Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Bojan on 07 March 2016, 10:24:35

Title: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: Bojan on 07 March 2016, 10:24:35
Finally managed to get a pair of decent OEM (Hella) headlights with lenses.
As they were 'dirty' from the insade, I had to take them apart, and now I'm thniking about paintint the crome parts into satin black. But i have several questions:

a) what areas can be painted - can I paint everything except main beam part (like aftermarket black headlights)?

b) should I use plastic-primer on chrome parts? I was planing to scotch-brite the chrome, put a layer of plastic primer, and several layers of satin black.
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: zirk on 07 March 2016, 15:11:24
Fairly sure a Member has done this in the past with some Pics, probably a few years back now, so you may have to do some digging.
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: ted_one on 07 March 2016, 15:30:33
I was talking to Serek a few weeks back, and he was thinking of getting a set done,not sure wether he's done anything about it as of yet :-\
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: tigers_gonads on 07 March 2016, 15:52:53
Fairly sure a Member has done this in the past with some Pics, probably a few years back now, so you may have to do some digging.



Yup  :y :y

Just the projector side though  :)
The full beam side needs the reflector  ;)

Pictures on here somewhere
Looked pretty good iirc  :y :y :y
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: frostbite on 07 March 2016, 17:35:07
Can the same thing be done like the Astra gsi tinted headlights
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: Nick W on 07 March 2016, 20:29:54
Finally managed to get a pair of decent OEM (Hella) headlights with lenses.
As they were 'dirty' from the insade, I had to take them apart, and now I'm thinking about painting the crhome parts into satin black. But I have several questions:

a) what areas can be painted - can I paint everything except main beam part (like aftermarket black headlights)?

b) should I use plastic-primer on chrome parts? I was planning to scotch-brite the chrome, put a layer of plastic primer, and several layers of satin black.


Somewhere there are pictures of this; it makes the car look like it's wearing badly applied eye-liner.

I would be very careful with the scotch-brite, the plastic is very soft and will scratch like a frightened kitten
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: serek on 07 March 2016, 20:37:26
I was talking to Serek a few weeks back, and he was thinking of getting a set done,not sure wether he's done anything about it as of yet :-\
have set on my car will take some photos when get car wash
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: beefyecosse on 08 March 2016, 01:43:04
 I tinted mine using headlight tint film from ebay took about 30 minutes to do both lights and foglights aswell
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: EMD on 08 March 2016, 08:34:58
Like this ?

(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0e9uFabr--yOl4laiIpCAsEt_AhB-a4f8H_UrRt6GeJ-ol9o3EQ)
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: Bojan on 08 March 2016, 08:46:32
Yes, like that.

I'm not sure to spray paint directly on chrome, or to remove the chrome first (sand it of).
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: EMD on 08 March 2016, 08:51:43
The ones in the picture were priced at 130 euros for a pair of brand new headlights but the black ones seem to have sold out  :(
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: zirk on 08 March 2016, 09:25:39
Yes, like that.

I'm not sure to spray paint directly on chrome, or to remove the chrome first (sand it of).
I doubt whether your get away with spraying directly on the chrome, your probably need to take back or rough it up, plastic prime it, the final coat.

Also bear in mind you going to have encapsulated heat going on in there.

As well as leaving the chrome for the side light and forward reflection area, possibly think about leaving some of the chrome for the side on area (90 degrees side on) so can be seen at this angle at night.
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: biggriffin on 08 March 2016, 09:34:53
Fairly sure a Member has done this in the past with some Pics, probably a few years back now, so you may have to do some digging.

Was Sam burton, did a how too aswel :)
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: zirk on 08 March 2016, 09:51:29
Fairly sure a Member has done this in the past with some Pics, probably a few years back now, so you may have to do some digging.

Was Sam burton, did a how too aswel :)
Link?
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: martin341 on 08 March 2016, 15:33:19
Fairly sure a Member has done this in the past with some Pics, probably a few years back now, so you may have to do some digging.

Was Sam burton, did a how too aswel :)
Link?
Like this. Only outer lining painted. Looking great IMO.
(http://s11.postimg.org/az9bbbipf/DSC01175.jpg)
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: Bojan on 09 March 2016, 07:04:43
I think I will paint the outer liner only. This way the lighting effect surely will not be affected.
And I see that some OEM lights are painted this way.

The plan is to rough up the chrome with scotch (or 1000ish grit) and apply several coats of black satin acrylic.
Or if the chrome layer is sanded off easily, I would remove it totaly, apply plastic primer, and then several coats of black.
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: biggriffin on 09 March 2016, 09:37:48
I think I will paint the outer liner only. This way the lighting effect surely will not be affected.
And I see that some OEM lights are painted this way.

The plan is to rough up the chrome with scotch (or 1000ish grit) and apply several coats of black satin acrylic.
Or if the chrome layer is sanded off easily, I would remove it totaly, apply plastic primer, and then several coats of black.

Just touch the shiney and it comes off.
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: minifreek on 09 March 2016, 10:17:24
I did mine a couple of years ago, I painted everything except for the reflector for the full/main beam and the indicators...

I also painted the inside of the lenses too, to give the effect of having eyebrows/lightbrows...
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: Bojan on 09 March 2016, 11:33:14
I did mine a couple of years ago, I painted everything except for the reflector for the full/main beam and the indicators...

I also painted the inside of the lenses too, to give the effect of having eyebrows/lightbrows...

Did you sand the chrome off?
Did you use plastic primer?
Title: Re: headlinghts - painting to black
Post by: Bojan on 18 March 2016, 07:29:53
Just a quick refresh:
I have repainted them, and they came out quite good IMO. The procedure I've used was following:
- san of the chrome with 1200 wet-sand (it was realy easy, several wipes and there is no chrome film)
- clean with plenty of water
- degrease (I've used terostat 8550, cleaner used for cleaning surfaces prior to painting or applying glass-primer).
- one coat of plastic primer - let it dry for 5 mins
- one thin coat of matt black spray (tack coat) - it is quite thin, you can see trough it - it's serves as a 'base' for next coat(s)
- 2nd coat of matt black - after few hours - this one is done quite thicker, and it covers all the patches - this is a finish coat

I have step-by-step photos, will upload them.