Refinishing Delaminated GT tailights (Page 5/10)
IMSA GT MAR 13, 01:34 AM

quote
Originally posted by vrossiter:

So, you remove all the black out of the lens and then restencil the lettering, or do you just remove the lower portion and stencil the 'IMSA'? Have you put up a specific thread about this? How hard would it be to do only 3 letters below the PONTIAC with the split in the tailight? That is awsome, by the way!
Vince



With the original delaminated lenses, the black portion that actually delaminates can be removed VERY CAREFULLY. Basically, I took a dremel tool with cut off wheel and scored the entire area around the original "Pontiac". Then I carefully pried upwards on the black with a micro screwdriver. If you pry too hard, you will go right through the lens. By applying a gradual pressure, you can actually hear the black portion cracking away from the clear of the lens. It then simply comes off in pieces. I then created a new reverse mask with my vinyl machine and sprayed the rear of the lens with black. Remove the masking and you have new letters. Then I masked the front of the lenses and sprayed the lenses in urethane paint and clear.
lutraphobic APR 07, 11:54 PM
so in order to paint these lights im assertaining that this is the prossess correct me if im wrong.

step 1 dissassebly taking lens off of lights
step 2 wet sanding the whole lens with 2000 grit to make them smooth
step 3 taping off the light lens part and the PONTIAC
step 4 painting the rest black with a mat finish paint
step 5 wet sand agian with 2000 grit
step 6 pull off the tape from the light lens and PONTIAC and clear coat with urathane x 5
sricka01 AUG 26, 11:53 PM
I found this article too.

http://www.calgaryfieros.co...docs/taillights.html
Erik AUG 27, 12:26 AM
Are the lens made out of lexan?
nitroheadz28 SEP 04, 02:51 PM
The calgary fieros site specifies NOT to use clear cause it will eat through the plexiglass, opinions? Has the op had any issues with his so far? I was thinking of doing this sometime soon as my delamination worsened when a friend pushed on them when pushing my car...

Also, I have several finger nail depth scratches in my left lens thanks to some jack@$$ who decided to either lean or slide on my car with some studded jeans or hard object.. Will I be able to get them out?

Thanks.
IMSA GT SEP 04, 03:01 PM

quote
Originally posted by nitroheadz28:

The calgary fieros site specifies NOT to use clear cause it will eat through the plexiglass, opinions? Has the op had any issues with his so far? I was thinking of doing this sometime soon as my delamination worsened when a friend pushed on them when pushing my car...

Also, I have several finger nail depth scratches in my left lens thanks to some jack@$$ who decided to either lean or slide on my car with some studded jeans or hard object.. Will I be able to get them out?

Thanks.




The only way it will eat through the lenses is with a lacquer or acetone based paint. Urethane has very little harsh chemicals that will damage the lenses. The set on my car has been cleared for over a year. They still look like glass.

[This message has been edited by IMSA GT (edited 09-04-2010).]

ALLTRBO SEP 04, 03:14 PM
I ended up buying the painted lenses from the original post, along with the rest of the taillights, quite some time ago. They're actually sitting in the hallway resting on my Mr. Mike's seats waiting for my car to get back from bmwguru.

I have a couple pics I took when I received them, but the lighting was horrible, they look much better in person. The second pic shows how much clearer the transparent section is than my original '88 taillights, at least. The painted section in person looks MUCH better than my original delam'd taillights, these still look like IMSA GT's good quality pics from the original post.



------------------

'10 Camaro LT/RS, 312hp V6 6-speed
'88 Fiero GT - coming soon! - Project MIDTRBO

The rest of my cars are for sale
There's no replacement for turbo placement

nitroheadz28 SEP 04, 03:31 PM
Thanks for the help gentlemen. Can anyone recommend products suitable for this project that would come on a spray can? I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to painting, and sadly passed up an awesome deal on a professional airbrush setup that would have probably come in handy for this project. I appreciate the help!
IMSA GT SEP 04, 04:31 PM

quote
Originally posted by nitroheadz28:

Thanks for the help gentlemen. Can anyone recommend products suitable for this project that would come on a spray can? I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to painting, and sadly passed up an awesome deal on a professional airbrush setup that would have probably come in handy for this project. I appreciate the help!



As soon as you say "spray can", it means chemicals. This is the ONLY spray can type I will ever recommend. It is made by Spraymax, you actually press a button on the bottom of the can and it mixes the hardner inside the can. You then shake it up and because it is now catalyzed, you have a limited time to spray the part. If you goof up and have to re-spray later on, the can will already have hardned paint inside. You will have to buy another can to finish.
http://www.repaintsupply.co..._part_2k_aerosol.cfm
The ROK MAR 24, 07:30 PM
Anyone done this and then tinted the taillights? I would like to get rid of the delam on my lights and then tint them