ny Posts: 478 iTrader: (0)	heat gun might help, go by a shop that does window tinting they usually have them

02-14-03, 02:52 AM	#8 (permalink)
Posts: n/a	Does blacking out the bezels affect the light output at all?? I really like this look...but only on one piecers!! Speaking of...Chris do you still have pics of your blackened one piecers??

02-14-03, 04:18 AM	#11 (permalink)
Posts: n/a	Oooooooooohhhh so nice !!!

02-14-03, 08:29 AM	#12 (permalink)
502 MotorSports 502MotorSports.com Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ATLVILLE Posts: 9,397 Car 1: e39 540i Car 2: e46 325xi \| e46 330i Car 3: S430 iTrader: (0)	the only thing it does is make the car more menacing....and if you have a Dv8'ed CAI and exhaust among other goodies, it really scares folks out of your way. Trust me __________________ The Hotness! Elevate Your Standards.... Legend Mod Money! Jasmyn \| 502MS Project e39 \| 502MotorSports MySpace

02-14-03, 10:22 AM	#13 (permalink)
raky Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,559 Car 1: 91 Legend Green LS Sedan (sold) Car 2: 03 WDP TL-S (sold) Car 3: 06 Silver BMW 325i iTrader: (0)	how much does it cost to have done professionally? __________________

03-03-03, 10:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
Vancouver_Legend Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Vanouver, BC Posts: 1,108 Car 1: 1991 LS Black Sedan iTrader: (0)	How would this look on my stock headlights with clear corners? Should I wait until I get one-piecers instead? anyone have blacked out stock headlight pics? __________________ - 1992 Isuzu Rodeo XS 4x4 - 1991 LS Sedan - SOLD http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...a/f8d4a62c.jpg

03-03-03, 11:00 PM	#15 (permalink)
5spdCoupe Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Dirty Jerz Posts: 1,322 Car 1: 5 Speed KA8 iTrader: (0)	chrisk ... how hard was it to do the corners?? i really wanna do them as well as headlights __________________ Do you really wanna know?? http://community.webshots.com/s/imag...7XnnNPn_ph.jpg

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