Faded VP tail lights

[holdenrules]

Whoever made these bloody tail lights for these cars should be taken out the back and shot. I have not seen any VP's (and VN's) without faded rear lights.

I am on my third set of tail lights now and as they are the Calais ones (with the chrome strips) they are not available from Holden any more and wreckers only have Exec or if you're lucky Berlina lights (which have grey painted strips). I have been ever so careful with them, by always facing the front of the car towards the sun where ever I park, but the bloody things still fade.

So here's my question: can they be painted or sprayed red on the inside to give them their colour back? Yes, I know I can get red coloured globes (I've seen completely clear tail lights on eBay!) but the faded tail lights themselve would still look crap.

What have you guys done (apart from replacing the whole light)?

[-UNKNOWN-]

Id tint them a bit with nite shades and put coloured globes in. Still have the chrome strip too.

[holdenrules]

Nope, no tinting at all, I like them stock original, plus I don't want some moron running into the back of me using the excuse they couldn't see my lights! Plus the fact they are not ADR compliant and illegal.

[-UNKNOWN-]

Illegal Shmeagal... Ive had tinted lights on just about every car I own.. Never had a problem. All ya gotta do is not give it 100 coats... simple. Even my girfriends pulsar has tinted lights, and her previous car 323 had it done.

[holdenrules]

Here a novel idea that might be worth a try, I wonder how well it would stick ...

http://www.jdmuniverse.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=47403

I think the only other thing to do would be some glass paint from a craft shop

[Burt_vn]

how about you go buy some red tail lights....you can buy them just about anywhere... i have clear tail lights...if i put a standard brake globe in its white...red globe = red through a clear casing...red globe through a red casing = nice and red..
Or seriously, if you cant find red globes...fill your tail light with red cellophane...laugh if you may, but it will work a treat and cost you nothing.

[hakhawk]

goto any spare parts shop, autobarn, supercheap, repco.

they will have red and orange lens dye, for the sole purpose of retinting faded tail lights.

buy some of that and go nuts.

[Morton]

Are you sure it isn't a water leak behind the light that's causing the fade? I always assumed this was the reason for it, as some cars only fade on one side - and you often find that this is the side water is leaking in from (the seals on VN/P tail lights leak chronically if imperfect). My VP has perfect seals (touched up with sicaflex just in case... let's hope I never need to get them off) and are still rich and red after 15 years.

[pow3rslave]

fill your tail light with red cellophane...laugh if you may, but it will work a treat and cost you nothing.

cellophane's a wood product, so i probably wouldn't do that. light globe/heat+wood products tend to react badly (although fire is cool)

[holdenrules]

Are you sure it isn't a water leak behind the light that's causing the fade? I always assumed this was the reason for it, as some cars only fade on one side - and you often find that this is the side water is leaking in from (the seals on VN/P tail lights leak chronically if imperfect). My VP has perfect seals (touched up with sicaflex just in case... let's hope I never need to get them off) and are still rich and red after 15 years.

Nope, no leaks, but I think I may have got a set from a bad batch from the manufacturer (I think it's Hella?). They've been on the car for about 8 years, paid a friggin' fourtune for them new from Holden spare parts. But whose to know they would do this in the years ahead ...

Looks like you must have got one from a better batch when they were first made as mine are newer but obvious lesser quality

As for tinting them dark or replacing them with clear, that's not for me ...

[1991_Vn2nV]

Motorbike stores etc. and even repco and some automotive stores sell red 'lense' spray for this purpose.