All Things Mk5 > Members Rides
StuF presents Candy White 3 Door GTI
StuF:
Dyno run could be interesting - wonder how many horses have departed the stable over the last 170,000 miles :signLOL:
I recently remembered I had a set of standard lights buried away at the back of my garage so dug them out and decided to see if I could do a reasonable job on converting them into ED30/R32 rears.
We are saving hard for our 10 year wedding anni trip to Sri Lanka so cant go spending £150+ on a real set :ashamed:
Off to eBay I went and purchased some cheap tinting spray - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351198040901?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Retrieved my old lights from the depths of the garage, cleaned them then masked them up ready for a play
I managed to blag a couple of hours free at work today to do a bit of painting, so two light coats of the tint were applied over 2/3 hours, didnt want to go too dark and at the end of the day I finished with two further applications of clear gloss effect lacquer.
End results can be seen below
Standard lights for difference
Comparison shot
Decided not to take the mickey at work and install them there - got home and swapped them over, only took 20 mins
Half done for comparison sakes again
Both
Was loosing the light at this point but you can see the overall effect
I thought after fitting them I should check if the bulbs still work after 3 years in a box!
I am quite pleased with the effect although I dont know how long the tint will last - but hey if it looks pants after a while I can refit my standard lights and have another go! :happy2:
Also the wifelet is happy as I have done it without spending much cash!
MarkyN:
:congrats: :congrats: :congrats:
Looks spot on that mate
lukemk5gti:
I was going to do the exact same so I tried it out with smoke plasti dip on a spare light and it turned out great.
I didn't follow through because I questioned its durability. Would that paint coating hold up to stone chips and constant washing I wonder.
What clear lacquer did you use? Did you just lacquer the sprayed bit or did you do the whole light?
StuF:
Not sure how durable it will be to be honest but wouldn't be a massive chore if it lasts a couple of months and then reapply.
I just used a clear lacquer - like this sort of stuff
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Clear-Lacquer-Spray-500ml-Quality-Clear-Coat-Gloss-PROFESSIONAL-QUALITY-/251651860862?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a979ea97e
I applied it over the whole light once I had removed the masking tape, let me have a uniform finish across the lens.
For the cost of doing it I don't mind if it gets a bit worn - even the plasticoated wheels are doing fine with not a single issue so far, in particular I have had a tyre removed and refitted without damaging the finish!
So to sum up the whole process was -
Clean lenses with soapy water and dry
Mask of centre areas with tape
Spray light coats of tint to achieve desired colour +2hrs between coats (probably less in summer)
Remove masking tape
Two light coats of clear lacquer across whole lens surface +2hrs between each
Check finish and install
Shoduchi:
Well done, sir! It looks just like new from the factory and they're a great addition to the rear of your GTI. :congrats:
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