i got a HB but the tailights were painted a flat black color, a stripe down towards the bottom, i guess to make the tailights look smaller.. LOL

I need help removing the paint/ primer that was used on the tailights..

what should i try?.. i want my tailuights to be oem 96-98 again.. Not with Paint to Look RICE SMALLER LOL

 

Paint stripper?

 

use aircraft stripper, put it in a bowl, dip your rag in it, and wipe the lights with it. be sure not to get it on your body as it will get rid of that paint to. you can get the stuff at walmart in the automotive isle.

 

I like Goof-Off. A painter showed me this stuff to take paint off of new carpet, I've been using it for a lot of things. Just take your time by removing the paint in parts and don't use too much of it at a time. It's available at Home Depot, Walmart, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/WM-Barr-FG650-...ref=pd_cp_hi_0

 

key words

 

sweet, thanks guys.. ill get it tomarrow..

 

What is paint stripper? The stuff they use to remove graffiti? Will that be safe for the lens? Or do you mean something like strip-eze? Is that safe for plastic?

@ benchmade:
I honestly don't know what to tell you. Personally I would take an extremely fine sand paper or steel wool to it. Just take the lenses off, bring them in and work on them for a couple hours while drinking beer and watching a movie.

Either that or get new lenses at the bone yard.

These lenses don't take paint the same way that the plastic of a bumper cover does. It took quite a while for the technology to develop to be able to actually paint bumper covers. Remember in the 80's when they were all just black? The moral of this story is that it might be easier to remove than you think. I would just gently work at it with some kind of mild abrasive. Maybe start out with some kind very fine sand paper and then move on to some 0000 steel wool.

 

just use aircraft stripper and if you get a white stain, just sand them with a high grit sand paper (wet sand would be best) and that should buff em out for ya!

 

Goof-Off isn't a paint stripper, it isn't as harsh. It will remove the paint though, like I said previously, do it in parts and don't use too much at a time. You can test a small area if you like. I used it on plastics before and had no white stains, etc.

 

aircraft remover is the name, not aircraft stripper haha, its one of those anyhow...

anyhow, its ment for that kind of stuff. and 9 times out of 10, the tails are gonna need buffed anyhow after having paint on them so a wetsand wont hurt it anyhow

 

Paint thinner works great on cheap spray paint. Paint stripper is a mess and may damage the plastic.

 

I wouldn't use any harsh chemicals(aircraft, lacquer thinner, etc...) As the chemicals will 9 times out of 10 actually melt the lens... I would try the goof off first.

 

it wont melt it if you put it on a rag and rub the rag, its not soaking in it.. after ur done, wash it off and wetsand... brand new!

 

It CAN melt the lens. It'll be okay if you're quick with it though. A n00b in the body shop I used to work at, he got some overspray on the tails of a 97 4dr civic and soaked a rag in lacquer thinner and scrubbed it off... Melted lens. Tell me it won't happen but again, if you're quick with it, you should be okay and like others said just wet sand with 1500 then 2000 grit, make sure its sanded evenly though or you'll get grooves in the lens... Then buffing compound and wax of your choice...I'm a 3M *****

 

yeah 3m makes good prodcts.. but i cant see aircraft remover melting the lense.. hmmmm

 

Well it just so happens I've got an old set of tails in the basement, and a half can of aircraft remover... Tomorrow I will see what happens heh heh heh heh >D

 

what ever you use make sure to wash it off right after

 

correct

 

do u have any pics of the taillights painted? just want to see how ricey people are

 

yes, i would also like pics haha

 

fine sandpaper works it takes alittle time and work but it works.

 

ugh... im done explaining it... just use our methods

 

you know what i used when i had spray paint on my tailights...?

i went to my local auto parts store, and bought spray paint remover in a CAN lol

sprayed a few on the lens, let it sit for like 30 secs and i just rub off with a micro fiber cloth

it worked great.. i think i got pics of beforea and after if you would like to see,
my car was vandalized with spray paint and i used it to remove all the spray paint