dechromed headlights

[steve wallace]

one of my headlights has broken brackets(done by the last owner)
so I bought a new pair and decided to paint all the chrome inside them black

before

lens off

gubbins out

gubbins painted

back together and compared to original

and all done

 

[Craig Cull]

Good work Steve! Think I'm
Gonna do the same this weekend!
Looks spot on! Wasn't too sure wether to do it or not. I think you've swayed me. Do you have any before and afters of the car?

 

[Camster]

Looks great! This is definitely on my list of things to do. Did you have any issues?

 

[steve wallace]

not fitted to the car yet, as these are new headlights
will post pics when ive fitted them
I did the hairdryer in the side of the box trick to heat the sealer to split them
im happy with how they have turned out

 

[WOLF]

Great work mate,looks much better.

 

[steve wallace]

dechroming the grill, when I take the bumper off and got a black badge to fit as well

 

[Ash92]

hi mate what paint did you use

 

[steve wallace]

Halfords bumper paint, as its designed to go straight onto plastics without primer

 

[Ash92]

Nice one cheers might give this a try this weekend

 

[Bajie]

Really like this mod.
Was going to do with my old Mondeo but changed my mind as on some other cars it actually made the lights look like a couple of maglite torches.
Will be very interesting to see the before/after pictures once you have completed.

 

[Craig Cull]

not fitted to the car yet, as these are new headlights
will post pics when ive fitted them
I did the hairdryer in the side of the box trick to heat the sealer to split them
im happy with how they have turned out

Yeah I did the same to clear the indicators a while ago. Even tho these halfords paints are designed to go straight over plastic without primer, I'd always give them a good prep up first. Can imagine the heat will make that paint flake real quick. I don't trust paints that don't require a plastic adhesion promoter. I'll look forward to the pics

 

[steve wallace]

Yer I lightly sanded them with 800 then scotched them off and tack clothed them before I painted
And the first coat of paint was a really light mist while warming them with a heat gun.
This sealed them to stop any paint reactions.

 

[Craig Cull]

Yer I lightly sanded them with 800 then scotched them off and tack clothed them before I painted
And the first coat of paint was a really light mist while warming them with a heat gun.
This sealed them to stop any paint reactions.

Good move, chrome is never the best surface to adhere to, but atleast you haven't left anything to chance.

 

[V6 Quatt]

Go on do it...lol

The only thing I would recommend is to leave the circle reflectors around the headlights silver as when all black it reduces the brightness beamed on the road..

Good luck with thee mod....

Good work Steve! Think I'm
Gonna do the same this weekend!
Looks spot on! Wasn't too sure wether to do it or not. I think you've swayed me. Do you have any before and afters of the car?

 

[Craig Cull]

Go on do it...lol

The only thing I would recommend is to leave the circle reflectors around the headlights silver as when all black it reduces the brightness beamed on the road..

Good luck with thee mod....

I had the front end in bits today to adjust the bumper with the new Intercooler. But I have a new grill to fit next week so I think I'll do it all in one blast with some before and after pics also had to raise the suspension for the 4 wheel alignment today. Turned out to be more of a ball ache than first expected lol

 

[V6 Quatt]

Yeh that's how I did mine.

As long as you dull the chrome before painting should be all good, mine have been on for a year now and still look brand new

Yer I lightly sanded them with 800 then scotched them off and tack clothed them before I painted
And the first coat of paint was a really light mist while warming them with a heat gun.
This sealed them to stop any paint reactions.

 

[steve wallace]

fitted pics here

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/audi-s4-a4-a4-cab-b7-chassis/211049-avant-s-line.html