QuinnSHO How To: Disassemble/Paint/Angel Eye G3 headlights

[QuinnSHO]

Thats one hell of a name, I know. I'll add more to this as time percists, but may as well get it started.
Pardon photo quality, used my phone when taking them.
Alright, you can use either OEM or aftermarket, New, old or Junkyard with your own preference. I got Eagle Eye New 96-97 chrome housing G3s.

Disassembly:
1st things 1st, remove out of the car.


2nd. Look at the rear. There are 4 golden screws, remove these 4 (lower corner in photo)

Next: The aiming is actually done by vacuum and suction! Ingenious IMHO...very smart. Anyways. Remove the 2 silver screws holding it on to the housing.


Now that that is off, you can use the directional bolt to retract the golden aiming bolt. Now the golden one is very long, so this takes a couple minutes. You'll know when you pop it out: The suction will "pop" and it will almost SHOOT out. Thought I broke something when I heard it. But its all good!


Photoless moment: Get both of those off, and there is 1 final thing holding the back on. Its another screw, and an odd one. Not sure exactly how to explain it, but just remove it like the rest. And the rear will be able to be removed.
With that off, you remove that. Now there are 3 more screws that need to be removed from the rear. Its the 2nd shield part. remove those, and you'll have this.


So you have 2 little black shield covers on the floor with a lot of screws and a couple bolts. Remember which goes to what.

Now you see the black rubber around it. Put your finger in where the light bulb was, and give a soft tug. There is some silicone like adhesive holding it together (remember vacuum power?) Very easy to remove, and then you have the rear off!



Now there's removing the little bubble thing, which also holds the silver shield in front of the bulb, so if you want that off like what I did, just unscrew that too.

[QuinnSHO]

Lens Removal:

Warning: Blood, Sweat, and yes, even some tears may occur.

Once completing removal of the rear, take a moment to breathe. Relax for a little bit, grab a beer/Monster for me, and sit back.
Now, play with your (non blood) nephew like astronauts.



Heat oven to about 225 degrees. Using a cookie sheet, or a wet rag to separate the housing from the metal in the oven, set it in there for about 10-15 minutes.

Once done, remove. (I found best grabbing it by the stud area it mounts to the bumper area) It is HOT! Now, if you are heafty heafty, pry at it and pull pull pull! Once you figure out you dont have He-Man strength, grab the knife or putty knife, and push it in the lens and housing. The Black rubber gasket sealer gets in the way, so if you dont mind supergluing back on later, remove it.
Now 98% chance you wont get it apart on your 1st try. My 1st housing took about 5 cooking times ranging 5-15mins, the 2nd taking about 4.

Now...when using the knife, be very careful...
or else you'll be like me and stab your finger

Quinn moment: With a finger bleeding like bloody Mary, 1st thing came to my mind was "OH ****, I'm gonna need a stitch. But I can't afford it...! Superglue! So holding pressure over my finger, bleeding in the sink, I grab the superglue, and start slowly gluing my skin back together enough. About 5 minutes, a bloody sink, and cold lens, I chuckle...
About a week later, swelling's pretty much gone, though it still hasn't sealed. So...more superglue...

Its actually very small thank GOD! But...it was pretty deep.


So once that's done, and you have FINALLY after using every swear word in the book 5 times, have gotten the lens, off. Clean the remains off. Unless you want to try to use it again, which I dont suggest. Clean it really good! Very time consuming.

Once thats done, you can do as you please.
My next part, PAINTING

[QuinnSHO]

Painting:
As we all know, prep is EVERYTHING. Bad prep = bad paint job, no matter what. Good prep + Meh paint = Better than above.

I 1st decided to paint the shield covering the light. If you look behind it, it is actually flat black! So I did the ENTIRE flat black.
Prep, using 800 grit sand paper I did, a little course, but worked good.

Next, the ribs on the side. I went to the junkyard and trashed apart a headlight. Tearing the lens off (old adhesive is even strong) and cracking it, I found that the ribs are still 1 layer of plastic.
So what gives them their color? NO YOU DONT HAVE TO PAINT OVER THE LENS!!!
Its as simple as this...flip it over, and look. I gouged at it with a scredriver, and found out it was merely paint on the back.

So far, the best way I've found to remove the paint is laquor thinner. I still was having a hard time so the body shop near my is working on them. I'll edit this once I find works. But I hear theres DOT 3 Brake Fluid, oven degreaser, etc.

So Next, the housing. So, sand down what you need based on your project. I used too low of a grit 1st time, so I had a mistake needing to fix, so I suggest a scotch brite pad or whatever, or 1000+ grit. You just need to give it a good fade, and something to grip to.

Now, tape off all that you need safe, which in my case is the entire inside housing. Also remember to shove a little gunk tape in the breather hole, or else you'll have paint enter/exit.




As known already, use many light coats, not 1 big globby coat. At 1st I never understood that, but its simple as... The light will still build up, but it dries faster, making a stronger hold for the next layer. And in time, though it doesn't look like its even (some places dry faster than others, some places are somewhat translucent), it will be. A big dark wet paint job will look good to start off with, but it will run, dry longer, tough to touch, wont adhere nearly as well....etc

Once complete, you will have a sexy housing. Chrome edge and inside, a nice textured black outside, and perfect for the retrofit.


Time to start mounting the retrofit

[QuinnSHO]

Retrofit:
Though I wont say exactly how I do it, I'll post videos of them lit up, images etc, and you can see how they were mounted. Thats when I say...you gotta do some custom touches yourself!
This is what I can show so far.
Its my Dualies sitting on the Black Shield.



While outside, I decided to replace a friends interior with my SHO one. Until I found out the stupid passenger side didn't have the harness, which I swore up and down it did... So, removed again and sitting around... (inside now!)
1999 Taurus SHO leather seats.
Me and my favorite Bud decided to have a little fun on them though...

[04 SEL]

Awesome write-up! Should definitely be pinned. Can't wait to see how they look at night

[QuinnSHO]

Thanks. I had to ship back the 60mms for replacement, as well as the control box had an issue, so those are back at me. I got the 100mm's ready, I just need to drill the hole for the harness's to go through, how to hide the wiring, and where to dab the super/gorilla glue. That 100mm is gonna be a toughy to mount on. *It just proves the point...bigger is harder to mount... *

[QuinnSHO]

Showcasing the Angel Eyes. Slapped them on my gmas G4's battery to test. Remember this is just my phone. (I'm not getting "clean photos and videos" with my super awesome camera AND video camera yet)

[SloppyJalopey]

Looks Cool! I am definitely looking forward to seeing the completed product, I also want so see someone do a write up on doing this for a G4!

[QuinnSHO]

Well I have MORE than enough Butyl Rubber and sealant. I'd just need someone to get me headlights (money for Junkyard/new/ebay) and Angel Eyes. And doctor bills, and time and sweat/tears given

Btw, on G3s, I found out the best size is 80mm for the eyes. How did I? I bought both 60 mm, and they barely fit over the shield, and 100mm will have to be mounted at the almost top, where the shield slides in. Go figure... >_<

[SloppyJalopey]

So if someone hooked you up the lights or the money you might be willing to try a Gen 4?