How to Smoke Taillights

From Nissan 350Z & 370Z Wiki

In my search for a cleaner, more permanent solution for smoking lights, I found a product called VHT Nite Shades. This is a spray on tint designed for use on vehicle taillights. One of my friends tried the spray and I was not happy with the results. It turns out he followed the instructions on the can. I decided to make my own instructions and the results were far superior. Here is my step-by-step approach to smoking the rear taillights.

Contents 1 Tools Required 2 Removing the Lights 3 Preparing the Surface 4 Spraying the Lights 5 Wet Sand and Buff 6 Finished 7 Video Tutorial

Tools Required

• 10mm Socket
• Flathead Screwdriver or Pick Tool
• 800, 1500, 2000 Grit Sandpaper
• Masking Tape
• Razor Blade
• VHT Night Shades Spray
• Spraycan Handle (optional)
• Orbital Buffer
• Meguiars Medium, Fine Cut, and Glass Polish
• Soap and Water Lubricant in a Spray Bottle

Removing the Lights

Fist we are going to remove the rear taillights. Opening the rear hatch you will see 3 screw covers on each of the lights. Using a small flathead screwdriver pop these covers off to reveal the 10mm bolts under each one. Using a 10mm socket remove all 6 bolts.

Getting a grip in the middle of the light, pull outwards and back (approximately 45 degree angle) There are 2 snap fasteners behind the lights that will pop loose. You can now disconnect the two lamp connectors. A small screw driver will help you depress the locking clips on the connectors.

Preparing the Surface

We will now prepare the surface for painting. Using masking tape, cover the black plastic area where the 3 bolt holes are. We do not want to get paint on this area. Use a razor blade to cut down the seam and removed the tape from the surface to be painted. After you have masked off the area, set some 800 grit (wet) sand paper and start sanding the glossy surface of the lamp. Use some water to make this step easier and to wash away the sanding dust. You must do this to ensure the paint sticks. Otherwise the paint will flake off eventually. Make sure you get all of the "shine" off of the plastic.

Let the cats inspect the surface to give their approval. Once again, make sure the shine is completely removed from the light surface. In the picture below, the left lamp has been sanded while the one on the right has not.

Spraying the Lights

Here is the VHT Nite Shades. I only needed 1 can for the taillights. But if this is your first time, I recommend buying at least 2 cans. (Leaving room for error). Also you will need more cans if you plan to do the reflectors, lower bumper lamps, or headlights. I picked up this spray handle from Home Depot. It clips to the top of most any spray paint cans and turns the into a spray gun. I feel like I have much mre control over the paint with this. It was only about 3$.

The best part about using the spray tint is your control over the darkness. You can go anywhere between lightly smoked, to pitch black. You control this with how thick you spray the tint on (number of coats). To spray the tint get in a well ventilated area preferable one with few contaminants in the air. Spray the tint on using even strokes being sure to cover the entire light. DO NOT let the paint drip or you may have poor results or need to start all over with the sanding process. It is better to spray the tint on too thin and need to go over it multiple times than to spray it on thick and have runs in the finish. Go ahead and LIGHTLY sand the lights using 800-1000 grit paper to get the tint smoothed out. Now spray on the clear coat. You can spray this on a bit thicker than the tint. I spray 2 thick coats and kept runs to a minimum. Runs here can be fixed, but try not to let them happen. Here are the lamps after the spray tint and clear coat is dried. You can reinstall the lamps in the reverse order they were removed.

Wet Sand and Buff

This step can be performed off the car, but it seems easier with the lights mounted. Mask off the area around the lights to prevent damage to the paint. In a spray bottle mix some dish soap and water to get a smooth lubrication for the sand paper. Using 1500 grit sandpaper, go over the entire surface removing any runs, pits, or scratches. Make sure to keep the surface wet at all times. Step up to a 2000 grit to remove the scratches caused by the 1500 grit, again using the wet process. The fourth picture shows the lights after the sanding is done.

Now to get the best shine possible, I used an orbital buffer and 3 stages of buffing compound. I went with Mequiar’s Medium and Fine cut cleaners, and finished with their Gloss polish. Starting with the medium cut cleaner put a generous amount onto the buffing pad. Buff the lights to remove all the sanding scratches. I didn’t find the need to apply any pressure. I just let the buffer do its job. Wash the lights and dry to ensure you have removed all blemishes. Repeat the step with the Fine cut cleaner using a different buffing pad. Finally with a fresh pad on the buffer go over the lights with the Gloss polish. This will bring the lights to a brilliant shine just like the paint on the car. The sanding / buffing step takes the longest in this whole process. It is also one of the most important so take you time.

Finished

Wash the car and you are done. Here are a few pictures of the finished lights. Some on a white Z and one on a black Z .