[mayankk]

So, the missus went off shopping and was going to be out for the whole day.
And I had 6 hours to go for the race.
I stopped over at an in&out to pick up some scrumpies for the evening, and saw a can of black paint.

That reminded me of another fiesta I had seen with black shrouds inside the headlamp.
I dont know if this is stock now, but I kind of liked it.Hell, lets pick it up.
What else would i need?
Tools, done.
Hmmm, oh yeah, silicone sealant.
Picked up a couple of tubes for about 30 bucks each.

So anyway, got home, and this is how i spent my afternoon till the race.
Most pictures are self explanatory.

A couple of pointers, quick ones.
One, heat the headlights so that the earlier sealant gets softened, the DIY method that worked for me was I rented one of those big marriage wala utensils, you know?
100 bucks, just.
The huge aluminium thing used to cook chhole for 500 people?
one headlight fits nicely there.
put it in, and cover it with glass, or clear plastic.
One hour in that, and sealant is all ready to come off.

Once off, follow the pictures.
Again, rememebr, DO not fight the part.
If it is resisting, there is something youve missed, so check if theres a screw youve missed, or some notch still lodged in its nook.

Also, try and see if the weather is conducive.
Right when i finished painting, it started to rain!!!
rush rush rush!!!!

Here goes....

[Ripper]

Good Job! But one thing id like to ask her is..Did you apply a coat of primer before painting it black and did you scrape the surface with a wet type sandpaper before spraying the black paint over? If not chances are that the paint might begin to peal off/ burn when in use. Also F1 is a chinese make, have used these on a number of occasions in the past while painting my helmet, but this paint starts fading/cracking around a month down the line. Appreciate your efforts though and would be doing something similar on my Palio's headlamps soon. Just wanted to know if its an easy job separating the glass from the HL unit?

[ghpk]

Nice D.I.Y. As Ripper suggested if this Paint peels offs, you would need to do another coat with some good quality Heat Tolerating paint.
I've a friend who has a big paint showroom, will ask him about the procedure which might help you and other members who would like to try this D.I.Y. Project.

I notice you have SMD Type L.E.D. as Parking lights, who good are they ?
can you please post a snap of them when lit during night.

Also if you want you can edit your post and mask your number plate as most people post pics are hiding the numbers for privacy and security.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by Ripper

Good Job! But one thing id like to ask her is..Did you apply a coat of primer before painting it black and did you scrape the surface with a wet type sandpaper before spraying the black paint over? If not chances are that the paint might begin to peal off/ burn when in use. Also F1 is a chinese make, have used these on a number of occasions in the past while painting my helmet, but this paint starts fading/cracking around a month down the line. Appreciate your efforts though and would be doing something similar on my Palio's headlamps soon. Just wanted to know if its an easy job separating the glass from the HL unit?

Thanks.
Sanded it slightly with a 1000 grade paper I got with another can of com-paint.
But alas, no primer.
A month, you say?
so i suppose in the headlamp it may last for some more time, but agrred that may be offset by the 100w bulbs.
Lets see.
It anyway gives me an excuse to open 'em again , yeah?

Will order com-paint now, or if you have any suggestions......??

Opening it is easy enough if youve warmed it up well.
else, it will be a pain to get through the sealant.

Just dont use anything like elfy or quickfix or fevikwik when done.

Originally Posted by ghpk

Nice D.I.Y. As Ripper suggested if this Paint peels offs, you would need to do another coat with some good quality Heat Tolerating paint.
I've a friend who has a big paint showroom, will ask him about the procedure which might help you and other members who would like to try this D.I.Y. Project.

I notice you have SMD Type L.E.D. as Parking lights, who good are they ?
can you please post a snap of them when lit during night.

Also if you want you can edit your post and mask your number plate as most people post pics are hiding the numbers for privacy and security.

Thanks.
like i said, always willing to DIYA(again)
I these are some 30 or something SMD LEDs.
Check out my thread here, there's pictures an all.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...6-000-kms.html

[ghodlur]

Nice DIY Mayank.

Did you notice any difference in the light throw? What was the actual reason for the DIY? Will the paint not get effected due to the heat inside the block?

[condor]

Hey - any pics of the "cooking" ? Would have helped if you had posted pics of how you opened up the lamp.

Originally Posted by mayankk

Will order com-paint now, or if you have any
suggestions......??

Try Bosny paints. I have used Bosny, and it has lasted.

If you are going to order from Com-paint, make sure you give them sufficient time. If you are in DEL, it should reach faster. My recent order took 10 days to be delivered from DEL to BLR .. and it even went to Vizag on the way before it reached me.

EDIT:
Wonder what your wife said - go away for a couple of hours, and he's up to his usual mischief !! (like kids do when parents step out)

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Nice DIY Mayank.

Did you notice any difference in the light throw? What was the actual reason for the DIY? Will the paint not get effected due to the heat inside the block?

No reason whatsoever, except that I liked the black lamps I had seen somewhere else.

Once I opened it up, though, there was a world of grime on the reflectors and the clear plastic, plus dust and a couple of dead flies inside one lamp.

I am sure there is a difference.
There's a pic above with TP behind the glass.
One has been cleaned, one not.

plus, the reflectors were noticeably brighter post the mop up, so there is a lot of difference in the brightness, but not in throw.

As far as the pain and heat is concerned, lets see.
As it is, there's projectors planned in the near future.

Originally Posted by condor

Hey - any pics of the "cooking" ? Would have helped if you had posted pics of how you opened up the lamp.
Try Bosny paints. I have used Bosny, and it has lasted.

If you are going to order from Com-paint, make sure you give them sufficient time. If you are in DEL, it should reach faster. My recent order took 10 days to be delivered from DEL to BLR .. and it even went to Vizag on the way before it reached me.

EDIT:
Wonder what your wife said - go away for a couple of hours, and he's up to his usual mischief !! (like kids do when parents step out)

Sorry , no pics of that.
thing was, I didnt believe it would work.
so when I took the units out, and they started separating, that's when the phone came out, "oh pictures!!"
I thought the car gets hot enough, so an aluminum utensil would too.covering it up would cause it get hotter.
That was all.
Post that, just insert screwdriver as in the first pic, thats all i did.


PS:I am sure the wife has not even noticed so far.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by mayankk

Tools, done.
Hmmm, oh yeah, silicone sealant.
Picked up a couple of tubes for about 30 bucks each.

Where can we purchase this? I tried in a couple of hardware plumbing shops and they had those big ones which look like mini rockets . None of then had small usable tubes.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Where can we purchase this? I tried in a couple of hardware plumbing shops and they had those big ones which look like mini rockets . None of then had small usable tubes.

I went to a neighbourhood guy and asked for headlight sealant.
got two tubes of clear silicone sealant.

Im not completely sure, but I think you can use clear gasket maker too.
Just ask before using.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by mayankk

I went to a neighbourhood guy and asked for headlight sealant.
got two tubes of clear silicone sealant.

Im not completely sure, but I think you can use clear gasket maker too.
Just ask before using.

Neighbour hood guy selling what? Car accessories?

[bullboy]

Try Bosny paints. I have used Bosny, and it has lasted.

Try muffler paint that is available in spary cans usually in matt black. I'm not sure if a gloss version is available. These paints can with stand heat.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by bullboy

Try muffler paint that is available in spary cans usually in matt black. I'm not sure if a gloss version is available. These paints can with stand heat.

Yeah, that would have been good, but the matt would not have been great.
I dont know.
like i said, it was more of a spur of the moment thing, and it WAS the can that triggered it....so.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Neighbour hood guy selling what? Car accessories?

So many zany answers, but Ill refrain.

Not your accessories guy per se, but the guy who sells parts etc.
you know, engine oil, wiper blades, brake shoes etc.



EDIT:

Originally Posted by BANDHAV

The 1.4 Petrol variant used to come with these black HL shrouds as default and was the main distinguishing exterior feature between 1.6 and 1.4.

OH CRAP!!!!

[BANDHAV]

The 1.4 Petrol variant used to come with these black HL shrouds as default and was the main distinguishing exterior feature between 1.6 and 1.4.

[alpha1]

Aah so you have given her a KOHL eye make-over

On the other hand, if you can dismantle the headlight assembly like this - why does everyone refuse to open it up and clean it?

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by alpha1

Aah so you have given her a KOHL eye make-over

On the other hand, if you can dismantle the headlight assembly like this - why does everyone refuse to open it up and clean it?

who refuses?
ford does, any auth service centre would.
but you'll get plenty of guys outside who'll very willingly open it up.
how do you think they get the projectors in?

Thing is, its a slightly tedious/strenuous process.
But as a DIY, its nice and easy.not much to mess up.
and if anything does go wrong there's loads of guys, local headlight guys who'll fix it for 3-4 hundred bucks.