# Tailight Tinting



## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

Hey guys I need your input on tailight tinting. I will attach pics, but I would like a 2-tone effect (red on the top and smoked on the bottom). What is the best method:

1) Lamin-X style film tint

or

2) Vans spray tint for the red and nightshade for the smoke. 

I would a stock look


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## McNeo (Dec 17, 2013)

If you want to do 2-tone I'd go with spray.

You'll want to sand the whole lens with a 3000 grit sandpapaer then wash with rubbing alcohol and rinse with water.

Then, tape off whatever you want. Do your coats of tint and allow it to dry. Then re-tape to do the other tint, allow all coats to completely dry.

Then, do your clear coat as one application over everything, 3-4 coats.

Polish with rubbing compound and you'll be golden.

I sprayed my tails, 2 (heavy) coats of VHT, and they're pretty dang dark. It was my first time tinting anything and my only set of taillights so I wanted to take my time and do it right, whole process, including dry time between coats, took about 7 hours.


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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

McNeo thanks for the reply. My only concern is making sure the finish doesnt dull like most jobs ive seen. Does dulling occur because of a lacknof clearcoat?

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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

Nightshade is not a Smoke

You do not need to sand the lenses, Plastic Paint (such as VHT Nightshade) will stick to the smooth surface perfectly fine. Sanding just gives you a kind of dull/flat finish, and hazes the light output some. 

Rubbing & Polish compound is only needed due to the sanding as well. Don't sand the lenses, and this is not required.

The dulling is due to sanding & using too many coats.

I did mine with 2 lights coats of VHT and they were not super dark (no sanding or polishing done). I will see if I can find the pictures from before the wreck. I have not yet redone them since they were replaced.


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/94-cruze-owner-projects/16922-weekend-installs-8.html#post504201

This turned out about how dark I wanted. The linked post is night shots, the one below it shows during the day, all of them are just the inner lights (as a comparison)


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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

Dragonsys said:


> http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/94-cruze-owner-projects/16922-weekend-installs-8.html#post504201
> 
> This turned out about how dark I wanted. The linked post is night shots, the one below it shows during the day, all of them are just the inner lights (as a comparison)


Dragonsys, 

So you are suggesting 2 coats? Is clear coating needed, and if so is 2 the suggested recommendation? I really dont want to phuck this up, so I will give it my best. In regards to the branding..how different is Vans from VHT. Vans are Japanese brand of red tint which is about $20-30 a can. I would like a nice clean, close to original finish for the lights. Do you suggest getting one of those spray gun attachments for the rattlecans? I want to minimize any blotty sprays.


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

RoadRage said:


> Dragonsys,
> 
> So you are suggesting 2 coats? Is clear coating needed, and if so is 2 the suggested recommendation? I really dont want to phuck this up, so I will give it my best. In regards to the branding..how different is Vans from VHT. Vans are Japanese brand of red tint which is about $20-30 a can. I would like a nice clean, close to original finish for the lights. Do you suggest getting one of those spray gun attachments for the rattlecans? I want to minimize any blotty sprays.


Well it depends on how dark you want it. the more/heavier the coats the darker it will be. I have never used Vans, so I really cannot comment on that brand. I used about 4 coats or clear for protection. Mine had the same shininess as stock, before & after the clear.

For the attachment, that just depends on how steady you can apply from a rattle can. I have never used one, but I have been using rattlecans for many many years and I am able to produce a pretty good even coat as is.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Vht will brighten up substantially within a year. I've used it before and hated how fast it faded.


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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

money_man said:


> Vht will brighten up substantially within a year. I've used it before and hated how fast it faded.


Money...did you apply clear or was it just VHT


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## Smurfenstein (Nov 16, 2011)

Red on top, and Smoked on the bottom like this?:









If so go to MIXXED AUTO DESIGN | Corona, CA and order yourself a set of smoked tail light overlays! There's a current sale going on right now, 25% off any overlay listed on the website, just type in the coupon code: summer25 when purchasing.

EDIT: Not to mention that with the vinyl, you can always revert to stock. Once you go VHT the only way its coming off is with gas, or something so powerful it'll eat through your stock lense/lense coating. Which helps if you get a fix it ticket, or mess up applying the coats and end up with a wavy tint every time your brake lights go on.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Toughts on plastidip tint designed for tinting?

https://www.dipyourcar.com/Plasti-Dip-Smoke-can.html


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## McNeo (Dec 17, 2013)

Smurfenstein said:


> Red on top, and Smoked on the bottom like this?:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is pure sex.


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## McNeo (Dec 17, 2013)

Merc6 said:


> Toughts on plastidip tint designed for tinting?
> 
> https://www.dipyourcar.com/Plasti-Dip-Smoke-can.html


I have little hands-on experience with PlastiDip, but from what I've heard, it stands up to carwashes and such great. BUT, do not try to dry it with a microfiber towel. Also, I'm told sand and dust etc. can get stuck on it leaving a weird appearance.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Yeah I have dip on now and overspray is even carwash safe. Where is the "rolls eyes" smiley? Some have used regular dip to tint and I'm not sure how that works as it only took me 2 coats to hide the chrome trunk bar. I used microfiber towel before it all depends on how much pressure you apply. The overspray with liberal pressure still took effort to come off. I hear you can't wax it but I have used quick wax quite a few times and it held up.


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## Smurfenstein (Nov 16, 2011)

There was a member on here from Arizona that did the plasti-dip smoke. Looked bad, and only made the tail lights a light gray-ish color.


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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

Smurf...the overlays may not work because since my lights are clear it will require 2 sets of overlays (one red and one smoke) and not sure how it will come out.

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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

Here is an examole of what im working with...it started with the new lights on the left, I blavked out the bottom with film and now what to red the top...

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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

The new tails are the black versions of the spyder tails recently released. I wanted a taillight with some sort of proprietary design to make it its own as opposed to the BMW lights. The overall effect I am trying to achieve is kinda like the new IS350 tails where the red lens is backed by a black "skeleton" as opposed to chrome so it gives it a more aggressive "black" look with the light bar in bright red.


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## Zach.K (Apr 17, 2014)

Merc6 said:


> Yeah I have dip on now and overspray is even carwash safe. Where is the "rolls eyes" smiley? Some have used regular dip to tint and I'm not sure how that works as it only took me 2 coats to hide the chrome trunk bar. I used microfiber towel before it all depends on how much pressure you apply. The overspray with liberal pressure still took effort to come off. I hear you can't wax it but I have used quick wax quite a few times and it held up.


They make dip that's for tails and heads now. Similar to VHT but you can peel it 

EDIT: This stuff. https://www.dipyourcar.com/Plasti-Dip-Smoke-can.html. 

Sent from my Thumbs.


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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

Zach im looking for a glossier finish

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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

Merc6 said:


> Toughts on plastidip tint designed for tinting?
> 
> https://www.dipyourcar.com/Plasti-Dip-Smoke-can.html


I used the Dip Smoke before changing to VHT Nightshades. It works well, but it just wasn't dark enough for me.



RoadRage said:


> Zach im looking for a glossier finish
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


You can clear coat the Dip to make it glossy


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## Smurfenstein (Nov 16, 2011)

RoadRage said:


> Here is an examole of what im working with...it started with the new lights on the left, I blavked out the bottom with film and now what to red the top...
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


Ahh, now see I thought you had stock tail lights. In that case, you're going to be better off painting them.


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