Painting headlamp housings - Honda Prelude Forum

leftbrain99 · 03-23-2010, 09:39 AM

OK, I've already wasted half of my workday searching, so I'm going to try asking for help, now. I'm restoring my headlights (fixing broken top brackets, wet-sanding lenses, resealing, etc.), but I've noticed that the chrome behind and above the low-beam bulb is coming off. During the cleaning process, I made it worse. It's not terrible, but I figure if I am going to go through the trouble of restoring these, then I might as well pop the lenses and get everything as best I can.

So, my question is what type of paint should I use to redo the inside reflective housings? I have a 97, so they are the brighter chrome housings and not the darker ones from later years. Does anyone know of a tried and true process for something like this?

Shimee · 03-23-2010, 04:15 PM

You can't "paint" chrome. No such thing exists. You either will have to get them chrome plated again (probably the cost of new headlights) or get new headlights.

And if I'm understand correctly, you're talking about the reflector bowl now the outer bezel that attaches to the clear lens?

El Cucui14 · 03-23-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftbrain99

So, my question is what type of paint should I use to redo the inside reflective housings? I have a 97, so they are the brighter chrome housings and not the darker ones from later years. Does anyone know of a tried and true process for something like this?

I'm guessing he might be Talking about the outer bezel after all, Iv'e seen this done before but I have no clue about the proccess, You might have better luck asking Bryan(Prelude1987) Since he has done some Retro fits with this bezel painted to match the exterior color.
Hope this Helps, Good Luck

TheJGB-2KTypeSH · 03-23-2010, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimee

You can't "paint" chrome. No such thing exists. You either will have to get them chrome plated again (probably the cost of new headlights) or get new headlights.

And if I'm understand correctly, you're talking about the reflector bowl now the outer bezel that attaches to the clear lens?

Yes you can, Duplicolor makes chrome spraypaint for plastic parts.

@nonymous · 03-23-2010, 05:40 PM

yeah if your talking about the outter bezel thats chrome then yes, when u open up your headlights you can take them apart from the lens with 2 screws, lightly sand them and you can paint them with chrome spray paint but probably wont look like the chrome it had before. i would rather paint them a flat black and put them back together. thy'll look like the DEPO black housing headlights.

leftbrain99 · 03-23-2010, 07:05 PM

It's not the outer bezel, it's the actual reflector bowl surface. I understand that people paint outer bezels regularly, but I haven't seen anyone with experience painting the surface behind the bulbs.

Thanks for the suggestions, too.

Shimee · 03-23-2010, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJGB-2KTypeSH

Yes you can, Duplicolor makes chrome spraypaint for plastic parts.

It's impossible to get spray paint that produces a mirror-like surface, atleast not for under a couple hundred bucks. The duplicolor spray paint produces essentially a shinier brushed silver. If he paints his reflector with he'll ruin it completely.