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Porsche 993: How to Black Out Your Headlights

Tinting your headlights is so simple that even a novice DIYer who doesn't know the difference between a Phillips and a flat head screwdriver can do it.

By William Henderson - April 7, 2015

This article applies to the Porsche 993 (1993-1998).

Tinting or blacking-out your headlights is a mod that's becoming increasingly more popular. It's an easy way to change the look of your car without spending a fortune. It's mostly an aesthetic mod and won't affect your ride's performance at all, but owners of dark-colored Porsche 993s report that how their cars look after is well worth the time involved. Be sure to check laws in your state about driving with "blacked-out" headlights. Some states don't allow it.

Materials Needed

  • Masking tape
  • Painter's tape (optional)
  • Scruffing pad (like a Brillo pad)
  • Tinting paint
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Paper towels

Step 1 – Prepare to apply tinting paint

Clean headlight with rubbing alcohol and dry with paper towels. This removes dirt and other debris (e.g., dead bugs) from your headlights.

Step 2 – Scuff headlights

Use scuffing pad (e.g., Brillo pad) to scuff each of your headlights. This will help the tinting paint stick better to the headlight.

Figure 1. Scuff headlights to better prepare them for the coats of tinting paint.

Step 3 – Mask off headlight

Use masking tape (or painter’s tape) to block off area surrounding headlight. Be sure to cover anything you don’t want to paint. Aim to cover far more than you think you should. Better to tape off too much than not enough.

Figure 2. Tape off parts of your car that you don't want to paint. Over-taping is better than under-taping.

Step 4 – Apply tinting paint

Spray one coat of tinting paint on each headlight. Let dry for about 10 to 20 minutes. Apply second coat, and let dry for between 10 and 20 minutes.

Figure 3. Use tinting paint to create desired blacked-out effect.

Step 5 – Test headlight effect

Turn on headlights and see how “blacked out” they look. If they’re as blacked out as you want, then turn off headlights and let the paint dry, which it should in about an hour. If you want your headlights to appear dimmer, then apply additional coats – waiting between 10 and 20 minutes for each coat – until the lights look how you want them to look.

Figure 4. Before wrapping up the project, be sure to turn on your headlights and make sure you've achieved your desired effect.

Step 6 – Let paint dry

Give the tinting paint at least one hour to dry before removing the masking (or painter’s) tape.

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