help with zenki taillights

[mkory]

I've been looking into replacing my rear tails with the kouki one, and realized thats just way too much to spend. So are there any alternatives? I saw a 240sx show car on ebay a few months ago with kouki tails where they had been taken apart and the black part painted red to match the car. Is there anything like this I could do with my zenki tails? I'm really not a fan of that weird red-ish brown color.

[MainEvent212]

uhh...just deal with it, you'll learn to love them

if your lights are really dingy, go buy mother's mag and aluminum polish and use them on your tails (removal may be better for your paint in the end)...they will look brand new

[mkory]

No, for real though? Are the zenki tails a multiple piece unit that I could take apart and paint the red-ish brown colored part a different color? I really want to do this, and I know it can be done with the headlights, since the lens comes off the housing.

[MainEvent212]

no they're 3 piece...but you cannot disassemble them w/o alot of work

[mkory]

I know they're in three pieces, two on the sides, and on the trunk. But what I want to know is IF they even come apart. The headlights are in many pieces, and you can take the lens off and paint parts of that black (I've seen it done and it looks great), but do the tail lights disassemble to the point where I COULD take them apart and paint parts of them black? I don't mean to get hot or anything, but its a simple yes or no question. Don't run me around in circles, I'm just looking for an answer. Has anyone ever done this? I think it would look good and its something I really want to do. Answers???

[mkory]

I know for a fact it can be done with kouki tails, I've seen it first hand. Are the zenki tails the same way?

[Anand]

only one way to find out...

[MainEvent212]

yes you can...you have to bake them to pop the lenses off, and then glue them back on, they will never be the same after you do this. i suggest leaving them stock, the stock taillights look awesome IMO

[base9se]

How much is too much to spend for tail lights? B'cuz there are some on ebay right now. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...=WDVW

[mkory]

Well baking's out of the question for me. I thought It'd be easier than that. Just an idea, thats all.

[Doomed2Walk]

I have a spare left one, tried prying it off, seems impossible without breaking something.

[MECPInstaller]

Yeah the adhesive they use on the headlights and tailights is some strong stuff. i found out a hair dryer to the corner lenses doesn't even begin to budge the adhesive, what tempreture are you guys setting the oven to off hand?

MKory if your dead set on painting the excess parts of the lenses, pull them off the car, you don't have to take them apart. Mask off the actual areas that project the light. Then wet sand the "reddish brown parts" with 1000 grit paper just to scuff them alil so the paint sticks. Blast them with afew coats of primer, then your color of choice, and finishing up with the clear coat. Make sure you let each layer dry before applying the next.

--Just remember if you screw your lenses up or they don't come out as planned in your head, your stuck with them, or you'll have to fork over some money for some new lenses anyways.

[MainEvent212]

i think one thing i can recommend is using self-etching primer though...i hear it's good for smoother surfaces like plastics and metals...just make sure you make many thin coats

[Charlie240sxt]

I just used some spray tint on mine. I love it with my red black look i have going Check it out. http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/416888/6

run though the other pages too if you want got my old s13 with money pics

[dirty180]

tsk tsk tsk..... u poor americans... u poor naive americans.....

[gabossie]

That's what I was going to do, just not that dark. I wanted to get a little spray tint just to darken them a little bit, like a smoked lense.

[gabossie]

tsk tsk tsk..... u poor americans... u poor naive americans.....

WTF?

[silviaks2nr]

red them out, but not with spray can.