Headlight Modification

[hiccup]

Man, that looks fantastic but I just don't have the time or desire to really tear apart the headlamps like that. Good on y'all for doing it, but I'll just live with mine.

Looks like a couple folks are in my neck of the woods; though; I'll honk if I see you on the street!

You do realize that there's more going on than paint, right?

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[Miglo]

I've been talking to a few retro fitters about doing mine and none of them will paint over the amber part. They said the paint will eventually chip from the heat in the light and they don't want to be responsible...Couldn't I just pull the bulb from it without getting a warning light? Maybe they're talking about the heat from the headlight?
OP keep us updated if your paint does chip...

 

[Nathanbrummer@SCS]

I've been talking to a few retro fitters about doing mine and none of them will paint over the amber part. They said the paint will eventually chip from the heat in the light and they don't want to be responsible...Couldn't I just pull the bulb from it without getting a warning light? Maybe they're talking about the heat from the headlight?
OP keep us updated if your paint does chip...

So far so good. I think they're less worried about the paint chipping to be honest and more worried about you getting a ticket and then coming to them to have them reopened and fixed. Just my .02.
I would ask them, Why would they be ok painting the chrome which is closer to the light source and not the amber that has no bulb behind it?

 

[Miglo]

So far so good. I think they're less worried about the paint chipping to be honest and more worried about you getting a ticket and then coming to them to have them reopened and fixed. Just my .02.
I would ask them, Why would they be ok painting the chrome which is closer to the light source and not the amber that has no bulb behind it?

Yeah, I may have misunderstood. Below is what was said in a quote sent to me...

We are not able to change out the shroud since it is needed to hold the amber (or now black out side reflector) reflector. We wont be painting the reflector as it will warp and crack and bubble up over time due to heat, a new replacement reflector will be used that is already made in a tinted form that will not have that warping issue.

 

[Nathanbrummer@SCS]

Yeah, I may have misunderstood. Below is what was said in a quote sent to me...

We are not able to change out the shroud since it is needed to hold the amber (or now black out side reflector) reflector. We wont be painting the reflector as it will warp and crack and bubble up over time due to heat, a new replacement reflector will be used that is already made in a tinted form that will not have that warping issue.

The place that I reached out to for quotes wanted to tint the amber also. I'll keep everyone posted on how they hold up over time.

 

[brandonsmash]

You do realize that there's more going on than paint, right?

Yes; what's your point?

 

[Joe 5.0]

Wow.

^That's all I have to say.

 

[GrabberBlue]

My Amber reflectors had chrome paint overspray on them from Ford. The issue I had to paint on them was to cover that chrome paint overspray. I don't think bubbling paint is going to be an issue on them but time will tell. Hopefully by then a new vendor will step up and sell housings like TLF did. Maybe Ford will even realize the demand and sell black housings or incorporate the on the mid cycle refresh.

 

[Sunburst]

I'm having a very hard time getting my lights to work, the wiring diagram is very vague.. I wish someone would post a more in depth instruction guide on how to do this because I have about destroyed my headlight wiring harness trying to get this to work

 

[JoeMustang]

I'm having a very hard time getting my lights to work, the wiring diagram is very vague.. I wish someone would post a more in depth instruction guide on how to do this because I have about destroyed my headlight wiring harness trying to get this to work

Broke open mine today to paint the housing and the add the lights and mine aren't working right either.

 

[GrabberBlue]

I wish I would have done the Diode Dynamics TriBar turn signal mod.

 

[Bhoris]

I've been talking to a few retro fitters about doing mine and none of them will paint over the amber part. They said the paint will eventually chip from the heat in the light and they don't want to be responsible...Couldn't I just pull the bulb from it without getting a warning light? Maybe they're talking about the heat from the headlight?
OP keep us updated if your paint does chip...

If I'm not mistaken, that amber corner reflector doesn't light up. Hence why it's called a reflector. It's meant to "reflect" from a cars headlights when they're coming at you from the side at night. Like when you're trying to pull out into traffic at night so oncoming cars can see you. I could be totally mistaken but this is my understanding. So, why would paint on the reflector bubble/warp and not the paint on the chrome sections? That makes no sense. Seems to me they're more worried about the legal aspect.

Man, I'd love to do this mod, though. I currently have the black out amber reflector vinyl from Anchor Room to tide me over but that black housing really looks killer.

Does anyone know about how much it is to have this mod done professionally?

 

[Nathanbrummer@SCS]

I was quoted 600 for labor and shipping with a 7 day turnaround.

 

[Lost]

Getting paint to stick to plastic LONG term without fading or having vehicle adhesion problems long term is problematic. As cool as these lights are (and they are very cool, would like to see OEM doing it!), putting paint on smooth plastic in a green house will not work. I would bet in less than three years (and more likely sooner) you will be taking these apart again.

 

[JoeMustang]

FYI The surround around the reflector is also amber, ford just painted it chrome. I sanded down the amber before paint and the chrome came right off. So if ford does it so can you.

Wet sand plastic with some 400 grit, spray primer first then paint and it will absolutely last.

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