These days, there are a few things that are for sure: death, taxes, and the damage a stupid driver will inflict. We parked our R/T project truck at a show, and when we returned, someone had left us a little surprise. This nameless individual decided that our truck was so cool they had to drag their vehicle down the side, break the taillight, and mar the paint. There was no apology note or insurance information, just a pile of broken plastic and the feelings of anger that washed over us. Since there was no one to take our frustrations out on, we focused that energy on fixing the problem.
So, here's the gift some A-hole left us, a broken taillight and a bunch of screwed-up paint. We got replacement lights from Stylin' Concepts to fix the broken pieces, but the paint will take a little more elbow grease to repair.
There was no fixing the taillight-it had to be replaced-and the paint would take some work to get it just right. We got the original lights from Stylin' Concepts, so we logged onto the company's website and ordered up a replacement set. While we were browsing the site, we also found microfiber towels on special, and since they will be needed for the paint repair, a few of those went into the order, as well.
To fix the paint, we went to our local AutoZone and browsed the paint section. Luckily, the store carries a full line of paint repair systems from DupliColor, and our factory Intense Blue Pearl was in stock. We grabbed the blue base, some clear, and an assortment of wet or dry sandpaper. Because we are detail freaks, all of the rubbing compounds and glaze necessary for the rest of the job were already in our cabinet.
Check out the following tech to see how we did. If you find some damage to your truck, before you drive straight to the body shop, look closely and see if you can fix it yourself. You might save the cost of a deductible payment to your insurance.