When it comes to custom bolt-on accessories, there is definitely a limit to just how custom a certain item can be, especially when you pull up next to a truck only to recognize annoyingly familiar modifications. Tinted taillights, whether they are stock or aftermarket pieces, can make a huge difference in the appearance of your truck's side and rear profile, which makes them a common sight on the street. The cost and skill required for the procedure is usually quite minimal depending on the actual products used, which is even more reason to go for it.
As we were wrapping up the rear end refresher article for our '00 Chevy S-10 last issue, we kept staring at the set of Anzo USA LED taillights that were used to update the look of its rump. The improvement of appearance and illumination over the stock tails was vast, but the yearning for something just a little bit different finally prompted some action. Instead of tinting the new LED taillights with a few coats of darker paint, we thought painting them a uniform, deep red color would be a great change of pace to the tried and true method of smoking. For this, we again turned to Matt Means and Tom Prewitt of Department of Customz, in Anaheim, California, to wield the spray guns as they poured a little House of Kolor BrandyWine Kandy color over the Anzo USA LED lights.
The Anzo USA tail and third...
The Anzo USA tail and third brake lights looked amazing right out of the box but we just had to see how they looked dipped in House of Kolor Kandy!
After each lamp was carefully...
After each lamp was carefully masked off and thoroughly scuffed with a Scotch-Brite pad for optimum paint adhesion, Matt then positioned the lights onto the painting table inside of the spray booth. Each lamp was propped up to ensure even paint coverage to the edges.
It was now time for the House...
It was now time for the House of Kolor AP01 adhesion promoter BrandyWine Kandy to be loaded into Matt's spray gun. After receiving three coats of urethane enamel and two thick layers of clear coat, the Anzo USA lights were left to dry overnight.
After wet-sanding with super...
After wet-sanding with super fine grit paper, Matt applied System One's X3 cutting polish to each lamp...
...and buffed to a gleaming,...
...and buffed to a gleaming, ruby red luster using a DA sander and micro-fiber cloth.