Detailing & Appearance Discuss washing, waxing and detailing information as well as interior/exterior cosmetic modifications. This includes neons, body, cosmetic wheels, etc. Even under the hood detailing.

Re-Laminating de-laminated tail lights.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-22-2006, 03:17 AM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
clm2112's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BonnevilleHell
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
clm2112 is on a distinguished road
Default Re-Laminating de-laminated tail lights.

Hi Y'all,

Attempts to obtain a new passenger side tail light have failed. GM discontinued the part and nobody seems to have one in the NOS piles.

So, that leads me down the road of trying to re-laminate the black and repairing the crack. (Feeling some real hate now for the uninsured driver that rear-ended me.) Crack is not too bad, it is on the underside of the lens and filling it with clear casting resin should do the job of sealing it back up.

Any suggestions on the laminate? First thought that comes to mind is to seperate the clear lens from the housing, clean it, and paint the inside to produce the black border the original had.
Old 08-22-2006, 03:53 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
spidey3479's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Lancaster, South Carolina
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
spidey3479 is on a distinguished road
Default

Sorry about the lens. I was able to get my taillights frm an ebayer who found some new ones to replace his. If I can find his email in my history I'll let you know. I had no luck at all fixing mine and was contemplating just going junkyard digging, when I found the ones I bought. I'll be back in touch.
Old 08-22-2006, 10:22 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
 
SSEBONNE4EVA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CT
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
SSEBONNE4EVA is on a distinguished road
Default lense

Have access to two but they are delaminated and cracked. Check my post in for sale section.
I wouldn't paint them unless you want to get rear ended again.
Old 08-22-2006, 10:53 AM
  #4  
Junior Member
 
vital49's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Purgatory
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
vital49 is on a distinguished road
Default

Moving this to Detailing and Appearance...
Old 08-22-2006, 12:06 PM
  #5  
Junior Member
 
wjcollier07's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
wjcollier07 is on a distinguished road
Default

just put some on like mine....they always look good...no delam! no biggie...
Old 08-22-2006, 01:55 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Certified Car Nut
 
MOS95B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Robbinsdale, MN
Posts: 15,408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
MOS95B is on a distinguished road
Default

Your paint idea could work, and quite well. but, it'* gonna take a steady hand to both open the taills and paint them. But, done correctly, should look very nice.
Old 08-22-2006, 02:12 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
lash's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 7,030
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
lash is on a distinguished road
Default

Plus, every one of these I see in the JY'* are always delaminated. While I suppose it'* possible to find some that aren't, they are surely few and far between.

If you do decide to go the painting method, go professional and use masking to lay out the stripes and high-quality plastic paint. It'* do-able, just a crafty piece of work, IMO.
Old 08-22-2006, 07:14 PM
  #8  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
clm2112's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BonnevilleHell
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
clm2112 is on a distinguished road
Default

Originally Posted by lash
If you do decide to go the painting method, go professional and use masking to lay out the stripes and high-quality plastic paint. It'* do-able, just a crafty piece of work, IMO.
Just out of curiosity, what is the laminate material inside the housing made from? Is it hard plastic, soft rubber, like tape,what???

If it is hard plastic, I'm thinking that if I mask off the entire inside of the lens, put the piece back in and use an xacto knife to transfer it'* shape to the masking tape already on the lens (basicly use it as a template to cut the masking.)

Then airbrush black paint on the inside of the lens...should end up looking like a gloss black original from the outside. Just need a few coats to make it opaque enough so the light from the bulbs doesn't bleed through the black.

I am sortta the "arts & crafts" type. Here'* one of my better examples:

Old 08-22-2006, 08:42 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
Certified Car Nut
 
J Wikoff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,433
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
J Wikoff is on a distinguished road
Default

I'm planning this same thing for a set of 92-95 lights. You'll probably beat me to it, though. The black is hard plastic, so it should work as a template.
Old 08-23-2006, 07:34 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
lash's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 7,030
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
lash is on a distinguished road
Default

Nice work on that stock, Curt! Is that an old Mauser action? Off-topic I know, but you posted the pics...


Quick Reply: Re-Laminating de-laminated tail lights.



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:31 AM.