DIY All-red-tailight

[royalflush313]

So I want to paint the amber part of the tailight soon, and I found this article: http://e30.bmwdiy.info/red-tails/index.html .

Now Im in search for the Testor (#1605) spray paint, does any of you know where to get it locally ?

Thanks!

[Mike 91 318ic]

If you're really picky I doubt you'll like it... All the ones I've seen looked like they've been painted... If I were you I'd buy the mhw genuine all red tails $$$$ or skip the idea.

my 2 cents
M

[Initial D.oug]

Try Krylon stain glass paint from Canadian Tire. It's a blue can with a see-through red top. I dunno about noticable. I've painted all the lights on my bimmers and they look pretty good. This paint lasts a long time and is very close to the red color. If you do do it, I suggest that you only mask the orange area, as that's all it needs. I say you try it, if you don't like it, take some Poly Clens to it and get the real ones. The can of paint only costs like 5 bucks.

Here's a crappy picture of my car a couple weeks after I did it.
http://members.roadfly.org/guizai/double.jpg

btw, you can also get testor's paint from any model making store. Van Hobbies should have it or can at least order it in for you.

[royalflush313]

hmm maybe i will try painting it, and if i dont like it, i will buy the mhw taillights.

[E30Ty]

All the ones I've seen looked like they've been painted...

I agree

[royalflush313]

do you think I could heat the taillights up, separate the tailights, and paint the orange indicator that's inside the plastic cover?

I think Im just gonna take off the taillights tomorrow and see how difficult it would be to get inside the actual lens.

[Initial D.oug]

It would be a pretty big endeavour I think. The problem with painting from the inside is that the reflector ridges will pool up with the paint. It will be hard to get even coverage. Mine are painted from the outside and it is pretty hard to notice.

[Spaz]

if you want, wait till i come back from my trip to new york, i'll be home july 4th, and i have a can of testors candy apple red, left from when i painted my tails. i love the look and they look perfectly fine to me, and yes i am a perfectionish.

contact me at

778 837 7386 after 1 on july 4

[motoyen]

I have the paint as well if you want to use it. When I did mine, up close you could tell it had been painted but from a few feet away you couldn't. I have also heard that stained glass window paint works very well. Here's a pic of my car with the red tails.
http://motoyen.com/media/albums/artgallery/art_gallery_9.sized.jpg

[royalflush313]

I have the paint as well if you want to use it. When I did mine, up close you could tell it had been painted but from a few feet away you couldn't. I have also heard that stained glass window paint works very well. Here's a pic of my car with the red tails.


Anthony, did you use the Testor's paint as well?

And Spaz, I will give you a shout, if I cant find the paint locally, it will also be an excuse to come check out your car :smokin:

[Spaz]

Anthony, did you use the Testor's paint as well?

And Spaz, I will give you a shout, if I cant find the paint locally, it will also be an excuse to come check out your car :smokin:


all its glorey on jack stands :P

give me a shout.

[bad_azz_bmr]

If you're really picky I doubt you'll like it... All the ones I've seen looked like they've been painted... If I were you I'd buy the mhw genuine all red tails $$$$ or skip the idea.

my 2 cents
M

i completely disagree on that, i painted mine with the candy apple red and then clear coated them and they look perfectly fine, the trick is how you spray and what temperature it is sprayed at so it doesn't get bumpy, mine are completely smooth and they are very difficult to tell that they were painted.. masking them properly and prep is the most painful part of it... i say give it a shot instead of blowing 400-500 buks on a set of tailights... only if my car were completely done, 100% that would be my final mod.. otherwise, throw the money towards a turbo kit fund... :D

[royalflush313]

oh yah, as an update to this.

I did the task few weeks ago, and it turned out great in my opinion. I'm very happy with the results. I could probably do it a little bit nicer, but I'm too lazy to re-do it anyways.

[Quincy56]

I bought the paint at WalMart. I did this on my cabrio, you can see the results in the link below. Even up close, it is very hard to tell that mine are painted. I followed the instructions on the link that started this thread.

[royalflush313]

I bought the paint at WalMart. I did this on my cabrio, you can see the results in the link below. Even up close, it is very hard to tell that mine are painted. I followed the instructions on the link that started this thread.

that's one mint cab you got there. Looks great. And the taillights look great too.
Wherebouts are you from?

[motoyen]

Quincy56 that is one mint cab you have there. Where did you get this part from?

[Quincy56]

that's one mint cab you got there. Looks great. And the taillights look great too.
Wherebouts are you from?

Thanks. I'm in Massachusetts.

As to the "storage bin" or the ashtray delete option, I ordered it from the dealer. I think after my BMWCCA discount, it cost about $17

The part # is 72-60-1-942-786

[E30Ty]

Quincy, I must admit those tail lights look excellent. I've never seen a painted set I've really liked, but maybe it can be done well after all?