Tail light blackouts

Tail Light Black Outs

Have some extra time? Need something to do? Here's a simple project to do and yet it makes your car look so much better. This is worth while to do

1st- Go to your local lumber yard / home building store and pick up the following:

1 can of gloss black paint.

1 can of clear coat paint.

1- Model type small paint brush.

A large sheet of Plexiglas. (Big enough to cover the tail lights of your car.)

1 package of small head 1/2" sheet metal screws.

An appropriate drill bit for the pilot holes of the 1/2"screws.

A pack of the finest grain wet /dry sandpaper you can get.

2nd- Make a template of the tail lights with a piece of card board. If you don't have the power hatch release option now would be a good time to mark where the hole for the key goes.

3rd- Transfer your measurements from the template to your Plexiglas.

4th- Cut out the Plexiglas to the shape of your template. Be sure to cut out a trunk key hole with a hole saw if you don't have the power hatch release option.

5th- Using the black spray paint mist the BACK side of the Plexiglas evenly. (So light can still get through)

6th- Lightly sand down the painted surface until the paint is even (look at the painted Plexiglas through a light so you can see the imperfections in the painted surface.) Keep sanding until your satisfied on how much light can get through. This may take more applications of paint to get it just right.)

7th- Recoat the painted surface with the clear paint to prevent the black paint from scratching when installed on the tail lights.

8th- After you let the paint dry place your new black outs up against the tail lights. Use your new drill bit to drill holes into your tail lights so you can secure the black outs with the 1/2" screws. << Warning this is permanent once you drill holes in your tail lights you can not un-drill the tail lights >>

9th- Paint the heads of the screws with black paint to blend them in.

10th- enjoy, your car looks better now. It should look like the pic below. (although mine was a 2-piece blackout because I didn't have a big enough sheet of Plexiglas at the time)

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