Should I paint my reflector bowls?

[babyboi2284]

I can't decide if I wanna paint them or not! I have the BHLM and I'm about to get my LS projectors. I'm not too worried about the legal part just which looks better lol. Post pix of both if u have em.

 

[Xer0 SiN]

painting the bowl with projectors installed is definately the better looking route...

 

[Fisherman]

i like the look of the all blacked out head lights, its on my long list of things to do.

 

[trdguykc]

Heres an idea of what it will look like with the reflector chrome. I have chrome rims which is why i did it this way. These are not the LS projectors though.

 

[BSP06XRU]

Blacked out:

Blacked out on Jason's RR (closer to your BR):

http://www.xr-underground.com/vb3/showthread.php?t=21454

 

[babyboi2284]

that looks pretty sweet blacked out. now i wish i taped off the turn signal bulb areas when i did the BHLM. i like the way yours looks. does anyone have them blacked out with projectors on a red x? if i paint them imma use the same krylon fushion satin black paint as the bhlm but what kind of paint should i use on the projector housing? it should be hi temp paint right?
wait doesnt stevenredx have them?

 

[STONER-X]

BOTH ARE A GREAT!!!! WOW!!!!

defiantly go with the color theme of your truck... if it is still looking like your sig pic then i would choose chrome the all black may make the truck look like it has two holes on each side... if you are working on blacking out the grill and going with a darker rim.. the blacked out would be the way to go.....

that is just how i see it..

when it comes to the appearance of my truck i mod it to look good not just to mod it..... in other words the chrome would not look bad and would not "lessen" the cleanness of your projectors...

do what you feel is the best at the end of the day.. :top:

 

[babyboi2284]

i think i would like to black out the grill. i like it on ^^^ pic. is there a "how to" on it for certain paints or whatever? im just worried about the paint chipping or something. im just trying to figure out what to do quick cuz once i seal the headlights back up im not gonna take them apart again for a third time lol.

 

[BSP06XRU]

I kept my bowls chrome:

 

[babyboi2284]

i love the way they both look but part of me is just saying to leave them chrome just incase if something ever happens with the projectors or any other reason. Then i wont be SOL with painted bowls and have to buy a whole new set. and i was thinking a while back about getting a 5pc billet grill set so i guess they will accent each other. deciding in multiple things that look awesome really suck lol

 

[hottacoX]

Does blacking out the bowl affect the performance of the projector at all?

 

[babyboi2284]

i dont think it does i think its just cosmetic. i saw a pic on here of a bsp with projectors at night with the hids on and the light output doesnt even shine on the bowls...only reflecting off the clear lense back to the bowl. i think i seen pix of BSP06XRU with his projectors shining on a building (i think) lol but i also seen the video of how he wired his halos also and thats another thing i gotta decide on

 

[STONER-X]

im just worried about the paint chipping or something. im just trying to figure out what to do quick cuz once i seal the headlights back up im not gonna take them apart again for a third time lol.

as long as you use a good automotive paint.. (not the rattle can stuff) you should have no problems.... think of the bumper of your truck.. that takes a real beating on the road...

when i painted my toyo emblem on the front.. one of the members did it the first time and used "krylon fusion for plastic"... it lasted about 3 months then rocks and debre chipped it up....so i repainted it... used the same stuff again same results.. then i used duplicolor car paint (still rattle cant) SAME THING!! so i said screw it.... i bought the ready spray duplicolor car pain from vatozone.... used a little acetone to thin it out a tad its REALLY THICK so thick it sprays in dots and wont leave a "wet" finish.... so far it has head up for over a year and still looks great...

if you have any "paint talent" its not for everyone... go to your auto-part store and get some car paint... the real stuff in a paint can (not a rattle can) go get you a cheep spray gun... practice some the spray away... you can find the paint for about $20 for a quart and you can pink up a gun in the $20-$50 range and have great results..

i started with a $20 harbor freight paint gun painted a few things and thought "i got the hang of this" and spent $200 on a decent gun (still cheep in the painters world) and it has paid for its self....


:top::top:

 

[Limitless]

Just as another idea, you could leave the reflectors in and do one layer of spary tint so it darkens the reflector but still reflects when light is on it. I did that to tint my reflectors and turn signals and it turned out pretty good. Had to do an extra layer of tint on the reflectors due to me putting a nice fingerprint in the middle of it while moving it.

 

[NHXRUNNER]

im just worried about the paint chipping or something. im just trying to figure out what to do quick cuz once i seal the headlights back up im not gonna take them apart again for a third time lol.

as long as you use a good automotive paint.. (not the rattle can stuff) you should have no problems.... think of the bumper of your truck.. that takes a real beating on the road...

Stoner I don't think it's quite the same. The bowls are never going to see road debris. They're not going to see any more heat that the bezels that are painted for the BHLM, and nobody has had problems with them peeling. I think most that have painted the bowls have used a rattle can. I would just make sure to prep the area before you paint so you get a good bond. Otherwise I don't see the need to spend $$$ to simply paint your reflector bowls.

This has got me thinking about changing up the look of my HLs, and going to the blacked out look :rolleyez:

 

[K2]

does anyone have them blacked out with projectors on a red x?

StevenRedX

 

[STONER-X]

Stoner I don't think it's quite the same. The bowls are never going to see road debris. They're not going to see any more heat that the bezels that are painted for the BHLM, and nobody has had problems with them peeling. I think most that have painted the bowls have used a rattle can. I would just make sure to prep the area before you paint so you get a good bond. Otherwise I don't see the need to spend $$$ to simply paint your reflector bowls.

This has got me thinking about changing up the look of my HLs, and going to the blacked out look :rolleyez:

i thought he mentioned painting the grill but was worried about the paint chipping....

maybe i over read??

i think i would like to black out the grill. i like it on ^^^ pic. is there a "how to" on it for certain paints or whatever? im just worried about the paint chipping or something. im just trying to figure out what to do quick cuz once i seal the headlights back up im not gonna take them apart again for a third time lol.

here we go.... :smile:

 

[babyboi2284]

i think imma paint the bowls and mod the grill later on. imma see how it looks with the headlight blacked out but with the projector housing chrome. i dunno if the projector gets hot or not so if it does then i gotta look for some high temp paint for them

nevermind imma keep it all chrome

 

[livinginsa]

You should paint them just so the cops can't hit you as easily with laser. They have got me twice with laser, once for 95 in a 70. They zero in on the license plate if you have one in the front, and the headlights if you don't have a plate in the front.

 

[babyboi2284]

i got pulled over once for doin 101 in a 70 by a state trooper......all he said was give me your license or im taking you to jail lol. so i pulled out my wallet. i like the look of them totally blacked out but i think imma pass on it just incase if i ever have to go back to stock for some reason. i dont do too much speeding anymore since i became a dad 5 years ago but every now and then i do feel the need