Painting your headlights

"E30Joe drives a Subaru" (325joe)
03/09/2014 at 20:29 • Filed to: None

Today I painted my ugly headlights.

The culprit:

Also this:

This is what I'll be using on the reflector bowls of the headlights:

Masked the turn signal

Three coats later:

Next we used this, I chose plastidip over paint because of the finish and if you mess up you just peel it off.

More black!

Also wear gloves or your hands look like this

Will update with pictures once the headlights are back in the vehicle.

Here's what they look like, the low beam remains unpainted and the leftmost bowl is sprayed with what is essentially a dusting of VHT nightshade. I didn't black out the low beams, that's a terrible idea.

DISCUSSION (20)

offroadkarter > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 20:31

You know if you paint your reflector bowls, light output is going to decrease dramatically right?

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 20:32

Form over function bro.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 20:35

Just painted the high beam bowl one coat and the turn signals darker because I have LED turn signals in the mail that don't even need the reflector, output is barely affected. I wouldn't dare paint the regular headlight low beam.

Also restored the outer covers which really helped light output.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 20:36

Plus down the road I plan to retrofit HID's so the high/low beam will be the same side of the headlight.

YSI-what can brown do for you > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 20:44

I want to do something similar to my car. Hopefully it will look good, currently I am undecided.

Kinja'd!!!

Übel > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 21:01

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude...

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Übel
03/09/2014 at 21:04

Dude

E30Joe drives a Subaru > YSI-what can brown do for you
03/09/2014 at 21:04

It was fairly painless. The hardest part was getting them off the car, the rest was easy.

Übel > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 21:05

You seriously painted your reflectors ?

E30Joe drives a Subaru > Übel
03/09/2014 at 21:12

See the update. Visibility has actually improved after doing this. The housings were extremely yellowed/pitted before.

desertdog5051 > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 22:44

Hell, might as well black out your tail lights and turn signals, too. That way in the rain and fog nobody will see you.

desertdog5051 > YSI-what can brown do for you
03/09/2014 at 22:46

First question, why? Second question, is that your car YSI?

E30Joe drives a Subaru > desertdog5051
03/09/2014 at 22:50

This has not affected the output of the light.

Maybe you should have read the entire post before you judge.

desertdog5051 > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 22:58

I did read the post. I just do not believe in any alterations that may affect output.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > desertdog5051
03/09/2014 at 23:03

None of the alterations affect output.

LED turn signals which are brighter than stock are on the way probably in the mail in at a few days.

Low's are brighter than before, highbeams are pretty much the same.

My taillights are stock, extremely bright. This isn't my first rodeo.

desertdog5051 > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 23:04

I admit now, that I may have misinterpreted what you were trying to convey. Was it the surrounds or the lenses? I stand corrected if I am wrong.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > desertdog5051
03/09/2014 at 23:11

The surround was the only thing that was painted flat black, the headlight housings for high/low beams have the same if not higher output, the blinker is dimmer but still very visible and I have LED turn signals coming.

desertdog5051 > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/09/2014 at 23:15

The beauty of Oppo. We can screw up an not be banished. Sorry.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > desertdog5051
03/09/2014 at 23:24

Oppo-ology accepted brother.

We're all friends here.

MonkeePuzzle > E30Joe drives a Subaru
03/10/2014 at 01:11

eager to see the end result, and/or a before and after of them on the car