Nissan Versa Smoked tail lights.

[Beancooker]

CREDIT FOR THIS GOES TO CODERED

Okay this is a write up for making your tail lights smoked or blacked out.

***REMEMBER THIS IS NOT I REPEAT NOT REVERSIBLE UNLESS YOU WANT TO SPEND HOURS SANDING DOWN TO THE PLASTIC, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!***

Ok first off tools and accessories!

1. Socket Wrench with sockets2. Needle nose pliers3. 600 grit sand paper4. Nite Shades4. An automotive clear coat5. Squirt bottle, filled with water and a few drops of dish soap6. 2000 Grit sand paper7. Sponge8. Rubbing compound (the red one)9. Electronic buffer (not necessary)10. flat head screw driverthats it.

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First off removal of the lights

You will need your flat head screw driver to remove the 2 tabs covering the 2 screws that hold the light in place.







Ok now that the taps are off you can get your socket wrench and right size socket (sorry i forgot the size just trial and error) you will need the extender beacause the bolt is some distance back.



as for the second bolt this one you can get loosend with the need lenose pliers then fully remove with your fingers.



I also found it safer to buy an extender magnet so that you dont drop the bolts anywhere down in the body!!!



just stick it on the thread while un screwing it.Do the same with the other tail light.

After the bolts are out you can now preceed with removing the light itself

just pull back on it, it will take some force because there is some double sided tape holding it on.



After removing the light you can now remove the brake, turn, and reverse lights by twisting the connector counter clockwise.





After there out to prevent damage to them i just wraped them in a microfiber towel.



Done with removing

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Priming

First start off with a nice painting surface.



For a little extra security i taped up the holes that the bulbs were in



kClean the lights with a little soapy water to remove grime and w/e could be on them. rinse with water leave no soap behind.

Whip out your 600 grit sand paper and sand away untill it looks like....



This.

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Painting.

After sanding remember to clean with the soapy water again remember to leave no soap behind....again

Allow to fully dry or else you will pay with one messed up paint job.

pop open your can of Nite Shades



Start painting, if you read the back of the can you would know that you should be painting 12-18 inches away, your suposta do light coats....really light coats. the more coats the darker.

After first coat dosent look like much but we are going to get there.

Allow 10 min to dry inbetween coats



Second coat



third coat (with flash off)



with flash on



Fourth coat with flash off



With flash on



Allow to fully dry before moving on to clear coat.

The clear coat you can put on a lot thicker and a lot closer but dont let it runHere is a pic after the first clear coat, with the flash on.



Apply any number of clear coats, i did 3

moving on!

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Wet Sanding

Okay, a lot of people will say to do this on the car, but dont you could scratch your band new car's paint.

Make sure the clear coat has had atleast! 4 hours to set.

Making sure again you have a well preped surface gather your tools, 2000 grit sand paper, Spray bottle (with soapy water), sponge, bandade's(you'll see why)

Proceed to spray the soapy water on your lights and on the 2000 grit sand paper







Wrap the sand paper around the sponge, i used this instead of a sanding brick you dont really need this you can do it with your hand.



Wet Sand untill you remove all the orange peel (please google if you dont know it is.)



There is a pic after wet sanding

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Rubbing compound & polishing

Smheer rubbing compound all over the tail lights with a moist cloth and allow to dry to a haze then rub off with a clean cloth



You will now see that your tail lights arent exactly smooth or have a good looking finish, just bare with me.

Put the lights back on the car and again apply some rubbing compound on them, but work a section at a time and now use your buffer (if you dont have a buffer use your wax on wax off motion.) and proceed to buff the heck out of it when you are done wipe it off, move on to another section.

here is a picture after i was done with the buffing.



As you can see, its a mirror finish!

You are done just reassemble the same as assembily.

I forgot to add one important little tid bit. alcohol removes nite shades in if you accidently get it on any surface a little alcohol will remove it.

any questions please ask.