Before we begin let me state that tinting headlights may not be legal in your area. Tinted headlights emit LESS light than untinted headlights. If you drive frequently at night, I recommend against tinting your headlights. VHT Niteshades tint was used for the making of this guide. Your results may vary with other brands.

I recommend you not proceed unless you have a seat or 5 gallon bucket, as this procedure can be very tiring without a seat of adequate height.


Use a light polishing compound to slightly scratch the headlight lenses for proper tint adhesion and removal of dirt and road grime. I used a glass waterspot remover, equivalent to wetsanding with 2000gt.


Work in small areas, buffing in a circular motion. Buff until all visible polishing compound has disappeared. A standard cotton t-shirt should work, stay away from abrasive pads such as scotch-brite.


Once the headlights and corners have been properly scuffed, they should appear slightly hazy and cloudy.


This allows our tint to properly adhere to the smooth lens surface.


Wipe down the lenses with denatured alcohol or other suitable wax/grease remover, taking care to get all polishing compound out of the screw holes and cracks.


Mask carefully. Headlight tint is very permanent and will adhere to paint and anything else it touches.


Headlight tint covers cheap ebay headlights and masks their true nature of rice. After tinting the ebay headlights, your sonar echolocation should not ping other rice-enthusiasts as loudly.


Mask carefully and work out of the wind.


Build up the tint in thin layers, being careful of how dark you tint. Give ten minutes between applications, so the tint can properly flash off. Apply even coats or you will have hazy orange-peel. Have alcohol standing by, because if there are any foreign contaminants on the lens, your tint will fisheye and be permanently atrocious. You have approximately 1/3 of a second after the tint has been sprayed to apply copious amounts of alcohol and wipe the lens clear.


BE VERY CAREFUL HOW MUCH TINT YOU APPLY. As previously stated, you are making your headlights dimmer with each coat you apply.


I chose to apply enough tint to hide the projector lenses contained within the headlights. My headlights got considerably dimmer.


Applying an uneven tint will cause dark spots in your headlight beam pattern.


You may want to use a spray shield, and treat your headlights and corners as two separate spray sections, because it can be hard to adequately wrap your spray pattern around to the corners in one even motion.


The tint will be opaque while wet, but should transition to transparent rather quickly once dry.


De-mask and there you go. I am aware that my headlights/corners/fenders/hood/bumper don't all line up properly. It's kind of a sensitive subject, try and just don't mention it.

 

why would you do this?? You went from perfect clear plastic, to orange peel, less light, and prone to rock chips

 

nice.. where do you buy the translucent paint from ? Like a hobby store ? I want to do my tail lights a darker red

 

I think it looks good me and my friend did this to his mustang... Always had to drive with the brights on though lol

 

product i used what called niteshade from VHT (company)

thanks guys

 

use testers red model paint and the testers clear after

 

i suppose that would work. no idea. try it and post back.

 

i did look at my build thread

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-crx-ef-civic-1988-1991-3/shaved-white-ef-b16-build-thread-3079658/

 

Idunno y ppl want tint headlites.......... Its illegeal plus it looks cheap after about 4 months........ Place oven on 350....... Put headlamp in oven for 2-3 minutes........ Watch carefully, if plastic starts to sag or bubble....... You've left in waaayyyy too long...... Remove headlamp from oven...... Carefully remove metal clips. Pry lens away from backing and remove all glue. Mask off what u want to keep chrome........ Or not. And paint flat black(after prepping with 3m grey scuff pad and preps all). Apply hondabond brand sealant(@ ur local honda dealership in parts dept). Replace lens. Done.....:0

 

Regardless of weather or not I would do this good DIY for anyone who wants to do it. Ignore the negative comments man HT is just becoming b20vtec

 

lol, thanks.

welcome to HT.