Orange Strip Removal Guide
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Originally posted by Trustd_1
mgl,
great job on the job and esp. for taking the time to chronicle the whole process w/directions and pics!!
I've never done a set of 350z lights, but this mod is pretty popular among other car enthusiasts too (RSX, Civics, WRX's, and others). Anyways, here's a couple things that might be helpful for others wanting to try the mod:
--instead of using a heat gun, you can also soften the factory sealant by baking your headlight housing (yes, really!!) Im sure quite a few of you already know this, but it's pretty simple using this method. Just set the oven to 200-225 deg (NO HIGHER) and warm for like 7-10 mins...more if required. Then follow the posted directions for disassembling and removing the turn signal strip. Using the oven method is a little easier than employing a heat gun because the heat is evenly distributed around the housing, and you don't have to worry about getting hot spots, due to concentrating the heat too much on certain points.
--Like mgl commented, be careful not got touch the chrome inner housings or get lint and other contaminants on them or else they'll show up when you reassemble the lights and look YUCKY!!
If you get some smudges or other gunk on the housings, use Windex or better yet, some rubbing alcohol to clean the surface. Use a lint free paper towel or microfiber towel to further prevent contaminating or scratching the housings. If you have it available, a final prep could be done w/a can of compressed air (like for cleaning computers) or an air compressor.
--Finally, it's probably also covered in another thread, but you can take the headlight mod one step further and black out the chrome housings using high temp sprap paint....gloss, flat, semi-gloss, body color--if you're feeling ricey! A couple coats will do. Just make sure to allow each coat to dry before adding another one and all of them to cure before reassembling the lights. Oh, and prep the housings w/rubbing alcohol to ensure optimal paint adhesion/durability.
Hope this helps!
mgl,
great job on the job and esp. for taking the time to chronicle the whole process w/directions and pics!!
I've never done a set of 350z lights, but this mod is pretty popular among other car enthusiasts too (RSX, Civics, WRX's, and others). Anyways, here's a couple things that might be helpful for others wanting to try the mod:
--instead of using a heat gun, you can also soften the factory sealant by baking your headlight housing (yes, really!!) Im sure quite a few of you already know this, but it's pretty simple using this method. Just set the oven to 200-225 deg (NO HIGHER) and warm for like 7-10 mins...more if required. Then follow the posted directions for disassembling and removing the turn signal strip. Using the oven method is a little easier than employing a heat gun because the heat is evenly distributed around the housing, and you don't have to worry about getting hot spots, due to concentrating the heat too much on certain points.
--Like mgl commented, be careful not got touch the chrome inner housings or get lint and other contaminants on them or else they'll show up when you reassemble the lights and look YUCKY!!
If you get some smudges or other gunk on the housings, use Windex or better yet, some rubbing alcohol to clean the surface. Use a lint free paper towel or microfiber towel to further prevent contaminating or scratching the housings. If you have it available, a final prep could be done w/a can of compressed air (like for cleaning computers) or an air compressor.--Finally, it's probably also covered in another thread, but you can take the headlight mod one step further and black out the chrome housings using high temp sprap paint....gloss, flat, semi-gloss, body color--if you're feeling ricey!
A couple coats will do. Just make sure to allow each coat to dry before adding another one and all of them to cure before reassembling the lights. Oh, and prep the housings w/rubbing alcohol to ensure optimal paint adhesion/durability.Hope this helps!
thanks for adding to the guide.
yeah... thought about the oven... but the headlight doesn't fit in my oven
and with the painting of the housing... there is someone on the forums who painted theirs black, but ended up distorting the beam of the light, so he was pretty stuck with a set of jacked up lights. wasn't worth the risk to me.
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From: In the Bay but Missing LA! =(
Originally posted by mgl
thanks for adding to the guide.
yeah... thought about the oven... but the headlight doesn't fit in my oven
and with the painting of the housing... there is someone on the forums who painted theirs black, but ended up distorting the beam of the light, so he was pretty stuck with a set of jacked up lights. wasn't worth the risk to me.
thanks for adding to the guide.
yeah... thought about the oven... but the headlight doesn't fit in my oven
and with the painting of the housing... there is someone on the forums who painted theirs black, but ended up distorting the beam of the light, so he was pretty stuck with a set of jacked up lights. wasn't worth the risk to me.
btw, gotcha on baking the headlights not being very convenient. I forgot that the 350z lights are bigger and a more awkward shape than other headlights. Besides, it's difficult to get the okay from parents, wives, gf's, pimps, etc. to use the oven to bake a set of dirty lights!
Fortunately, I have an extra oven, which is pretty big, so I was able to do the mod in peace.
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Originally posted by JoshTreeFity
whIle it was opened up you guys hsould of painted the house black that would of looked soooo sick!
whIle it was opened up you guys hsould of painted the house black that would of looked soooo sick!
yeah some people have that done already. but there have been some problems with black housing where the light output has been greatly effected. meaning the reflection of the light made the light output very scattered and dim.
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