Caution when blacking out your headlights...
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,375
Likes: 8
From: Seattle, WA
C55
Caution when blacking out your headlights...
DO NOT PUT ANY SORT OF CLEANER ON THE REFLECTIVE CHROME PART OF THE HEADLIGHT!!!
My buddy and I took apart my headlights to black them out the other day when we discovered that the reflective paint on the headlight housing comes off with almost any cleaning solvent (even ones that say safe for plastic), masking tape or even your finger nail.
So I now have blacked out housings but my passenger side headlight has an ugly yellow spot where the reflective chrome came off and I sprayed with a tinting spray to try to hide it a little bit.
It still doesn't look good at all and since the ballast burnt out on it I'm going to just buy a used bi-xenon headlight
Sigh. At least the paint job on the shroud or what not of the headlights looks awesome after cleaning, sanding and painting in a booth.
Pics to come.
My buddy and I took apart my headlights to black them out the other day when we discovered that the reflective paint on the headlight housing comes off with almost any cleaning solvent (even ones that say safe for plastic), masking tape or even your finger nail.
So I now have blacked out housings but my passenger side headlight has an ugly yellow spot where the reflective chrome came off and I sprayed with a tinting spray to try to hide it a little bit.
It still doesn't look good at all and since the ballast burnt out on it I'm going to just buy a used bi-xenon headlight
Sigh. At least the paint job on the shroud or what not of the headlights looks awesome after cleaning, sanding and painting in a booth.
Pics to come.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,375
Likes: 8
From: Seattle, WA
C55
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
From: Tampa, Florida
2005 c55amg, 2000 clk430, 2002 clk55amg, 2008 clk63amg black series
be sure to use good high heat paint....mine are starting to peel where the headlight meets the inside cover, so im going to have to remove them again and repaint them again. what paint did u use if i may ask?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,144
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, B.C. Canada
05 C55
no offense to anyone who likes this look (to each their own) but imo, i think it cheapens the look of the car by a lot. nothing wrong with contrast and this mod is overkill.
i hope you get your replacement and have it squared away. i hate that feeling.
i hope you get your replacement and have it squared away. i hate that feeling.
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,375
Likes: 8
From: Seattle, WA
C55
You have different bi-xenons on your c55 than mine. Are they the CLK ones? The reflector part and the projector are attached to the headlight assembly. The only part we painted was the chrome piece that was screwed into the lens cover. Plus, I like having the projector part still shiny to offset the darkness of the shroud or whatever you call it.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,424
Likes: 3
From: New York City
C55 ///AMG, 535xi
I understand. I personally think it flows much better with the car now since my car and grill are black (well, 3m cf) and I had to take apart one of my headlights anyway to clean out the dirt and grime that got in it when the headlight bulb burnt the housing. Not that it matters anymore since I ordered a whole new housing lol. It should be squared away (I haven't said squared away since I was active duty...) hopefully by the end of this week when it comes in!
You have different bi-xenons on your c55 than mine. Are they the CLK ones? The reflector part and the projector are attached to the headlight assembly. The only part we painted was the chrome piece that was screwed into the lens cover. Plus, I like having the projector part still shiny to offset the darkness of the shroud or whatever you call it.
You have different bi-xenons on your c55 than mine. Are they the CLK ones? The reflector part and the projector are attached to the headlight assembly. The only part we painted was the chrome piece that was screwed into the lens cover. Plus, I like having the projector part still shiny to offset the darkness of the shroud or whatever you call it.
yah, those are facelift CLK bi-xenons
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,375
Likes: 8
From: Seattle, WA
C55
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 6
From: Corona, CA
03 g35 coupe...........02 c32 Sold
usually peeling is the result of either not cleaning the surface before applying the paint or not using primer and just straight paint.
I know in the eagle eyes they don't even bother using primer on the blacked out head lights, thats why the paint begins the peel. When i repainted it, it was a much better quality then the stock eagle eyes.
I just use high temp engine paint. I've never had peeling on any of my retros.
I know in the eagle eyes they don't even bother using primer on the blacked out head lights, thats why the paint begins the peel. When i repainted it, it was a much better quality then the stock eagle eyes.
I just use high temp engine paint. I've never had peeling on any of my retros.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 2
From: bay area, california
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
dude i found you! haha everyone should listen to your advice on the c55, you've done more with yours than most guys here could imagine. you don't have a c63...lol
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,375
Likes: 8
From: Seattle, WA
C55
I got my new headlight in the mail the other day and finally had the time to swap headlights and the black housing lens over.
The light was off of a CLK with the bi-xenons and works just fine but it has an extra box on the cover that goes over the main HID light. The c55 I had did not have this and all the wires went from the ballast. The light I have now has wires that goes to what looks like a voltage regulator in the "lid" of the headlight and I have no idea what it does other than it works lol.
Heres some new pics of the light and better pics of it on the car.
The light was off of a CLK with the bi-xenons and works just fine but it has an extra box on the cover that goes over the main HID light. The c55 I had did not have this and all the wires went from the ballast. The light I have now has wires that goes to what looks like a voltage regulator in the "lid" of the headlight and I have no idea what it does other than it works lol.
Heres some new pics of the light and better pics of it on the car.
