Custom Tail Lights

[Team Race Reddy]

New to the thread, but i got alot of information/pictures to post. Stay patient while i figure this website out, lolz.

One of the many mods i've done to the 2nd gen protege is custom taillights. I was searching and searching for custom taillights and got pissed because i found parts for every car except mine. So with some primer, black enamel, painters tape, a razor blade and alooooot pf patience, i got custom lights.











[IMG]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l24/urbanepidemik/1030061335.jpg
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Lemme know if you guys have any questions about the walkthrough / installation

Kasper.
Team Race Reddy.

[tehstocker99]

so basically you tape it off and spray paint it? do you prep it in any way?

[95Protege]

same thing i did to mine on the garnish...

[96ProDX]

I did something similar... Go to this 2 see prepwork... www.cardomain.com/id/patspontiac (scroll down)

[Team Race Reddy]

Once i remmoved the lights, i laid them down and cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. The reason was to make sure that all the grease and oil was removed along with the dirt. I laid down the vinlys and dusted on the first coat of primer. Once it dried, i laid on a second heavy coat - then a third, then i held it to a light to see the spots that were still "see-thru". After a few spot treatments, it was ready to be placed back onto the car. And yea, in a nutshell - that's about it. Its a easy + inexpensive way to add a custom look to your car. Plus they dont make aftermarket taillights for our cars - gotta get creative.

[95Protege]

it does look good man im about to tape a strip off in mine and black the rest so when i hit the brakes it looks like led bars...

[Team Race Reddy]

one of my friends wanted to do something like that to his supra. If done right, then ur lil layout has alot of potential! Just take your time + everything should turn out fine.

Kasper.
Team Race Reddy.

[95Protege]

oh yeah ive got the skills haha Ive done the caddy tail paint job on one of my old nissan trucks and everyone thought i shaved the lights and really put in caddy tails. Ill find a picture so everyone knows what i mean...

[tehstocker99]

I laid down the vinlys and dusted on the first coat of primer. Once it dried, i laid on a second heavy coat - then a third, then i held it to a light to see the spots that were still "see-thru"..

so 1st primer, then heavy primer, then black paint?

what kind of paint did you use? is there a special one for plastic or something?

[Team Race Reddy]

What i did was. First coat of grey filler primer. Second coat black enamel. Hold it up to the light, then a third coat of black enamel. Then i took a razor blade and peeled off the vinyls that i laid down on the taillights.

[Team Race Reddy]

Any body else try custom tail light work? Or is anyone thinking about it?

[txmzdspd2gen]

It looks nice, But personally i still go with JDM ones.

[firelizard]

Am I the only one who thinks this looks horribly ricey?

Tuned by Matrix?
You're ruining perfectly good factory parts if you ask me.

[Team Race Reddy]

Rice or not, whats the problem? is it wrong for a import car (mazda) to look like an import car? And tuned by matrix is the company that i want to get my parts from. i like how txmzdspd has his modification layout all uniform. jdm and momo. I want the same thing, but matrix. The engine is my next project. I got the easy stuff out of the way (interior) the next is the engine. I got my exhaust put on yesterday morning. Next step intake?

[lilman32223]

what type of paint did u use