Here's the best way to lay the vinyl.

Start by marking the upper line on your lights w/ 1/8" 3M blue painters masking tape. This will give you a line to cut against when the vinyl is applied. Make sure that you apply the tape so that it below the line.

Take a rectangular piece of vinyl (black first, since you need to block the light output) that is at least 2"-3" larger all the way around than your housing. Line up your vinyl (with the backing still on) so that it lines up with and covers the part of the light you're going to overlay. Starting from the narrow side (grill side) begin by peeling back a couple of inches of the backing paper. Fold it out of your way, or cut it. DON'T tear it, because it will leave paper fibers stuck to the back of the vinyl, and they will show through as bumps when you're done. With the backing folded out of the way, use your thumbs to squeegee the vinyl down to the narrow end.

With one end of the vinyl now securely stuck to the light, you can start working your way to the wide curved end. Pull back about 2"-3" of backing at a time and work your way to it. You WILL have to stretch the vinyl as you go, to keep from getting wrinkles in it, especially as you cover the compound curve near the turn indicator.

Once you have your vinyl laid, you should be looking at a piece of vinyl that overhangs the housing by about an inch or more on all sides (depending how large your piece of vinyl was). On the bottom side, it should completely cover the strip of tape you put on first. Take a fingernail and run it along the top edge of the tape, making sure there is no air along that line. Now you can trim your vinyl down to about 1/4" overhang on the ends and the top. Fold it around the eges, so it is secured on the back edge of the housing. The last thing you want is a raw edge on the vinyl that can catch water or air, that would cause premature failure and peeling of the vinyl. Now all you should have left is the overlap of the tape on the bottom edge. Take a VERY sharp blade (a box cutter type blade with a freshly snapped blade works best) and LIGHTLY run the blade along the top edge created by the tape. You should now be able to peel the lower overlapping section of vinyl, taking the tape with it.

You now should have a nicely black lidded light. To add a colored lip, repeat the above steps, only this time apply the tape guide so the bottom edge lines up with the bottom edge of the black. This way, when you peel the colored overlap, you will have a 1/8" black reveal that will look like a gasket line.


If anyone REALLY REALLY wants a set of eyebrows badly enough, and can spare their lights to mail them to me, I'd be happy to do a set and take pics to add to this how-to.



SVTJon.....looking at your post times. Don't you ever sleep???


BrApple-its all in the way it is presented...but everythign on my resume is all me TexasRealtor-I hope you spelling improves on your resume. MxRacer-ladies and gentlemen, welcome to ironyville. population, texasrelator.