Preferred technique for painting bumper lights?

[deckeda]

I want amber bumper lights for my '91. I was really hoping to open them up and do it but I understand that's either a bitch or impossible.

This is with clears --- I have Krylon transparent amber spray paint. (But still need to get some sort of clear coat.)

I've done the reading, some of which says to lightly sand the lights first (doesn't make sense to me), some of which says no more than one or two swipes with the paint or else it'll look foggy/cloudy (same with when doing the clearcoat.) Or does a light sanding after the fact get them clear and glossy again if it happens?

So I'm looking to "clear" up my confusion. Trying not to "experiment" and have to toss these lights.

[TypeG]

i popped mine apart. it's not impossible just risky. the sealant that holds them together is quiet hard unlike the sealant in the healights. it is more superglue like. from what i understand, heat does nothing to weaken the glue.

when i seperated mine, i took a flathead screwdriver and lighlty pryed around the perimeter making several passes and looking for a weak spot and making weak spots in the process. just listen for a light cracking noise while your doing it. eventually it will just give up and pop apart.



if you paint the outside, you don't need to sand them. the krylon seems to stick really well. just use something that will remove oils, grease, silicone, wax, ect. something like rubbing alcohol, 3m general purpose adhesive remover, or paint thinner.

if you're going to paint the inside, i don't think you'll need a clear coat. the krylon dries real shiney. later.

[deckeda]

Yeah, I knew I wouldn't need to clearcoat them if painting internally --- that was the appeal of that (as well as being able to polish w/o worrying about taking off the clear or paint some day.)

Well, I haven't even taken them out of the box to look at them yet so maybe I'll try and open them afterall.

Did you heat them, or are you saying that because of the different type of glue that isn't necessary/helpful?

Oh --- and if I open them up, I'll be doing the opposite of how you did yours: painting the lens, not the reflector. If that matters.

[TypeG]

i tried heating them and it didn't seem to have an effect on them. maybe you could have better luck. later.

[Phempa]

TypeG, if I sent you my bumper lights (aftermarket clear)... a can of the orange krylon stained glass paint, and like... 20 bucks... would you do them just like yours for me?

[sirs1ayer]

TypeG, if I sent you my bumper lights (aftermarket clear)... a can of the orange krylon stained glass paint, and like... 20 bucks... would you do them just like yours for me?

haha what a bum.
just take em off.
if you weren't sure wether you were going to break them
then put some adhesive cleaner on there that will probably weaken up the seal a little bit.
then just pry them apart slowly but surely
sand/paint
put em back together

[Phempa]

haha what a bum.
just take em off.
if you weren't sure wether you were going to break them
then put some adhesive cleaner on there that will probably weaken up the seal a little bit.
then just pry them apart slowly but surely
sand/paint
put em back together

i dunno if you noticed... but the lens and housing aren't glued together.

they're melted.


but thanks for the tip. if I feel bold enough, i might just give it a shot.

[BIGTUFFGUY]

werd