Next, I'm going to do the head unit and I have a headlight out. Like most of us, my headlights constantly retain moisture, so I'm going to pull them out and attempt to separate and reseal them. Other than that, it's just drive & enjoy for now.
Installed my radio today. It began with the hardest thing I've had yet to do to my wagon. I cut my lower console so my center console ashtray would fit flush.
Ouch!
End result was worth it though. Here is a before & after on the ash tray & Radio.
Before:
After:
Yeah, that make me feel better, just to know I could replace it some day, not that I plan on getting rid of the center console. And yes, it was well worth it it looks so fresh now!
Started on my headlights today! Time to get that moisture out! Of course first step was to remove them.
Then I had to remove all the little clips. This was a big FAIL! The brittle plastic that they are attached too broke on all but one. So guess what-No more clips for my headlights. Hope my new glue is strong!
After that I brought them up to the kitchen and it was time to do the part I had read about but was most skeptical. Put them in the oven! I baked each light at 200 degrees for four minutes.
Guess what? It Worked! As soon as they each came out of the oven, I took a screwdriver to them and started prying them apart. Once I got a corner going, they pulled right apart. Two words of caution... 1. They are hot! and 2. Use caution with the screwdriver. I chipped the glass in a couple of places, but no biggie. The new glue will cover it just fine.
Then it was on to scraping the old glue off. Just used a razor blade. I got the two lenses done, The housings look like they will take a little more time.
Well, that's it for today. gotta get ready for work soon. More on this to come....
I've been scraping the glue of the housings for four days now on and off. Just got it finnished. Man that was a pain! Probably about five hours with a razor blade, screwdriver, scraper, and bottle of M.E.K. Man we must love out wagons! I wanted all that old glue off to provide a clean sealing surface for the new adheasive. Now I need to find a chrome-like material to refinish the inside of the headlights. Any ideas? I bought some metallic silver paint, the cap looked chrome, but it was a failure.
Here are the pics for your viewing pleasure.
Here is the origional headlight finish...
This is the paint I bought, never mind the quality of the paintjob, this was a one-shot test run to see how it was going to do. Not happy :x
Here is a comparison shot, need more shiny!
Here is the paint I used, note the chrome like cap...False advertising!
This is the adheasive I am going to use. A glass man who came out to put a quarter window in my Si a while back used this stuff. He said it is great and gave me a couple of tubes. I figure that should work great. And best, it was free!
Yeah, I checked them out. $40 is a little steep. I was able to get off the two layers of "chrome" I applied. Now we are back down to the origional finish. May leave it how it was. Haven't decided. I am however doing the black housings in the meantime.
Yeah, I checked them out. $40 is a little steep. I was able to get off the two layers of "chrome" I applied. Now we are back down to the origional finish. May leave it how it was. Haven't decided. I am however doing the black housings in the meantime.
pick up some plastic adhesion promotor. scuff them down with some 600grit sand paper and clean them very well with some soapy water. rinse them and let them completely dry. follow directions on the adhesion promotor and then spray your paint over it. it should work really well....i think that may be your issue there...spraying the paint onto the plastic.
Black housing in full effect. If it's more pics wou want, It's more pics I got...
Masked off the concave surface, going black on everything else.
Then gave it several coats of black. I used Krylon BBQ black. That is the black I use on almost everything. I like how it goes on and gives a nice flat to simigloss color. Plus it is high heat and holds up well. Not to mention - Cheap!
Here is how it looks dry and untaped. My lines are not exactly perfect, but with the fluted lenses, you won't be able to tell. Try taping all the curves and get it perfect - who cares!
Here is an Idea of how the finnished product will look. I think I like!
Now it will be back to the concave chrome area, Still not happy with leaving it looking half-ass. I've gone this far. I think I'm giving up on the chrome paint idea. Your idea "503Wagon" sounds promising, but I still think it will yield less than steller reults. I think it is nearly inpossible to paint a mirror-like finish without high $ paint or professional equipment. No throwing in the towel yet, I will find something that will give me the look I want! On the plus side, I have $12 worth of nice silver paint to find a use for. It is my son's pinewood derby time, think he might have a silver car this year.
Watched the video, still not sold on the spray can chrome. I have looked into the tape idea. Havn't bought any yet. Looks like it will wrinkle bad. Thanks for the ideas!
Well, laugh it up guys. I found my solution! Spent an hour in Michael's (craft Store) last night looking at all things shiny. Most were made of paper and wouldn't survive in the headlights. some foils avaliable but I couldn't get them in there without them wrinkling all to hell. Then I saw a display where they had painted a foam ball with this. It looked awesome!
I read the bottle. Is is suitable for indoor/outdoor use and is dishwasher safe. Here is the Kicker... Dries to touch in one hour, Full cure time 21 DAYS!!! I went for it! and at $2.39 it was a steal. Now my only problem is it takes a massive number of coats. First coat went on looking almost like nothing but gule and a few glitter flakes. My wife informed me that this is how glitter fingernail polish goes on, in many coats. So now I'm hard at it since last night. Just brushing it on with a small hobby paintbrush. Each coat takes about 10 minutes, then I allow an hour and a half between coats.
This is coat #6 I'm on now
I think about 10 coats will put me where I want to be. The picture really don't do it justice, but It is turning out great! It will be shiny, reflective, more chrome-like than the sprays. As for the cure time, it can cure inside that headlight. I'm not waiting another 21 days to drive the wagon!
Comments
It got a fiber optic tree
Ouch!
End result was worth it though. Here is a before & after on the ash tray & Radio.
Before:
After:
I have a brown,auto,rt4wd uncut shifter console you can have if it makes you feel better!
Then I had to remove all the little clips. This was a big FAIL! The brittle plastic that they are attached too broke on all but one. So guess what-No more clips for my headlights. Hope my new glue is strong!
After that I brought them up to the kitchen and it was time to do the part I had read about but was most skeptical. Put them in the oven! I baked each light at 200 degrees for four minutes.
Guess what? It Worked! As soon as they each came out of the oven, I took a screwdriver to them and started prying them apart. Once I got a corner going, they pulled right apart. Two words of caution... 1. They are hot! and 2. Use caution with the screwdriver. I chipped the glass in a couple of places, but no biggie. The new glue will cover it just fine.
Then it was on to scraping the old glue off. Just used a razor blade. I got the two lenses done, The housings look like they will take a little more time.
Well, that's it for today. gotta get ready for work soon. More on this to come....
AWESOME! love it.
Here are the pics for your viewing pleasure.
Here is the origional headlight finish...
This is the paint I bought, never mind the quality of the paintjob, this was a one-shot test run to see how it was going to do. Not happy :x
Here is a comparison shot, need more shiny!
Here is the paint I used, note the chrome like cap...False advertising!
This is the adheasive I am going to use. A glass man who came out to put a quarter window in my Si a while back used this stuff. He said it is great and gave me a couple of tubes. I figure that should work great. And best, it was free!
Same pitiful results!
http://www.alsacorp.com/products/killer ... chrome.htm
More pics!
Was thinking of this myself
Masked off the concave surface, going black on everything else.
Then gave it several coats of black. I used Krylon BBQ black. That is the black I use on almost everything. I like how it goes on and gives a nice flat to simigloss color. Plus it is high heat and holds up well. Not to mention - Cheap!
Here is how it looks dry and untaped. My lines are not exactly perfect, but with the fluted lenses, you won't be able to tell. Try taping all the curves and get it perfect - who cares!
Here is an Idea of how the finnished product will look. I think I like!
Now it will be back to the concave chrome area, Still not happy with leaving it looking half-ass. I've gone this far. I think I'm giving up on the chrome paint idea. Your idea "503Wagon" sounds promising, but I still think it will yield less than steller reults. I think it is nearly inpossible to paint a mirror-like finish without high $ paint or professional equipment. No throwing in the towel yet, I will find something that will give me the look I want! On the plus side, I have $12 worth of nice silver paint to find a use for. It is my son's pinewood derby time, think he might have a silver car this year.
ok stop and take a minute to watch this .....
this is what i was gonna do on my JDM custom USDM clear corners .....
:arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHRhwvgZn3o
I'll try to find a link
here is some aluminum air duct tape
I read the bottle. Is is suitable for indoor/outdoor use and is dishwasher safe. Here is the Kicker... Dries to touch in one hour, Full cure time 21 DAYS!!! I went for it! and at $2.39 it was a steal. Now my only problem is it takes a massive number of coats. First coat went on looking almost like nothing but gule and a few glitter flakes. My wife informed me that this is how glitter fingernail polish goes on, in many coats. So now I'm hard at it since last night. Just brushing it on with a small hobby paintbrush. Each coat takes about 10 minutes, then I allow an hour and a half between coats.
This is coat #6 I'm on now
I think about 10 coats will put me where I want to be. The picture really don't do it justice, but It is turning out great! It will be shiny, reflective, more chrome-like than the sprays. As for the cure time, it can cure inside that headlight. I'm not waiting another 21 days to drive the wagon!
And here they are all glued up!
Going back in tomorrow!