JDM Style Tail Lights

[Noddle]

Hi,

I've been looking into making my own tails lights,

I know that they come up once in a while on Yahoo, but to be honest I can't be bothered, so I'm making my own.

Since I have not done molds before, I've started small.

I just poured the other half of the mold, so tomorrow I will know how it turned out.

Nigel

[esprist]

That is impressive! Can we see the finished pictures, too?

[Noddle]

Hi,

This is what I found this morning,

I think it turned out pretty good.

Tonight, if I have time, I'll test this with my clear resin.

Nigel

[Patcon]

What did you use for resin? How did you go about making molds? How did you locate the correct colors? Details please, very interesting. I had considered a similar effort to make me a set of JDM 240z taillights.

Thanks, Charles

[Mastadd240K]

Looks Great man, ive thought about trying this but TBH i dont have the skills or the Time.

Looks like yours has come together great!

[Noddle]

What did you use for resin? How did you go about making molds? How did you locate the correct colors? Details please, very interesting. I had considered a similar effort to make me a set of JDM 240z taillights.

Thanks, Charles

The part I'm making (above) will be clear ( reverse light ),

the other parts will be 'tinted red' for the brake light.

I'll be using this dye

http://www.barnes.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=73_78&products_id=1567

this is the clear product

http://www.barnes.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=90_94&products_id=1455

I'm not 100 percent sure how it will turn out, but I will see, also I'm not sure how the resin is going to handle the uv.

this exercise is not cheap once you add the costs together, but at the end of the day, I will have molds to make lots of copies, maybe there will be a small market to sell them.

atm I have spent a good $350ish

this includes a pressure pot, vacuum chamber and vacuum pump, mold martial, clear resin, dye, and other bits and pieces. the mold martial for the above mold cost $75ish by itself, but it was the 'good' stuff and should last forever, or till I'm dead.. :-)

these 2 pictures show the Aus delivered lights ( red centered brake light), against the JDM tail lights (red outer brake light )

Nigel

Edited May 23, 2011 by Noddle

[Noddle]

Hi,

This may help others, this is what gave me the idea that I could do it myself.

http://www.alumilite.com/howtos/TailLightMoldingEquipment.cfm

Nigel

[Guest Flauski]

wow, thats awesome! Hope it works for you. A lot of people miss the fact that the outer red/orange light on OZ/NZ ones is actually raised. Im lucky I have sets of both, I'm sure I will cry if my JDM set was to get damaged! Can't wait to see your final result.

[Patcon]

Nigel,

Are you currently molding the interior lens? Will you make the exterior lens in another mold and combine the 2 pieces? How would you mold a 240z taillight where the colors all meet in nice straight lines? Do you mold 2 of the 3 pieces and then put the 2 completed pieces in the last mold and let the third part bond to the first 2 while in the pressure pot?

Charles

[Noddle]

Nigel,

Are you currently molding the interior lens? Will you make the exterior lens in another mold and combine the 2 pieces? How would you mold a 240z taillight where the colors all meet in nice straight lines? Do you mold 2 of the 3 pieces and then put the 2 completed pieces in the last mold and let the third part bond to the first 2 while in the pressure pot?

Charles

The 240K tails lights come apart, so I'll mold each piece separate, and screw then together, just like the oem parts.

To be honest I have no idea how the 'Z' lights are setup, maybe you could make the separate colours, then join them with a clear over the top as you said.

Nigel

[Torker Man]

I love this thread!!

Let me know if doing some kits to sell!!!

[Kuro]

In for installed pics!