VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

[Blizzard242]

Well, I went to redo my tail lights since I have a bit more experience with painting now. I had originally used VHT and I was happy with it before but I still had that orange peel business that I never sanded down so I wanted to get em real nice and shiny.

To make a long story short, I picked up some rustoleum lens tint since autozone apparently doesn't carry VHT anymore. I sanded em down a buffed em out so they're super slick but now they're hazy. When I used VHT they didn't come out hazy. I'm basically pissed but I'm going to deal with it until I decide to spend a few more hours to sand them down again and order some more VHT.

[Mighty Thor]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

Well, I went to redo my tail lights since I have a bit more experience with painting now. I had originally used VHT and I was happy with it before but I still had that orange peel business that I never sanded down so I wanted to get em real nice and shiny.

To make a long story short, I picked up some rustoleum lens tint since autozone apparently doesn't carry VHT anymore. I sanded em down a buffed em out so they're super slick but now they're hazy. When I used VHT they didn't come out hazy. I'm basically pissed but I'm going to deal with it until I decide to spend a few more hours to sand them down again and order some more VHT.

Have you ever consider just tinting it?

My neighbor tried both on his camaro and the tint looks way better and cleaner. Plus the lights are more visible.

[Blizzard242]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

The actual film tint? If that's what you're talking about, that's what I originally tried. That was a horrible mess. My tail lights are so curved I couldn't get anything to lay very good.. Not to mention cut pieces that fit over them well. I think I'll probably leave tinting to the people who get paid to do it since I just straight out suck at it and don't want to spend the time to get good.

There are a few minor things that is nice about Rustoleum that I've just found.

1. It's easier to use than VHT.
2. Light shows through better than VHT.

Also, I went to spray my 3rd tail light with VHT and it cracked like crazy.. So I tried to clean it off quickly in case I had contaminated the surface somehow. The VHT had eaten into the plastic causing these cracks. I had that thing sanded down very well.. I spent a long time sanding it down since i had effed it up before so I had to spend another straight half hour of sanding it down again. That was frustrating. So I just used Rustoleum on that too. Whatever.

I'll post up some pics of the finished product. The rear sidemarkers are really looking nice with the tint rather than the clear lens.

[Mighty Thor]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

I know this is a write up and I don't want to deter you and I apologize if I'm doing that. I was wondering if you used this?

http://www.decalfx.com/smoked_tail_light_film.html

Like I said my neighbor's camaro who used this looks great compare to the VHT he used to use.

[Docta]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

I used VHT and I get nothing but props about the lights. I did 2 coats on the main rears, one on the cyclops light and rear side markers. Gotta do the fronts yet.

[Blizzard242]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

I know this is a write up and I don't want to deter you and I apologize if I'm doing that. I was wondering if you used this?

http://www.decalfx.com/smoked_tail_light_film.html

Like I said my neighbor's camaro who used this looks great compare to the VHT he used to use.

Na this wasn't a write up. And I really don't mind anyone sharing more info, it's why I come to this site myself.

I wish I knew about that stuff sooner. I probably would have went through a lot less stress. It definitely wasn't that stuff.. I mean, someone told me window tint and so I bought some window tint. So I'm sure you can see the frustration I went through.

I used VHT and I get nothing but props about the lights. I did 2 coats on the main rears, one on the cyclops light and rear side markers. Gotta do the fronts yet.

Just curious, what was the process you took to do this?

[Docta]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

Just curious, what was the process you took to do this?

Cleaned them off really good, taped off the reverse lights, one coat, wait 30 minutes, then the second. Let it dry for about 24 hours, used some 2000 grit wet sand paper and then rubbing compound, they get really shiny. With two coats, you can see the running lights clearly, and brakes even better. The only problem I've ran into is driving directly into the setting sun, and the guy behind me didn't see them, Luckily I was turning, and he was in a hurry.

[Blizzard242]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

Yeah, I only went up to 2000 grit too with 3m rubbing compound. Now that I've got the car out of the garage.. I'm a lot happier with the outcome. I'll take some pics.. I guess rustoleum isn't all that bad. As long as there isn't any direct light, they look pretty damn good.

[Docta]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

Exactly the same here. I can post up some pics of mine if you want to see the difference

[804camaro]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

advanced auto parts carries vht nightshade

[bigairboarder44]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

Nuff said.

[Docta]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

I did mine pretty dark, buy my car's black so it matches.And yes, I know that it leaks oil, rear main seal that I'm too lazy to change. And the cyclops light got a little messed up. Painting in a garage in Colorado in late Feb isn't nice to spray paint. It was too cold.
Before:

After:

On the car:

[Screamin99]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

I noticed my 3rd brake light cracked as well. There are actualy lines in the cover that you can see. You cannot feel them with a nail, but they are still visible when you have it sanded. I don't know how it looks lighted up, I would venture to guess it looks cracked.

Bigair what process did you use because that looks great.. Not too dark and not too light.

[bigairboarder44]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

I used this process, with something like 5 or 6 light coats I think: http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/paint-...eparation.html

And my 3rd brake light cracked too. I think I fixed it although I don't remember how I did it, maybe just sanded it down and did it again more carefully. As far as wetsanding goes, I believe I did 800 grit, 1200, 2000, then polished them. The before in that picture is actually wetsanded, it just looks like **** because I hadn't washed my car in a while. The after is after I compounded and polished them with my porter cable. I polished the filler panel here as well:

[PalmHarbor]

Re: VHT NiteShade vs Rustoleum Lens Tint

Everything looks terrific except changing the tail lights. If you have an accident and if they can the other party would say, they could not see your lights CAUSE YOU MESSED WITH THEM. The judge
will say....yes, you are right...decision for the other party.