"blacking out" tail lights

A friend of mine asked me if I could blackout his tail lights. Before anyone jumps me he is not wanting them completly black, more of a tinted window look so the the lights are still visible when the the brake is applied. What I'm thinking about is hitting them with some very fine sandpaper to give the paint something to "bite" to and using some reduced black, then obviously hitting it with clear. I'm assuming the lights will still in the vehicle so masking the surrounding area is a must and will be done with newspaper and tape.

Some questions have come up.
Has anyone done this?
Will createx (black reduced or transparent grey) be alright in this situation?
Anyone have any other thoughts about this or advice?

[aixguy]

Ok, for the life of me I just don't understand why anyone would want to do this. Whatever you do, it is illegal in the state of PA to alter safety items such as this. They were designed to be bright so people don't get rear ended. Sure you could argue that today's brake lights are brighter than on a 1965 vw but the point is.. brighter is better.. Do what your customer wants, but I would fail the car for PA State Safety Inspections if I was writing the sticker. That said, some states done care. As long as there is a light in the back and the car stops it is good to go! Delaware is one of those states.. pull up on the platform.. if all wheels stop you are good.. who cares that the pads and shoes are metal to metal
Check the local laws before you go and get yourself in trouble.

[SPD22332]

Hi,
I just received a 2009 VHT catalog, which advertises automotive paint products for Very High Temperatures like engine manifolds etc. Anyway, thay advertise a new product called VHT SP999 NITE-SHADES. According to VHT, it is a transparent black tail light lens coating for creating a custom European look. The lens appears black until they are lit, but be warned once applied the paint will not be satisfactorily removed. Check it out at VHT.

Luis

[Sir Speedy]

Thank you.

[ninja69z]

don't know about going the createx route. might i suggest you try it on a piece of glass to see if you will get coverage without a grainy texture or blotching for that matter. you can shine a light and see whats going on prior. reduce with transparent glaze or similar product not water. 800 grit sandpaper should suffice even easier with a red 3M scotchbrite and some Ajax.

[dee1orean]

I'm an automotive sprayer\panel beater and the way we do it here in the UK is to add a couple of drops of (Solvent) basecoat into some clear lacquer then apply in light even coats until the desired level of tint is achieved. You can also use this technique to colour code lights to the vehicle using a couple of drops of the original basecoat.
Hope this helps some.

[fontgeek]

Keep in mind that you,the painter may end up being liable for not just tickets received, but accidents, injuries, deaths, etc. Now that you have asked for help you can't even claim ignorance on the possibilities.

Altering the lenses or view of the lenses is illegal in most states and countries.
These were not designed to make a fashion statement, they were designed to keep everyone on the road safe.

If you are going to procede with this, then you might consider just using a black rattle can (spraypaint) with the intended "windows" taped off. Sanding or scuffing the lenses to give them some tooth should help the bonding a bit too.
I would make sure that you could easily get replacement lenses before you even considered doing this work. If something goes wrong during painting, or when your friend gets arrested and ticketed, you will have a way to change the lenses to something safe and legal. If you can't easily get them, then don't even think of doing this job, friend or not.