Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers

06-27-2006, 04:01 AM

Would anyone here be interested in a (paid) service in which I would shave off and polish away the unsightly wax-collecting raised writing on the OEM taillights and corner markers that usually look like this?

RichyVRLimited · 06-27-2006, 07:02 AM

No disrespect, but it's a 10 minute job that doesn't need the clusters removing. Unless you're willing to travel, I can't see why anyone would want their car off the road for 3-4 days for something so trivial an non-time consuming.

Mine done here,
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2254905/2

06-27-2006, 11:53 AM

Nice job!

Though I imagine members of this forum are more the DIY type, not everyone out there is as handy as you and I are and would rather have someone else do some things for them.

Just offering to help out fellow Roadster enthusiasts!

Bill

kissingurami · 07-02-2006, 03:05 AM

so how much are you charging

and i hope that's not what they will look like when they are done...

RichyVRLimited · 07-02-2006, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kissingurami @ Sun Jul 02, 2006 8:05 am

so how much are you charging

and i hope that's not what they will look like when they are done...

I doubt it cosidering the service is to remove the lettering, and the lettering is there

They'll look like mine do in my cardomain site

Ike · 07-02-2006, 02:45 PM

Here is one of mine. It took me a lot more than 10 minutes, but I think they turned out well. I do need to polish them one more time with a little bit finer grit.

2zum · 07-02-2006, 03:53 PM

mine are done too! took me about a hour but oh well

Max_Power · 09-26-2006, 06:27 PM

So guys what number grit sand paper you used?
I never done that because I was afraid that I'll make their suraface less shiny...
Did you do the whole surface - so that it would look even - or only the letters?

BTW I forgot to tell you than now al of you are illigal

I think I'll call the cops in the next miata meeting

09-26-2006, 07:02 PM

You need a professional buffer to get it shiny like new after sanding it down. When I do a lens it looks like new and was made w/o the writing.

freedomgli · 09-26-2006, 11:25 PM

I'd consider paying you for it especially since I know it takes more effort than I'm willing to personally invest to get decent results. The "how to" on the other board says it's so easy and only takes 10-15 minutes per lense (liars!) but everytime I've tried projects like this I've been dissapointed in my craftsmanship. I'd rather be chasing tail than making them with my free time.

airbrush1 · 09-26-2006, 11:25 PM

yeah, I think that most of us here are more of the DIY type.... I did a shave job on my Tails before I blacked them out... and I've done the same thing to my headlights to remove some of the pitting from years of use....

black roadster · 09-27-2006, 10:39 AM

I tried to suggest this mod to a wine and cheeser of the local Miata club and they looked at me like I was crazy. Their car looked like crap with all the caked up wax on the tails and side markers.

As for Bill's service. Ummm.. good luck with that. It really is an easy job.

tesseracter · 10-19-2006, 01:47 AM

i read the garage section of miata.net, then did it myself. i went 400 grit over the letters, then 800,1000,2000 wet sanding the entire thing(one direction, never circles) then heavy(red) polish, finishing(white) polish, then carnuba wax. mirror finish, minimal light flare, nice and bright, easy to clean. it gets tough to see your sanding once you get to 1000/2000 grit, i did the 800 and the 2000 horizontally, and the 1000 in vertical strokes so i could see when i got rid of all the marks.

it did take a bit of time, and it would be worth paying someone if your time is worth more than mine, or if you can get money faster by doing something other than manual labor.

i wonder if anyone has tried novus 1-2-3 on them after the shave.

Rogue · 03-03-2007, 12:51 PM

I just deleted mine, nice and smooth now!

06-27-2006, 04:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
MiataRoadster Guest Posts: n/a	Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers Would anyone here be interested in a (paid) service in which I would shave off and polish away the unsightly wax-collecting raised writing on the OEM taillights and corner markers that usually look like this?
MiataRoadster Guest Posts: n/a

06-27-2006, 07:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
RichyVRLimited Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 144	Re: Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers No disrespect, but it's a 10 minute job that doesn't need the clusters removing. Unless you're willing to travel, I can't see why anyone would want their car off the road for 3-4 days for something so trivial an non-time consuming. Mine done here, http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2254905/2
RichyVRLimited Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 144	__________________ 96 VR Limited: w/2001 motor, Rota Slipstreams, NB KONI Sports, MP62, FMIC, Dual Throttles, MegaSquirtII & Sequential Injection. Knocklite. LC-1. MegaView. AutoExe Exhaust. RBII nosecone. Elise Seats. & lots more

06-27-2006, 11:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
MiataRoadster Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers Nice job! Though I imagine members of this forum are more the DIY type, not everyone out there is as handy as you and I are and would rather have someone else do some things for them. Just offering to help out fellow Roadster enthusiasts! Bill
MiataRoadster Guest Posts: n/a

07-02-2006, 03:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
kissingurami Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 439	Re: Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers so how much are you charging and i hope that's not what they will look like when they are done...
kissingurami Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 439

07-02-2006, 02:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ike Jr. Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 64	Re: Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers Here is one of mine. It took me a lot more than 10 minutes, but I think they turned out well. I do need to polish them one more time with a little bit finer grit.
Ike Jr. Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 64

07-02-2006, 03:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
2zum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gahanna, Oh Posts: 185	mine are done too! took me about a hour but oh well
	__________________ http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...CT36503333.jpg http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...s/ds_125px.gif

09-26-2006, 06:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
Max_Power Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 3,822	So guys what number grit sand paper you used? I never done that because I was afraid that I'll make their suraface less shiny... Did you do the whole surface - so that it would look even - or only the letters? BTW I forgot to tell you than now al of you are illigal I think I'll call the cops in the next miata meeting
	__________________ Chris Autokonexion Kevlar bumper and fenders 2096lbs FM 2.0L Stroker+GT2560+V-mount+1000cc ID+E85+22psi->335 whp Ford Motorsport Tremec T5z 5 speed transmission 275 Hoosier Koni 3011 coilovers 900 Lbs/inch springs - Daily Driver

09-26-2006, 07:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
MiataRoadster Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers You need a professional buffer to get it shiny like new after sanding it down. When I do a lens it looks like new and was made w/o the writing.
MiataRoadster Guest Posts: n/a

09-26-2006, 11:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
freedomgli Supporting Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 12,191	I'd consider paying you for it especially since I know it takes more effort than I'm willing to personally invest to get decent results. The "how to" on the other board says it's so easy and only takes 10-15 minutes per lense (liars!) but everytime I've tried projects like this I've been dissapointed in my craftsmanship. I'd rather be chasing tail than making them with my free time.
	__________________

09-26-2006, 11:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
airbrush1 Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: BEL AIR MARYLAND Posts: 855	yeah, I think that most of us here are more of the DIY type.... I did a shave job on my Tails before I blacked them out... and I've done the same thing to my headlights to remove some of the pitting from years of use....
	__________________ my cardomain... http://www.cardomain.com/ride/832854

09-27-2006, 10:39 AM	#12 (permalink)
black roadster Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Murphy, TX Posts: 1,084	Re: Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers I tried to suggest this mod to a wine and cheeser of the local Miata club and they looked at me like I was crazy. Their car looked like crap with all the caked up wax on the tails and side markers. As for Bill's service. Ummm.. good luck with that. It really is an easy job.
	__________________ PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE. 1995 Popular Equipment Package (Black Widow) 1996 R-Package (Eve-L) 2012 CX-9 GT (Dory)

10-19-2006, 01:47 AM	#13 (permalink)
tesseracter Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 20	Re: Polished/shaved taillights and corner markers i read the garage section of miata.net, then did it myself. i went 400 grit over the letters, then 800,1000,2000 wet sanding the entire thing(one direction, never circles) then heavy(red) polish, finishing(white) polish, then carnuba wax. mirror finish, minimal light flare, nice and bright, easy to clean. it gets tough to see your sanding once you get to 1000/2000 grit, i did the 800 and the 2000 horizontally, and the 1000 in vertical strokes so i could see when i got rid of all the marks. it did take a bit of time, and it would be worth paying someone if your time is worth more than mine, or if you can get money faster by doing something other than manual labor. i wonder if anyone has tried novus 1-2-3 on them after the shave.
tesseracter Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 20

03-03-2007, 12:51 PM	#14 (permalink)
Rogue Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Propwash 16XS D/FW Posts: 376	I just deleted mine, nice and smooth now!
	__________________ 1993 Limited Edition #737 1993 Limited Edition #783 1995 M Edition gone bad!

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