Lighting blackouts

[5-90]

Here's a fun one - if you wanted to black out headlamps, taillamps, and such - and have them show as a matte or semi-matte black, how would you go about it?

I know you can get blackouts for most vehicles, but I don't want them to show up gloss. I do like the look of the Hella Black Magic lamps, but I'd rather have the honeycomb in front of the lense than behind it (akin to how issue binoculars are glare-shielded from sight. I wonder where I can find largish sheets of that stuff?)

I plan this to go along with my eventually painting my 88 either OD or Woodland - so I'm not in any hurry for an answer (I just want to know if there's a way to do it. I'll have to get all my trim blacked out anyhow..)

 

[aparke4]

I use VHT paints aerosol product called night shades - you can get it through summit racing and it works very very well. it is a translucent spray paint that obviously with more coats the darker the lenses - i have used it on the heep and on my VW gti - easy to use and lasts a long time

 

[5-90]

I use VHT paints aerosol product called night shades - you can get it through summit racing and it works very very well. it is a translucent spray paint that obviously with more coats the darker the lenses - i have used it on the heep and on my VW gti - easy to use and lasts a long time

I was reading about that in the other thread - doesn't that come out gloss, tho? As I said, I'm aiming more for matte or semi-matte than gloss (the flatter the better. I don't really care how "dark" it is, I'm more after "non-reflective/non-glare.")

If I can find sheets of the flat black honeycomb used for glare shields, I can mod the headlamp buckets to put a sheet in front of the headlamps. I just don't want to do that to the rest - since they're all flush (or close to it) as it is.

 

[tbburg]

I was reading about that in the other thread - doesn't that come out gloss, tho? As I said, I'm aiming more for matte or semi-matte than gloss (the flatter the better. I don't really care how "dark" it is, I'm more after "non-reflective/non-glare.")

Could you "scuff" the finish with 600-grit sandpaper after application to knock down the glare?

If I can find sheets of the flat black honeycomb used for glare shields, I can mod the headlamp buckets to put a sheet in front of the headlamps.

I've seen that stuff made into scope and camera lens covers, and wondered about it. I figure it has to be some variety of expanded metal, but I can't find it anywhere.

 

[5-90]

Could you "scuff" the finish with 600-grit sandpaper after application to knock down the glare?

Dunno. I may end up having to try that - I'm not sure if it would wreck the output or not. Zen Flash - I wonder if clearcoats (or clear spray paint?) can be had in a truly matte finish? I'm less interested in making it black than I am in making it non-reflective anyhow.

I've seen that stuff made into scope and camera lens covers, and wondered about it. I figure it has to be some variety of expanded metal, but I can't find it anywhere.

Yeah - that's where I first saw it, was on field binocs and scopes. I may have to pillage around some more - if I can find it in sheets around one square foot and get creative with mounting it, it should work...

 

[crazyjim]

VHT nightshades only comes out gloss when you buff it out like your supposed to. It'll be flat/matte if you spray it on and leave.

 

[5-90]

VHT nightshades only comes out gloss when you buff it out like your supposed to. It'll be flat/matte if you spray it on and leave.

Ho hum. Ho very much hum.

I don't suppose this VHT stuff is something that can easily be found then, is it? I haven't had occasion to look...

 

[hubs97xj]

http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=VHT-SP999&N=700+4294863534+115&autoview=sku

I'm guessing most automotive parts warehousers carry it, I just happen to like Summit.

 

[aparke4]

http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=VHT-SP999&N=700+4294863534+115&autoview=sku

I'm guessing most automotive parts warehousers carry it, I just happen to like Summit.

that is where i got mine... also the glossy is really not too glossy anyways... hit it with some fine grit and you are good to go - also 1 coat is semi dark with the second really giving close to 60-70% blackout - i have done many of my friends taillights and such and the stuff really works great!

 

[Begster]

I picked up my can at Advanced Auto I believe.

 

[DanMan2k06]

You could use hot rod flatz clear, and mix in a little black. It's completely gloss free. I know a lot of euro guys do it with regular clear and black on their porsches and audis.