DIY: "Stained Glass" foglight tinting!

[method]

Well, I didn't feel like waiting around any longer for tint, and never really wanted to pay $20 for a sheet of sticky vinyl as it was. So I went to Michael's craft store and picked up a can of Krylon Stained Glass paint for $4.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2539781969_b8eb68e283.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2539781969/)

Tested the color out on a bottle first to make sure it was the color I wanted. The color on the cap of the spraypaint container looked nothing like thet actual color (thankfully).


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/2540601268_e1d4db7c31.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2540601268/)

On the 08's you need to remove the bumper to remove the foglights. Luckily the bumper is easy to take off--takes all of 5 minutes.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2540601166_fd667be17d.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2540601166/)

Here are the foglights removed from the bumper. You can see the yellow tint inside. That is from the yellow dichronic bulbs I all ready had in them. I removed the light housing from the brackets to paint. If you mask off the brackets well you don't need to remove the untit from the brackets.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2093/2539781735_5a682bd15a.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2539781735/)

Lightly sand the lense and then clean with alcohol to remove any grease or fingerprints.

Spray evenly over the surface, at least 12in from the lense. I did two coats, 30min apart, and then waited the recommended 3 hours before reinstalling them.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3023/2539781695_e134b5b35a.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2539781695/)

Back in the brackets.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2009/2539781575_7af0ca3524.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2539781575/)

Installed the fogs back into the bumper and then put the bumper back on my car.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/2539781511_42c970ff41.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2539781511/)


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2171/2539781461_4d39313237.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2539781461/)

Back together! All done.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2387/2540600746_f11f117f66.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2540600746/)

Hope someone finds this helpful. I still have a good amount of paint left in the can if someone else would like to give this a try.

Best,

E

[Kevin]

hmm thats pretty cool.

wonder how it stands up to heat.

[Bu11dogg2]

Can a mod sticky this please?

Great info!

[bickford]

looks great!

[ValuePack]

Sex.:)

[method]

Ran them all night to let the housings heat up some, the paint seems to have held up just fine. There were even some bug splats on them that came off easily without hurting the paint at all.

[jonny-rockets]

no more mod for randy?

sweet job! it looks great!

[method]

Some clean car / ****ty cellphone pics:


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2542980809_8903363dbe.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2542980809/)


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2168/2543807570_eaccc7959e.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2543807570/)

[Bu11dogg2]

Finally saw this in person.... looks awesome!

[SilverSubie2.5]

Still holding up after the summer?

[method]

mostly yes...it is starting to lighten up in spots. i am going to respray them in december sometime and clear them. i didn't clear over the color last time.

i was talking to someone on nasioc that did this on his bugeye. he said he used to coats of clear and it lasted 3 years before it started to come off.

[2mprzya]

i did this as well, but instead of spray paint, i did it with a brush. ive had it on for 2 full summers and a winter, and i also run my lights on always and they've held up awesome.

[SilverSubie2.5]

Looks like you have fog covers though right? I'm sure those help a lot from road debris. I'm just debating between this or the film right now. I suppose if it starts to chip or something, it can always be redone and it would still be cheaper than the film.

[FREAK]

wow what a great idea! Im gonna have to try it

[method]

Michaels is having a 50% off sale today ;) get your coupons online...buy some glass tint paint :-p

[2mprzya]

Looks like you have fog covers though right? I'm sure those help a lot from road debris. I'm just debating between this or the film right now. I suppose if it starts to chip or something, it can always be redone and it would still be cheaper than the film.

this is true.

[wagonmafia]

hey doing this to my extra set of bugeye lights now. but i opened them and painted the inside. ill post pics in a few minutes.

stock
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/67GTOchick/P1040224.jpg

unclipped, baked and pulled apart

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/67GTOchick/P1040226.jpg

then sanded, painted and baked together again. JDM jo....lol
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/67GTOchick/P1040235.jpg

the lenses are pitted on the outside, ill be sanding them and trying to polish them back to a shine.

[method]

So you painted the inside?

[wagonmafia]

thats it man. got the idea after seeing how bad my fogs where sandblasted.

[chris07outback]

[/URL]

On the 08's you need to remove the bumper to remove the foglights. Luckily the bumper is easy to take off--takes all of 5 minutes.

[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2540601166/"]
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2540601166_fd667be17d.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/2540601268/)


E

that looks great but you dont need to take off the bumper, just get under the car and it takes 5 minutes. you can reach them. pull the wheel liners down

[method]

And then you gotta wrestle the screws and plastic bits in tight quarters...Bumper comes right off pretty easily.

[xxthat girlxx]

OOOOH... i like this. I've been thinking of how much it will cost me to put a set of the bug eye fog lights on my car.... :)

[FREAK]

OOOOH... i like this. I've been thinking of how much it will cost me to put a set of the bug eye fog lights on my car.... :)

there is a couple of sets for sale one on CSC and one on 2.5rs. The one on CSC is already yellow :D

[SilverSubie2.5]

OOOOH... i like this. I've been thinking of how much it will cost me to put a set of the bug eye fog lights on my car.... :)

Or you can go JDM, which would be WAY cooler.:D

wagonmafia, let us know how painting the inside holds up. Mine are pitted on the outside also, so painting the inside would be the path I take as well if/when I do this.

[Subygirl8330]

ya i'm interested in seeing how that will light up

[Rooster]

Wow, Yankee ingenuity FTW!

Glad I saw this before spend the cash on Lamin-X

[method]

Just re-did them and cleared them this time with krylon triple-thick glaze.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3397656776_cb7e423f09.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/3397656776/)

[apkarian100]

Quick question, when you sanded the lenses, didn't it make the lenses blurry? Did the stained glass paint cover up the scratches you made from sanding? So basically, the question is, are there any scratches on the lights now?

[Seraphinwolf]

Quick question, when you sanded the lenses, didn't it make the lenses blurry? Did the stained glass paint cover up the scratches you made from sanding? So basically, the question is, are there any scratches on the lights now?
I beleive it was a matter of getting down to one level and buffing it back to clear. I"ll let you know as I'm getting these from him to use as part of my build on my GF(first generation Impreza Wagon. Almost forgot you don't know Subi lingo yet.)
-Gaddis

[wagonmafia]

if you have any scratches on a lens the gloss glass paint will fill it( depending on how many coats you put on. Honestly the best thing to do is do the insides and buff the crap out of the outsides.(not by hand, buffer needed for perfection)

[Bu11dogg2]

Just re-did them and cleared them this time with krylon triple-thick glaze.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3397656776_cb7e423f09.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bustarines/3397656776/)

cheapest, best looking mod ever :D

[Bu11dogg2]

I think i'm gonna do mine soon.

The lookof HIDS with yellow fogs = :wub:

[squeethebee]

mmm, there is a white audi, your body, but an S4 with HID's and yellow fogs. It's white and slammed, hot as hell man.

ed

[Bu11dogg2]

I can't imagine my car any lower...... i'd NEVER lower my car

[subaru_crazy]

i bought the stuff to do the rs fogs but the woman doesnt like yellow fogs so now im going to do the L's fogs.

[apkarian100]

Don't let yo woman tell you what to do. :D i bought the stuff to do the rs fogs but the woman doesnt like yellow fogs so now im going to do the L's fogs.

[subaru_crazy]

Don't let yo woman tell you what to do. :D
i let her make the decisions on the rs cuz she drives it 99% of the time.:unamused:

[Berge56]

Nice post! Gonna keep this mod in mind!

[Bu11dogg2]

I've been delaying this too long..

[method]

Just make sure you do a couple of coats of clear coat. The first ones I did I didn't clear and it came off 4-5 months later. When I redid them I cleared and they have been good ever since, I'm at about 8 months.

[Bu11dogg2]

thanks man! I think I might have KJ's Customs do it, unless I wait until spring :)

[subaru_crazy]

i bought the krylon stained glass yellow to do the rs. but i havent got around to doing it yet.

[chatch82]

let me know how it works..............looking to do mine soon!!!

[method]

Just a heads up. This comes of easily if wanted. I stripped mine last week...wanted to try a different look. Lenses are crystal clear again.

On a side note they were holding up great. Even through this winter.

[06vtwrx]

thats a good idea i like how they look.

[cadfax]

Like others said, this is a great long lasting idea. Currently, I am rocking the yellow Lamin-x film and it looks similar. On some other car communities, the one worry about the vinyl on the fog housing is that it causes a mysterious brown spot circle on the center of the vinyl. Its probably due to having the fogs on for long periods, but if you even have the car on for a bit and check the heat resonating out of them, its very hot to touch. Supposedly, Lamin-x is great with returns if you report it (with pics), but I think this sticky is a better lasting idea.