Candying tailights

[PT'S 70 CST]

Has anyone candied their taillights. I love the tinted look and have read a few articles on several sites but do not know if it is worth the try or just have a body shop do them. Any input would be appreciated.


PT

[wwj75c30]

you mean smoke them?

[PT'S 70 CST]

No candy them like this pic and link. I would like to candy the with a little tint or smoke as you say. http://www.gmfullsize.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46061 The second pic has been candied and smoked.


PT

[GCncsuHD]

I have candied and smoked several sets.

A set I candied on my 01



Candied and smoked on my 89 Mazda, these weren't buffed, I kinda liked the matte look

The front running lights were also lightly smoked


A few more sets I did

A set I smoked


Some Tahoe tails I candied



Another set I candied

[PT'S 70 CST]

You up for doing a set of 88-98. I like pic two maybe just a shade darker.


PT

[GCncsuHD]

I might could, the issue with it is turn around time, I am not a body shop or anything like that, these were all ones I did in my spare time, with all the projects and responsibilities I have going on right now I can't guarantee when I would get to it.

They weren't very difficult to do, I did the 88-98 and the Tahoe tails as practices before I did the tails for my 01.

[PT'S 70 CST]

No turn around for me. I have a pair of aftermarket ones in my truck now and just like the look of these. If you want you could give me a price in a few different options candied with some smoke and just smoked and cleared. You can send me a pm with the prices and I am in no hurry.


Thanks PT

[GCncsuHD]

Send me some pics of what you are working with, I might can help you out with it. I'm just not sure after paying to ship them both ways, and my supplies that it would be worth it for you. I have never done a set for another individual, I'm not real sure what to charge, I simply had some extra tails lying around and used them to practice on, then sold them.

The process is really simple, and you could have them done in an afternoon, minus waiting a few days for the paint to fully cure and then buff/polish.

My process I have used is to scuff up the tail light lightly with 800 grit, mask off the areas you don't want coated, use Bulldog Adhesion Promoter to ensure a good bond to the plastic lights, a couple light dustings of that, then for "candying" I use Testors Candy Red transparent paint (available at any hobby/model car store). What I did on the lights with the amber portions, I did 3-4 light coats over the amber portion to get it "close" to the red of the rest of the light. The Testors paint levels nicely, and doesn't build up heavily so masking lines weren't a big issue. Then I removed the masking from everything but the clear reverse section, I allowed it to dry for an hour or so, then wetsanded with 1000 grit to get rid of the hard edge of the masking line. Then I coated the entire light with the Testors red paint a couple coats to make it nice and even, finishing off with a final heavier coat. Now I removed the masking over the clear reverse, again let it dry an hour or so, and wetsanded with 1000 grit again. Then I clear coated them with automotive clear from a gun. Let them dry and cure for several days, then went back with 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit wetsanding, hand polished them and waxed them. Every time I wax my vehicles, I wax the tails to keep them shiny and protected just like the paint on the truck.

If you want smoke, I use the same process, but I take automotive clear and basecoat gloss black, and mix it 10:1 clear:black, and spray it out of a gun. If you do it this way, more clear is not needed after the smoke process. I have also done a set using the "night shades" rattle can stuff found at any parts store, and then followed up with wetsanding, then automotive clear from a gun with good results.

I didn't take enough in progress pics back then, but this is how I had the reverse light taped off, this is after a few coats on the amber signal portion, but before coating the rest of the light to even everything up. The end result is in my posts above.

[ProStreet68SB]

Never seen candied lights before, they look awesome!

GCncsuHD, I like your B, have a 92 B2200 myself.

[ChevLoRay]

Dang, y'all are makin' me hungry.....for some candied yams and a smoked turkey!

[PT'S 70 CST]

GCncsuHD thanks for the tips, I think that I am going to try these on my own.


Thanks PT

[bk2life]

they usually go for about $50 dollars for the pair.

basically sand the lights down with 600 grit to remove any facotry UV protectant, then i hit them with 1000 grit to smooth out the 600.

mask off spray the red, let it dry, apply the darker tint if "smoking" the light, let dry, then add a few coats of clear.

once all dry sand/buff and ship back to owner..

im not a vendor, i cant advertise, so if anyone is interested in learning more, pm me.

[TennesseeZ]

I picked up some Rustoleum "Lens Tint" at Wally's place last nite, tried it out on an old set today. I only did one, and they were real rough to start with. I didn't spend a lot of time on them, just hit the lens with 1500 dry, shot some adhesion promoter, then the tint (2 coats), then 2 coats of clear. You can see the lens was still rough, I think this would work well on a nicer lens. This was justy a test run anyhow, but I think it turned out OK, gonna let them dry a couple days then sand the clear and shoot a couple more coats and see what I get.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Dang those all look pretty good from here. Gonna have to try some on my own truck now. Whenever I actually get some free time haha!

[TennesseeZ]

I dug out a nicer set and tried to do a decent job on them, finished them last nite and installed today. The pics ain't that good, they look way better live. But I like 'em.

[TennesseeZ]

A couple more, they wouldn't all load in one post. The flash made the one look redder than it is, they're actually pretty dark.

[PT'S 70 CST]

Good job and my thread has been motivational. I looked in wal mart the other day for the tint and did not see it. It need to wet sand mine and buff them the I am going to try and tint them as soon as I get the stuff. Good job on the tails.


PT

[TennesseeZ]

Originally Posted by PT'S 70 CST

Good job and my thread has been motivational. I looked in wal mart the other day for the tint and did not see it. It need to wet sand mine and buff them the I am going to try and tint them as soon as I get the stuff. Good job on the tails.


PT

Thanks! It's in Auto with the bondo and such. AutoZone has it too. I scuffed with grey Scotchbrite, wax/grease remover, adhesion promoter, couple coats of tint, scuff, 3-4 light clear coats, level out with 220, then 400W/D, then 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 wet/dry, rubbing compound, polishing compound, 2 coats car wax. I also filed/sanded all the raised DOT stuff off before I started to give a smooth surface there. It was easy after the 220. Post em up when done, and thanks for getting me started