How to smoke 240sx coupe/vert Tail lights

[distant240sx]

Ok, here is the how to smoke 240sx coupe/vert Tail lights tutorial.And can be used on almost any other model tailights.

Here's a few more articles before we get started:
All-red S13 tail lights
S13 hatch LED Third Brake Light

First, find a clean place to work on. My tails were a bit dirty so i had to clean them.I used Lacquer thinner to clean my tail lights. It costs about $6.00 in autozone, or pepboys.

Next wipe them down, and wet sand with 600 grit "WetorDry" sand paper.I am not wet sanding the white part because i do not want to smoke that area, but this is up to you.

Then wash it with a little bit off soap. Put them back on your clean dry surface and dry them.MAKE SURE IT IS DRY BEFORE PROCEEDING.

Next i am going to tape the white area because i do not want to smoke it.again this step is up to you. Take your finger nail and kinda push the tape inside outline, the area where you are going to cut the tape. And then cut the tape around the outline, with a sharp blade.Make sure the blade is sharp because dull blades kinda pull off the tape instead of cutting.

Now i used a can of VHT nite-shade. Before you ever use a can to spray anything, test spray on a different surface, to make sure it is working properly, if not you might ruin your project. Now stand up one of the tail lights and spray one at a time from a distance of about a foot away.

Now wait for it to dry fully!!They dry dull, but not to worry. I am dry sanding it down gently with 1000 grit sand paper.because my taillights had little scratches on it, and this helps to hide them. Then I lightly spray the tail lights again from about a 2 foot distance. kind of like a mist. just enough, not too much.

I used Nason clearcoat and a paint gun, because it is a strong clear coat, and protects against UV rays and weather, but you can use the spray can "clear enamel" that pepboys or autozone sells. I like to use the gun because it is easier, and you get a more even clear coat, that dries on shinny. but if you use the can, and it looks dull, you can always wetsand with 1500 - 2000 grit "Wetordry" sand paper, and polish it to a shiny finish.

[jspec603]

Great Job!!! Looks really nice!

[distant240sx]

I just thought to add something,If you have never spray painted anything before then here are some helpfull tips.

First of all, practise on something you don't mind might get ruined. Always try to spray light and evenly across the surface, if youstay too long in one area you will start to get runs on the paint.The can should have instructions on how far away to spray from.Usually it is about a foot to a foot and a half away.

Always make sure the item you are spraying is clean, and has beenwiped down with some soapy water, There are chemicals we cannot see with our eyes that are not paint friendly, even our own skin's natural oils are bad for the paint, so try and use gloves.

Never rush a project, be patient and you will get good results,rush and suffer the consequences.

Now again like I said before, practice , practice, practice,!If there is something you would like me to clear up, go ahaedand ask. I will be happy to help.

[Glyph]

To add to your spraypaint tutorial...Here are the most important tips in my opinion of course;1) Your final prep before painting should be a complete wipe down with rubbing alcohol to get everything including your finger oils off the surface to be painted.2) When painting, depress the button before you get to the object you're painting and don't release it 'til after you've completely moved past it on the other side. Nice even strokes side to side from about 18" away. Not too fast and not too slow and NEVER start or stop in the middle, on the object you're painting. 3) Make sure there is no dried paint or anything else gumming up the nozzle or it'll ruin everything in a second.4) I know you're impatient. We all are. But if you give it enough time to dry completely before handling you'll be glad you did.

[Eikon]

Now that is a great "how-to" article!

Really really well done! Thanks distant. I'm going to get one of our article guys on this. They'll reformat the content to .pdf I think.. then host it on the NICO articles page.

As a reward for such content, we like to offer custom titles. What would you like for your title?

Thanks again for sharing such an excellent tutorial!

[cmkelly]

Great write up, thanks.

[DirftKing102]

great write up!

[S13_convert]

This is a fantastic how-to. I actually woke up this morning and was thinking about smoked tail lights. Is this the best way to do them or should I try to buy them? The only ones I found on ebay were over $200 and from New Zealand. Do you think they just did the same thing to their stock ones and are selling them?

[distant240sx]

I already had all the materials needed to do this. all I neededwas the can of spray tint wich i got from ebay for about $12.00 shipped.

But on avarage you are looking to spend no more than $25.00 on this project. More if you need tools to remove the tailights,But you should already have tools, if you are looking to do this project.

Well on the custom title that Eikon mentioned, anyone have any good ideas?

[distant240sx]

Ahh, and Glyph, made some greate points,

But I don't like to use rubbing alcohol to wipe down the area before spraying. Maybe it was just my luck, but I tried it once, and got negativeresults. I like to use a product called "prepsall" wich is ment forwiping down before spray painting something. It's a cloth with a chemical that comes with some kind of static electrical charge built up,so that it can help repel dust or other pollutants in the air away fromthe project.But if you don't have that, I like to use a lint free towel or cloth moistened with plain warm water.

But like I said before, it is better to be safe than sorry. So practise on something before you try it on your taillights.
Modified by distant240sx at 1:50 PM 10/5/2007

[wmdavis007]

WOW...those look awesome!! Didn't know if I'd like it with the clear not smoked but damn....that's hot!!! Very good write up!

[Eikon]

Now I'm in a pickle...

I'd been planning on buying a set of the Red/Clear ones from Ebay. Everyone who's installed them has had such great results.

But.. now that you've done this write up.. I'm starting to think that this might be the better way to go.

Do you guys think it's too much black for a black car?? I know the red/clear ones would look good, but what do you guys think about black smoked tails on a black car??

Does anyone have something similar?? Doesn't S-13 have something like this on his car... or am I thinking of the wrong person. I thought we had a black 'vert from Vancouver area with smoked tails.

The cost of this mod sure does sound good.. and I could use the practice with paint.

[distant240sx]

Hey Eikon, this might help you visualize what you want better.I just did it on photoshop, But it might look better on black shinny car.

[Ihiryu]

Hey Eikon,

My neighbors z33 is black with smoked tails....and it doesn't look that good, it looks like he like fiberglassed the taillights into the chassis.

it looks weird, i don't dig it too much.

To make things worse for us vert guys, is that our back end looks like a box as it is, so if you were to black it out, then it'd look like a desk or something.

[Eikon]

Found it!

S-13's car... black with smoked tails.

Still undecided. Looks really nice.. but maybe still too much black??

I'm thinking that my overall color scheme would flow better with the red/clear ebay tails. I've got quite a few red accents to go with my black paint, and I think the red tails help continue that theme. But those smoked tails do look badass!

[distant240sx]

Hey Eikon, You could try tinting your tails first all red, Same proccess.just buy red spray tint. I think wal-mart sells it in their hobby section.

Like in this picture,

The only bad thing now is that im in a pickle, LOL.I am thinking i want to go all red with mine too.like here,

It does look really nice.Any one want to sell their coupe/vert light cheap?? i'm serious?

[94_240sx]

^^I posted that picture long time ago. Candy Apple... That's the name of the color. You must use clear coat with it otherwise it'll fade.

[ishkabibble]

I think blacked-out tails on a black vert would only work on a "murdered-out" vert. Everything would need to be black, Seth. Markers, tails, interior, antenna, wheels...

[Eikon]

I agree with you Ish.

I've got too many red accents already that I'm fond of.. So I don't think I could pull off the black on black on black on black on black... you get the point..

I think I'm going to snag a set of those ebay lights after all.. just not quite yet because I'm broke.

distant.. if you want my taillights.. I'd sell them to you for cheap.. send me an email and we'll figure out a fair price.

[94_240sx]

Someone's gotta try chrome trim... Eikon, do you want to add some bling bling to the rear end?

[distant240sx]

That is just so sweet.

[Eikon]

I dig the chrome. Where do I find that?

[supra brit]

Any pics of the tails lit up at night? I smoked the ones on my old coupe, but they didn't light up well at night. But one of my friends smoked his and they light up great.

[jamesblonde82]

i wanted to get the clear set too, but this is cheap and nice results. the only problem i had when i mentioned it to my bro who's a cop, said that you can get tickets with smoked tails. has anyone had any probs with this? my driving record isn't pretty already ive gotten so many speeding tickets.

[waitn4sno]

Eikon:I think S-13's tails are red/clears smoked, as opposed to stock tails - smoked.I just installed red/clears on my (black for now) vert. Finishes the back end of the car nicely.I think S-13 changed all his bulb's to LED's as well.

[Eikon]

Eikon:I think S-13's tails are red/clears smoked, as opposed to stock tails - smoked.I just installed red/clears on my (black for now) vert. Finishes the back end of the car nicely.I think S-13 changed all his bulb's to LED's as well.

Hey.. good eye!S-13's lights have the white segment on the outside of the car vs. the inside on distant's car.

Can you snap a pick for me of your rear end (the car of course.. )?

[Scuffed_ChukiCoupe]

Great write up, but i dont think all that work was necessary. I did mine in my friends backyard in 10 mins with just a can, and the lights on the car, and it still looks great to this day.

Someone's gotta try chrome trim... Eikon, do you want to add some bling bling to the rear end?

[waitn4sno]

Hey.. good eye!S-13's lights have the white segment on the outside of the car vs. the inside on distant's car.

Can you snap a pick for me of your rear end (the car of course.. )?

partial completion



Complete - pretty easy, as long as you pay attenttion to the thread lentghs on the studs.

[Eikon]

yeah.. i'm sold. Def. like the red/clear ones on the back of a black car.

If it wasn't black.. I'd probably have to go with the smoked ones though.

Thanks for the pic. waitn

[GTS4-R]

Someone's gotta try chrome trim... Eikon, do you want to add some bling bling to the rear end?

where the hell can i find a smoked set like on the bottom of this pic????