Eyelids + painting & fitting

[nytrojen]

Ok guys, I just received my eyelids from japanparts.com! Love that place! Cost me about $160 landed.

Eyelids outta the box

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Cyber-R T2 eyeline from japanparts.com

Fitment 1

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They fit quite well, the only issue is the rubber weather strip, it pushes them out, so I guess that'll have to go when it comes time to install them.

Fitment 2

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Fitment 3

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Now, to get them painted and installed will cost me about $200, so I was thinking about doing this myself and just wanna get some pointers before i attempt it. Here's my thoughts, correct me if i'm wrong.

1. Sand down surface with 800 grit - as it's gelcoat and apparently won't hold primer.

2. 2-3 coats of primer surfacer with sanding inbetween with 1200 grit

3. 2-3 coats with colour. The colour code is 35J or something like that, although my touch up bottle seems to be darker than the car colour. Is this typical? If it is, I may consider getting it professionally painted so that it matches. Sanding after the first 2 coats with 2000 grit. Polish final layer.

4. Clear coat? I have no experience with using clear coat, though I'd assume it would be necessary for metallic finish paint? If i do use clear coat, do i polish the final paint layer?

5. Polish and wax.

6. remove weather stripping from top of headlights. Clean area with metho.

7. attach eyelids with supplied double sided tape, only to the top of the lights? Or am i supposed to attach them to the front of the lenses as well? Will they pull off at speed?

8. have a stiff drink

[GTSPECB STI]

Well to start with the fitment doesn't seem right. You also should not need to remove rubber stripping to install these.

[Arith]

Wow! That's cheap for eyelids! I think I paid like $250+ for K2's.

Err, that fitment doesn't look quite right (ie- the ends seem to stick out past the headlights a bit). Normally Japanese companies are quite rigid with getting the fitment perfect. Are you sure they didn't send you the post face-lift ones by mistake?

[teK--]

Maybe they are the Mascara special edition ones

[GTB Liberty]

Wow! That's cheap for eyelids! I think I paid like $250+ for K2's.

Err, that fitment doesn't look quite right (ie- the ends seem to stick out past the headlights a bit). Normally Japanese companies are quite rigid with getting the fitment perfect. Are you sure they didn't send you the post face-lift ones by mistake?

Sorry have to agree on the fitment.

[nytrojen]

Wow! That's cheap for eyelids! I think I paid like $250+ for K2's.

Err, that fitment doesn't look quite right (ie- the ends seem to stick out past the headlights a bit). Normally Japanese companies are quite rigid with getting the fitment perfect. Are you sure they didn't send you the post face-lift ones by mistake?

Sorry have to agree on the fitment.

I definitely ordered the correct pair. applied A-C model. In the flesh they look like they'll fit perfectly once i remove the weather stripping.

Here's what they're supposed to look like:

[Arith]

You're probably right. Instead of the usual strip, it looks like they've added that top bit to extend it under the bonnet and minimise the gap between the eye lid and the bonnet. Still uncomfortable about having to cut a bit of weather strip to fit it though. Good luck!

[nytrojen]

You're probably right. Instead of the usual strip, it looks like they've added that top bit to extend it under the bonnet and minimise the gap between the eye lid and the bonnet. Still uncomfortable about having to cut a bit of weather strip to fit it though. Good luck!

The weather strip is just glued on, and seems to peel off quite easily, so it shouldn't be too much of a prob

[nytrojen]

UPDATE:

Photos of the painted lids! I did a pretty decent job, if i do say so myself

Painted 1

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Painted 2

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Painted 3

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Final clear coat

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STICKERED!!

Stickered

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[Wasbxt]

Nice job mate.....very professional.....didn't know you can buy subaru paint in pressure packs.

[nytrojen]

Nice job mate.....very professional.....didn't know you can buy subaru paint in pressure packs.

Thanks! Took the whole day of painting and sanding, but I'm a perfectionist

As for the paint, I just went to my local autobarn and they mixed up a can of my colour just from the colour code. Cost $30 for it, which is pretty decent. All the painting supplies cost me $65 all up.

[Arith]

Looks good! Great job for a DIY! Do you have any shots from the front or top-down?

[teK--]

Nice job on the DIY mate, the best way to go IMHO .

[nytrojen]

No pics from the top down yet. I haven't actually installed them yet. The clear coat is still drying. Need to leave it for a couple of days to cure enough before i can polish it down to achieve a perfectly smooth and glassy surface. I just took pics of them in place

[GTB Liberty]

No pics from the top down yet. I haven't actually installed them yet. The clear coat is still drying. Need to leave it for a couple of days to cure enough before i can polish it down to achieve a perfectly smooth and glassy surface. I just took pics of them in place

Noice job.

Kudos for the DYI.