No matter how much you modify your car, headlights seem to stay the same. Though there are things you can do to make your headlights unique, most laws prohibit extensive modification of headlights since they are considered safety equipment. Painting headlights a solid color is fine for car shows, but not for driving down the road. Learn how to paint car headlights the safe and legal way and make your car stand out with custom lights.
Open the hood and find the bolts behind the headlights. Use the correct size socket on a ratchet to remove the headlights. Some cars might also have small Phillips screws that need to be removed.
Use the flathead screwdriver to unclip the wiring that is attached to the back of the headlight. Press the flat part of the screwdriver against the little plastic clip to separate the two plugs of the connection.
Place the headlights on thick newspaper so the newspaper acts like a cushion. Headlights can be scratched by concrete and other hard surfaces.
Wipe the headlights with alcohol and a microfiber towel. The microfiber towel helps remove dirt and dust without leaving fuzz on the lens of the headlight. Wipe the headlights several times, being careful to keep your fingerprints off of the front of the headlights. Fingers have natural oils that can cause a bad reaction in the paint once it has dried.
Place masking tape around the outer edges of the headlight to protect the rubber gasket around it. Paint can cause the rubber material to dry and crack. Wipe the headlight once more to make sure the surface is really clean.
Spray three or four light coats of stained glass or lens spray paint onto the entire surface of the headlight. Wait 15 minutes between each coat. The paint might look slightly fuzzy, but will dry crystal clear.
Wait 30 minutes after the last coat of paint is sprayed before applying the clear coat paint. Spray two or three coats of clear coat paint, waiting 15 minutes between each coat. The clear coat paint will look cloudy when wet, but will dry clear.
Install the lights back in the car after the headlights are completely dry, usually after three hours. Make sure the plugs on the end of the wiring are connected by pushing them in until they snap together.
