Tinting Taillights With VHT Nightshade

A quick run through of how I tinted my Scion tC taillights using VHT Nightshade.
Supplies used:
Clear Coat
Rubbing Alcohol
Painters tape
Plastic Wrap

[@ASAPJermz]

Best tutorial I've seen for blacking out tail lights. And no sanding was needed, pretty awesome! Thank you 😀

[@AdamPalmateer]

Ayyy I appreciate it my man. You're very welcome!

[@nicksta16]

What brand clear coat did you use? How long did it the paint last before it faded? Thanks!

[@rockstarzsj]

I went through 8 videos to find somebody who shows how the light comes through. Thank you for your great tutorial and thoroughness! 👍

[@homiedaklown7912]

That came out really clean looking!

[@AdamPalmateer]

Appreciate it man!

[@ScrubbinLyfe]

One of the better tutorials that I've watched, kudos. On some of the other videos they wet sand after using 2000grit sand paper and Meguiar's Ultimate Compound to create the glossy appearance, then they either left it or put on a clear coat.

[@AdamPalmateer]

Thank you very much, I appreciate that. I've also heard that people wet sand them but I don't have any experience doing it that way. As far as I know it turns out great though.

[@PntBllnSquirrel]

Clean Simple Best video for the VHT night shade I've seen. Been watch tons the past weeks.

[@saralynn3445]

We have the same car color 😇!! Thanks for the insight I'm so stoked to tint my tail lights

[@dlumbreras90]

Sara Lynn careful how dark u go but you can always buy brighter bulbs

[@thebesttastingbleach6915]

Looks fantastic dude. I'm trying to gather the guts to do this to my new WRX lol

[@rudyswartz9092]

Me too haha

[@Rnfjaydee]

@@rudyswartz9092 just do it lol litterly all u have to do to remove it is use paint stripper lol

[@shiftctrlhack]

I saved this video. Doing it this way with that clear coat mine lasted almost 4 years in the Florida sun before I had to redo them.

[@djyocharlie]

I love the vht night shades when first applied, but always fade over time even with generous clear coats. car looks good though!

[@bknoxx]

ive watched 20 videos on this for my 6th gen SS and yours are the best everyone else had to sand them to make em look good.. nice vid man

[@eliasflores8794]

Brian Knox his came out good but you do have to sand them for best adhesion. If not. Tint will most likely start chipping in the future

[@Dray12321]

@@eliasflores8794 i just sanded the edges so it doesnt start peeling around them, and its held up well

[@MikeSmith-fq5dv]

Just because he didn't sand doesn't mean it's not necessary. When you paint its always a good idea to scuff up the surface so the paint has something to grab. Watch a few other videos this is the second worst that I've seen. The way he did it it's not gonna last.

[@Runitrich]

Hey bro! Such a timeless video!! Been her 3 or 4 times in the years double checking 😂 after about 3 years, i notice a fade! A little gas ams cloth remove it perfectly and ready for a new coat!!

[@AdamPalmateer]

@@Runitrich Hey I appreciate that my boy 👊🏼 Mine ended up fading as well after a few years lol

[@Meandnotyou]

Great video and straight to the point. I'm tinting my tails tomorrow but wasn't sure about how nightshade would look. Thanks for the vid

[@demon22slayer]

Also no need to heat up the can ,it changes the format of the paint. Also try to overlap the paths, as in a blending technique. Before anyone hates, I did body work and detailing for over 25years. Doing them off the car is easier and overlap for even coverage. Just just helpful advice man. Overspray can still travel far. Keep the can 6plus inches away. It looks good over all just sharing some info. Nice touch leaving the reverse lights clear

[@SpeedCultureStudios]

eric muraca Heating the can is actually a great idea-you just don't want to go too hot. The reason rattle can paint jobs looks horrible most of the time is because the pressure in the can is inadequate. You need good pressure to help the paint lay down. Heating the can helps build that pressure. Again-not too hot as you don’t want to degrade the integrity of the paint-which you mentioned. It also appears that he did overlap his paths. He did a great job overall. He could now wet sand and polish for a true mirror finish. I’ve also been in the body shop business and have been customizing/painting/detailing cars and motorcycles for over a decade.

[@drumtum81]

@@SpeedCultureStudios should you wetsand/compound after the niteshade is on, as well as the clearcoat? Or just after the clearcoat?

[@SpeedCultureStudios]

GameOfInches Both. 1500-2000 grit wet sand after the last coat of night shades-I did 4 coats (I think I still have a video up on my channel). It’ll smooth it out perfectly then 4-6 coats of clear. Wet sand clear with 2000 grit again only after the final coat.

[@cesar862000]

@@SpeedCultureStudios link of the video ?

[@SpeedCultureStudios]

Cesar Flores sorry I don’t have it up anymore-unlisted. I can’t get to it from my phone but if I remember later I’ll dig it out on my computer.

[@ken_wenn]

Thanks for this video! 4 coats of Nite Shade and 3 costs of ClearCoat. Perfect.

[@sleepy14142]

Thanks for the video bud! Thanks for showing how it looks like with the breaks on after great video

[@landonashmore2974]

How long did you wait after the nightshade to do the clear coat

[@silentj624]

The cling wrap is the the best idea ever!

[@toneyfuller5405]

nice look. I did my impala and i used 2000 fine grit sand paper. it just makes the nightshade stick better so you can apply thinner coats for a more longer lasting finish.

[@AdamPalmateer]

Ohhhh that's a good way to go. I probably should have sanded mine a little bit before hand

[@elw619]

Very cool, don't know how many times I'll watch this, love your color of your car, really accentuates the vht nite shade, hoping I get the same look on my car, love it!

[@anthonycaldi7056]

Great Video! Best finish with this product I’ve seen so far.

[@mikesmcoupe9259]

Great demo video. Planning to do mine next

[@bipolarracing345RT]

these turned out great , Next time the tails on most car's are way easier to remove than worrying about taping the car off then you can close the door and not worry about overspray. I only need a slot screw driver to remove all the tail lights out of my challenger

[@NoFro-TL]

much better than expected. thats cleeean

[@Swaggn012]

Good work bro! Looks great without sanding. Definitely going to try to this out

[@LilWolfGameing]

Carlin Hatcher d

[@mattp733i]

If you wet sand with 2000 grit and use compound and polish its going to come out even better! You did a great job though!

[@piratecanada]

thank you for showing the brake lights after the tint

[@elw619]

very nice, your car looks amazing. can't wait to do this to my crown vic!

[@AdamPalmateer]

Right on, thank you!

[@DrKnockers1089]

Hey man awesome video! Def helped me as I did mine today! Thanks

[@AdamPalmateer]

You're very welcome! and thank you, that's much appreciated. Glad it helped!

[@chriscruz1106]

Will Rustoleum Acrylic Enamel Gloss Clear work in substitute to the Duplicolor? Thank you.

[@lorenzoh8765]

Cleanest tC I’ve seen

[@JeffRoth-w3c]

Does that last a long time I want to do that to my Honda civic taillights they are very hard to tint because of the shape of my tail light I went to get a estimate on the cost for the to tint shop to do it $220.00 is it easy to do it ur self nice video

[@johnnysavvy4190]

thanks for the tips man! I really appreciate you showing what it looks like when braking, it's very hard to find those kinds of videos on YT xD thanks again !!

[@AdamPalmateer]

Hey thank you, you're very welcome!

[@idontknownonya6246]

AdamJP so u just used 2 coats of the nightshade, then 3 of the glossifier

[@AdamPalmateer]

Yup, but my taillights still had a little nightshade on them from years ago when I first tinted them. If they had never been tinted I probably would have done 3 coats of nightshade

[@idontknownonya6246]

AdamJP they didnt have the glossifer u used will any of them work

[@AdamPalmateer]

Oh yeah you don't have to get the exact same one. Any clear coat is fine

[@TheJbailey2]

what clear coat are you using?

[@jessesynnuck3840]

That looks awesome nice job

[@TheEVILHOMER94]

Awesome video man, this gives me tips on how to use it correctly, i rather use this than plasti dip not only plasti dip darker but the nice finish on vht nightshade is professional and the glossy is what i wanted, not a big fan of matte finish for lights

[@christianlole7624]

We just posted a video on how to tint taillight with vinyl instead of painting them.

[@abomb951]

Looks nice. That's only two coats?? (one base, and one semi-liberal?). They got really dark - want to try it, but don't want to go too dark that I get pulled over..

[@josephcrawford9486]

So how many coats of nightshade did you use and how many coats of the clear coat?

[@nicksta16]

What type and brand of clear coat did you use, and how long does the nightshade last before they start peeling off? Thanks!

[@peterparker9444]

3 coats on front headlights it wouldn't do much for protection in Canadian winters with salt kick'in into it as every year I have to refinish my after market chin and side scoops! I find that Duplicolor is good for areas not being exposed to harsh elements but against salt it's nowhere as tough as the industrial grade clear coat the shops use!

[@wickedboss8661]

Great Video!! The only recommendation, you should have covered your whole car before paint. You will have very small particles of overspray that is from the clear and vht all over your car that will need to be removed.

[@AdamPalmateer]

Hey thank you! If i ever spray anything on the car again i'll be sure to cover the entire thing

[@mr171009]

Lol

[@wmciii6770]

Outstanding looks great

[@thelifeofjessejames]

Wow that turned out awesome!

[@er-zb1jy]

nice looks clean what type of Clear Coat is that mine never comes out smooth

[@superspider2016]

How long did you wait for the tint to dry b4 you did the clear?

[@itza6197]

Beautiful tutorial. Is it ok also without the clear coat? How can I remove the nite shade if needed?

[@MikeSmith-fq5dv]

Do a clear coat for sure 👍

[@caseyadams4659]

Dude you killed that!👍🏻

[@aaronaaron6348]

your Scion is dope bro nice little car Toyota made that

[@hotrodaallbbaa2343]

So you DON'T need to water sand your taillights before spraying the VHT?

[@superspider2016]

How long did you wait for the vht to dry b4 you cleared it. And how many coats

[@droidgu0522]

She looks good bro! How many cans of each did you end up using? Looking to my 07 Si Sedan but not sure how many cans to pick up

[@AdamPalmateer]

Ayyy thank you! And I only got 1 can of the VHT and 1 can of the clear and that was plenty for me

[@droidgu0522]

Sweet! I appreciate it man. Nice looking TC as well!

[@wilbermartinez444]

What's the difference between sanding it n not sanding it? what you do recommend?

[@stevenungester927]

how do you get the masking tape to be a nice smooth curve on those reverse light sections?

[@jorgejosenicolasreyes1656]

very clean job

[@AdamPalmateer]

Appreciate that man, thank you!

[@yosteramor6571]

CAN WE USE THE VHT CLEAR COAT WITH THIS PAINT TOO OR THE ONE YOU USED IS BETTER?

[@gunnermaison24]

one question i have i dont think i heard you talk about, how long in between coats should i wait to apply another

[@Miguel-A97]

Many people wet sand before tinting because other wise it won't stick is what they say? Did you do that off camera or is it not necessary to wet sand?

[@AdamPalmateer]

Nah I never wet sanded at all. I know a lot of people do but, personally I've never felt it was really necessary

[@moto157droid]

This is the first video I've seen where someone sprays the tail lights without sanding the lens first. How has it been holding up?

[@AdamPalmateer]

Still holding up well. Getting new wheels put on so I'll post another vid soon so you can see

[@BayAreaMike99]

AdamJP how long did you wait for the clearcoat

[@BayAreaMike99]

AdamJP also would you recommend taking off the taillights or leaving it on?

[@Vizzy285]

I did 3 coats vht and 3 clear coat, very matte Ruff finish... Can I buff?

[@trinkettinkeringking]

I wanted to wrap mine but failed many times... 14' avenger has very bulbous tails🤦‍♂️ guess I'll have to spray em

[@franklinhernandez5255]

I just tried that today man I did not do well at all alot more difficult then I thought and its cause my optima has lights that are to bubbled too used this vht and it came out way better then the wrap and alot less stress lol

[@trinkettinkeringking]

@@franklinhernandez5255 yea I'll be trying that this week, and my tails just have 2 thumb screws and they pop out, will be much easier with them removed🤟

[@saralynn3445]

Also...where do you get the night shade? An auto store? Walmart?

[@AdamPalmateer]

Thought I got it at auto zone. But I just looked it up to double check and it didn't show any results. So I wanna say maybe it was Advance Auto Parts ?? ... don't quote me though lol

[@SHockWaveOnDeck]

It's advance Auto

[@jordanmassey9780]

O'Reilly's also carries VHT Nite Shades.

[@mikeschmalz2262]

How did u mask such a perfect circle? For the reverse lights? I'm trying to do that on my cobalt but the reverse lights never turn out right

[@40rollsonly]

Try using a similar sized object as a template, like the bottom of a shot glass or a cup

[@abccustoms686]

very nice video.. very well done!

[@AdamPalmateer]

Thank you! much appreciated

[@calidronelife1572]

Great job well done.

[@brianmarroquin7901]

So how many inches you would say you were away

[@wendyanderson5648]

How much did you get on the other car

[@12thStreetPharmacist]

What store did you go to & buy the vht & can I use the lens tint at autozone?

[@TlKlR]

Do you add gloss when the tint spray is fully dry?

[@TlKlR]

Or just straight after the last coat of tint?

[@jonathanjhl]

Damn that looks good!

[@Михаил-у3н]

Good job. Third light not function???

[@DeathEater341]

Is it bad if I don’t put clear coat?

[@tpavoncello]

Nice work. Dumb question, what rims do you have? I've been looking for something like those.

[@AdamPalmateer]

They're Voxx Monza's. I actually got them off craigslist for $200 and just re-painted them myself so it wasn't a bad deal lol. I've had them for a while though so I'm looking to get new wheels this summer

[@tpavoncello]

Oh damn, that's a hell of a lot better than a new set for 700. They just need a repaint black or were a different color when you bought them? Also, 18s?

[@AdamPalmateer]

Yeah they were black to begin with but the paint was in rough shape so I sanded them down and just re-sprayed them myself. And yessir, they're 18's

[@tpavoncello]

Awesome, thanks for the replies! I think I'm going to do just that with the stock wheels until I can get myself a pair of better rims. Just kind of on the fence of what to do, I have a nautical blue Tc so it's a little difficult coming up with decent looking ideas. Not to mention I'm still very new to the whole car scene but the Tc seems like a pretty decent car to learn and play with. Good luck with everything.

[@AdamPalmateer]

Hey absolutely, any time! I appreciate it. If you ever have any questions feel free to ask. And that's exactly what I did before I found these wheels, I just painted the stocks

[@firstnamelastname9370]

excellent video, thanks

[@Straingelove]

So do you wait for each coat to dry for the tint and the clear coat? I didn't get that part. Im nervous to do it on my car but really want to. It's a 2010 insight

[@AdamPalmateer]

Shoot I probably forgot to mention that. But yes, I waited about 10 minutes (give or take) between coats. And honestly just mask everything off really well and you'll be good to go. I looked up the Insight too and since those taillights are basically big triangles it should be a piece of cake. Good luck!

[@Straingelove]

Awesome !! Thanks

[@grahamkaszas6958]

What brand gloss paint ?

[@superspider2016]

Did you scuff up the light b4 hand

[@phineparcon8739]

What clear coat u use

[@PortPerryRC16]

I did mine just like this and mine came out with a very rough texture and it looks like bubbles in the paint but flat against the light.

[@kaspertheghost7198]

Did you use an enamel based clear coat?

[@dallas3719]

does it last through a car wash?

[@Leatherkid01]

Compound and wax it if you want it shiny 👍

[@83adub]

i really want to do this but honestly how long does it stay looking good before fading or chipping etc? its a lot of time or money to fix or replace taillights if it only looks good for 6 months or a year or so. i live in phoenix and we got lots if HOT dry sunny days

[@AdamPalmateer]

This is kinda a shot in the dark but I wanna say the original coat lasted around 3 years give or take. After that it started to fade. Mine was always parked outside in the sun 90% of the time too. So after a while the sun did get to it but it definitely wasn't in 6 months or even a year. Obviously Phoenix is a lot more brutal heat than Ohio, but i'd still say if you gave it some solid coats of clear you'll be good for well over a year

[@83adub]

+AdamJP thanks for the quick reply. yours look pretty sic btw. did u do wet sanding on them when u tinted them the first time?

[@AdamPalmateer]

No problem, and thank you! But no I actually never did any wet sanding. I never knew about the wet sanding until after I had already done them originally. I thought about doing it the second time around but didn't lol.

[@83adub]

+AdamJP i had a TC for ten years and i only ever used the vinyl cut-outs but those get baked on from the sun after a while and i actually had to replace both the tail lights. recently traded it in for a 13‘ gen coupe tho and these tail lights arent cheap so thanks again for the video and savin me money lol

[@136Reid]

If one sprays clearcoat over it every few months, could it last longer, then?

[@mockingjaytv4681]

That looks exactly like how I'd like mine done, what brand of clear coat did you use?

[@AdamPalmateer]

I went with the duplicator clear coat, it worked really well

[@mockingjaytv4681]

+AdamJP Thanks! I can tell, you did a great job! Hopefully mine turn out that good

[@AdamPalmateer]

Just saw this comment lol sorry this is really late. I don't know if you sprayed yours yet, but just lay down fairly generous coats of the clear and you'll be good. You got this

[@mockingjaytv4681]

No I haven't done it yet thanks for the response! I may have got the wrong clear coat tho, I got the rustoleum kind, but I don't like the nozzle I want one that sprays in a vertical pattern so it's even

[@mockingjaytv4681]

Oh and one more thing do you remember how long it took you and how much time in between coats you took? I may have to go to my paps garage because my house doesn't have one and stuff will blow all over the tail lights

[@martinsen073]

Great job, it takes talent with cheap spray paint!

[@Farach97]

How did you tint your headlights like that?

[@roastedhd2852]

Which clear coat

[@ItsBoGz13]

What if i coated my tailights 3 weeks ago. Am i still be able to put the clear coat on it? Or is it too late?

[@777warhero]

Doesnt matter. Just make sure there is NO dust on them and that the paint isn't peeling before you spray them. Any imperfections will show through.

[@YouttubeShortts]

what exhaust do you have

[@trapsoulx]

is this illegal? also would 1 coat be enough?

[@cesar862000]

In the can says "Off road only" But with a coat or two I dont think it "looks" illegal

[@jamesd9534]

What clear coat did u use

[@non3211]

Whats the clear coat brand ?

[@fredlao6655]

Nice job man , did u use vht brand clear cote ?

[@tylerwalls2190]

Fred Lao the vht wasn't clear coat looks like AutoZone brand or something

[@xi2058]

is it illegal to tint the tail lights in California ?

[@EternalZero7]

I think tinted tail lights look fucking nice on a BCP tc. I definitely want them on mine but I'm scared to mess up. Great job though!

[@AdamPalmateer]

Hey thank you very much! It is a little intimidating, but trust me after you do it once, and at least get a feel for the technique, it's really easy. If you want them on yours i'd say go for it!

[@sanjuandiaz]

If you mess up, 90% rubbing alcohol will take it off, just sayin

[@jmcliu]

How long did you wait before you applied the clear?

[@AdamPalmateer]

About 15 minutes. Give or take

[@elnegritopanameno6203]

What kind of clear coat? What’s the brand

[@om0039]

Dupli-Color

[@sergioslv3648]

I like it, but if i do it i will have trouble with the police?

[@AdamPalmateer]

Personally, I've had multiple vehicles with tinted taillights and never had any trouble with the police. On the can it says "off-road use only" but I mean come on... lol

[@sanjuandiaz]

Check your state laws, but most say if the lights can be see at 300ft lit up, you're all good

[@carlosreyes1993]

I like it

[@joshisbister]

what is the brand of clear coat that you use?

[@AdamPalmateer]

Duplicolor, I just got it at auto zone. If you pause it at 0:27 you can see the can a little bit

[@maxlevkulich1971]

You should have took tape on that lil circle thing off when doing ur clear so you wouldn't have such a lip in between the surfaces.

[@lorymendoza1990]

What brand clear coat did u use?

[@drumtum81]

Dupli-color Enamel based

[@des4183]

can you peel this off. how do I take off over spray if I happen to get any on the car

[@Madvillian]

I heard goof off takes it off well

[@AdamPalmateer]

Nahh it doesn't peel off. But when I got overspray I just put a little rubbing alcohol on a microfiber and it took it off easily. Or like Tom said, goof off works as well I guess

[@christianlole7624]

We just posted a video on how to tint taillight with vinyl instead of painting them.