How-To: Paint the inner headlight part

[mx5_!an]

Here's a How-to I made a wile back to paint your inner headlights

on the miata head light you don't have to be to worried about making the seal 100% water tight considering the back side has little vents to let out the humidity.



i removed my bumper, makes removing the headlights a lot easier.
http://a662.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/17/l_89980620881fc3b72c2cc671e0b957e5.jpg

before placing in oven make sure all bulbs and accessories are removed (little vent things below)
http://a822.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/24/l_3e3f80dc80ee08ec444012b2703288cd.jpg

Next set the oven to 200 and place the light on a cookie pan for 20 minutes
once pulled out use a flat blade screwdriver and pry one corner apart the pull back and the rest of it should easily separate
If you get it only half apart and it gets tuff, try sticking them back in for 5 minutes to warm up the glue again
http://a936.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/121/l_8fa049b24e00bbf43fe0e2cb2bc9b2ff.jpg

Now remove the two screws holding in the inner piece of plastic that is to be painted
http://a441.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/39/l_b544724a9f32e7e3e7b08697419abe28.jpg

next i did some light sanding to help the paint stick (i used 180grit but used very light pressure)
http://a253.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/2/l_21f2445a97d3ff0f77e8b495699d5e5c.jpg

Now a coat or two of primer
http://a321.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/3/l_8a158de9e3c0757de85d1be2df8b7b58.jpg

then some black (i used ultra flat black)
http://a767.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/3/l_3d33a37cfcf8e6a67b0b6e4e6326aece.jpg

once the inner piece was reinstalled
http://a214.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/13/l_17f0f56aaa352f10e6504f065475315d.jpg

next i put just the backing of the headlight ( the housing NOT the lens) back in the oven for 5 minutes at 200*
the reason being i wanted to warm up the glue so i could easily put the lens back in i also put a little bit of black silicone sealant hear and there.. were ever needed

the light back together
http://a276.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/107/l_cc123248db2bf702210996a8b2789a63.jpg

HID's reinstalled
http://a113.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/31/l_03fe73237dec6dc6b810e323a2077100.jpg

and back in the car
http://a112.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/83/l_2511cd9fa55d37dbcf5c8e5b49fc852f.jpg

http://a135.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/121/l_16621058822ade551e6eb584bf53d486.jpg

http://a228.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/106/l_263780fa4743fed511741d140dd72bab.jpg

http://a961.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/10/l_82d6cf57ba7519a091bf062034ceae88.jpg


Before and after pics

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3491/cimg0205vz8.jpg
http://a112.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/83/l_2511cd9fa55d37dbcf5c8e5b49fc852f.jpg

[TieNN89]

WOW i like it

something i shoulda done when i had my headlights apart

You should remove the orange/amber lens i did this on mine

http://a113.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/31/l_03fe73237dec6dc6b810e323a2077100.jpg
Whats that white thing?

[TieNN89]

BTW I like your front bar and especially your white MX-5

nice

[TieNN89]

hey how long did it take to do the painting?


when i removed the amber bits in my headlight i musta left it in the oven for too long because those inner headlight bits sorta melted :'(

[mx5_!an]

the whole project took about 3 hours...

i took out one of the orange pieces to see what it would look like but i like it better in.. plus there a lot brighter orange at night

[fatti03msp]

looks good.

[TieNN89]

I did mine last night

will take some better pics tomorrow :]

[TieNN89]

alright heres my pics

I've also removed the orange lens awhile ago but I still got orange bulb

Ordered some chrome ones which flash orange last night so should be here by end of this week (they're not cheap :[ )

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z271/AZNTieN/My%20MX5/IMG_0773.jpg
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z271/AZNTieN/My%20MX5/IMG_0776.jpg
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z271/AZNTieN/My%20MX5/IMG_0780.jpg
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z271/AZNTieN/My%20MX5/IMG_0727.jpg
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z271/AZNTieN/My%20MX5/IMG_0729.jpg

[mx5_!an]

Look good

[Kooldino]

Looks great on white.

[JDM-P5]

Nice write up...great looking cars guys!

[bbrich57]

FANTASTIC difference. They look soooo much better than with the chrome. Good job, Man!

[jdm247]

Do you have to have the hid or can i black out the light using the standard H4 bulbs ?