Headlight restoration?
#25
Burning Brakes
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Why not try the Meguire Plastic cleaner set? It is made for headlight lenses and is FAR, FAR less expensive. I have a set that I'm going to try on my daughter's car. I will post an opinion after.
#26
Burning Brakes
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Price is for both.
I have seen kits available to the public that can be purchased cheaper, but I'm willing to pay the extra hundred bucks for someone who is experienced, has all the right tools, and can guarantee the job will be done perfectly. Not to mention it came with a warranty. So it was definitely worth it to me!
I will post some more pics in the next day or so after I wash her.
I have seen kits available to the public that can be purchased cheaper, but I'm willing to pay the extra hundred bucks for someone who is experienced, has all the right tools, and can guarantee the job will be done perfectly. Not to mention it came with a warranty. So it was definitely worth it to me!
I will post some more pics in the next day or so after I wash her.
#27
Pro
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I've been doing plastice lenses for years. I have a detail shop and do them as a normal part of a complete detail. I also have a process of re-clear coating the lens for lights that have been removed from the car. I won't do a car with the light installed due to over-spray. There is no perfect fix short of complete replacement, but this the next best thing.
#28
Just my $.02
I dont know since I did not read every thread but did anybody talk about the coating? If not its called Hardcoating and is used on plastic lenses to resist scratching and wear. Same stuff used on eyeglasses and such. When you sand and polish or remove this coating the lenses will require higher maintenance. We use the same coatings in aviation. I m sure its expensive but these should be re coated after polish. Just look up aviation hard coating.
#29
Drifting
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St. Jude Donor '10
They sure look good! I hope it lasts a few years.
Meguiars has a new Heavy Duty Headlight Restoration Kit for $30. It includes a 1000 & 3000 grit foam backed sanding disc, a hand pad, a buffing pad that attaches to your drill motor, some PlastX polish, headlight & plastic restorer & a microfiber towel. The important part of the kit is the plastic restorer, which isn't availabe as a seperate item right now. You can hand sand, then M105 to polish, maybe PlastX if needed, but then you would need some type of protective coating, maybe the clear film like a clear bra type material?
This kit just came out, and I used it on a friends Ranger truck, with plastic headlights that had turned yellow. The lights came out perfectly clear, as good as new.
It would be nice to try and polish a C6 headlight, if anybody has a donor to experiment with.
Removing the front bumper isn't that bad, I have done it on a C6. The hardest part was getting the spring clip by the hood, along the top of the bumper by the headlight to release. With the bumper off, the headlights come out with 4 nuts. The bolts along the top of the front fenders need to be removed as well.
Meguiars has a new Heavy Duty Headlight Restoration Kit for $30. It includes a 1000 & 3000 grit foam backed sanding disc, a hand pad, a buffing pad that attaches to your drill motor, some PlastX polish, headlight & plastic restorer & a microfiber towel. The important part of the kit is the plastic restorer, which isn't availabe as a seperate item right now. You can hand sand, then M105 to polish, maybe PlastX if needed, but then you would need some type of protective coating, maybe the clear film like a clear bra type material?
This kit just came out, and I used it on a friends Ranger truck, with plastic headlights that had turned yellow. The lights came out perfectly clear, as good as new.
It would be nice to try and polish a C6 headlight, if anybody has a donor to experiment with.
Removing the front bumper isn't that bad, I have done it on a C6. The hardest part was getting the spring clip by the hood, along the top of the bumper by the headlight to release. With the bumper off, the headlights come out with 4 nuts. The bolts along the top of the front fenders need to be removed as well.
#30
Melting Slicks
Well my headlight has started to peel (07 33k) also and the other headlight has like condensation stains on the the inside, so I took the advice from this thread and made an appt with BG's Lenzsaver(.com) for tomorrow, Ill post results afterwards, thanks CF!
#33
Melting Slicks
So I show up and they don't wanna touch it, said in a few months it'll look like crap. They don't relaminate them. Now I appreciate their honesty they could've easily taken my money. They refer me back to Chevy to see if they will " good will" replacements seeing as I'm under 36k but over 3yrs. So fingers crossed I run over to Chevy and low and behold they hook me up! New lights are gonna be ordered providing there is no TSB, (which I don't believe there is), only other option was to take to a body shop, sand and re-clear or buy new lights.
Last edited by jpuli28; 03-18-2011 at 04:00 PM.
#34
Supporting Vendor
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St. Jude Donor '17
So I show up and they don't wanna touch it, said in a few months it'll look like crap. They don't relaminate them. Now I appreciate their honesty they could've easily taken my money. They refer me back to Chevy to see they will " good will" replacements seeing as I'm under 36k but over 3yrs. So fingers crossed I run over to Chevy and low and behold they hook me up! New lights are gonna be ordered providing there is no TSB, (which I don't believe there is), only other option was to take to a body shop, sand and re-clear or buy new lights.
The other option is to replace your lens. PM me for info if interested.
#35
Pro
Fixed Lens VS Pop Up lights
All the older Corvettes with pop up headlights...C5, C4 and especially the C3 looked pretty ugly with the lights in the up position. The fixed lights on the C6 make the car look better when the lights are on...but I'm beginning to wonder if they are more trouble then their worth?? We just traded expensive headlight motors...for expensive plastic covers.
You would think, with all the modern technology, car makers could make a plastic lens that could hold up against the Sun and all the other elements. Some of the early Ford Taurus headlights went completely white/yellow
I know it would add more weight....but I wonder if they have considered a glass lens, such as on an Jag XKE?
You would think, with all the modern technology, car makers could make a plastic lens that could hold up against the Sun and all the other elements. Some of the early Ford Taurus headlights went completely white/yellow
I know it would add more weight....but I wonder if they have considered a glass lens, such as on an Jag XKE?
#36
Instructor
As we all know, this whole headlight situation is becoming an epidemic...I deal with them on a daily basis...I have been restoring lenses for over 10 years and have the experience that comes with it. I am also an editor for Autodetailingnetwork.com where I have a column on headlight lens restoral hints and tips.
When it comes to proper Headlight Lens Restoral, recoating with a sacrficial UV coating is the only way to go.........IMO
In the past, automotive manufacturers provided vehicles with glass headlights lenses, but they were limited to sizes and shapes. The creation of polycarbonate headlight lenses allowed manufacturers to save money, weight and introduce all new shapes and sizes for improved radical looks and styling.
As you can see polycarbonate headlight lenses have many advantages but they also have a major dissadvantage, failure. Oxidation and discoloration is caused by having your headlights on or being exposed to the heat of the day. This ultimately causes the pores to open allowing debris from the road to get in and bond to the lens. Debris, together with a combination of environmental factors such as the sun (UV rays), car exhaust, acid rain, dew, fog and harsh chemicals used to wash you car can cause the plastic headlight lenses to become oxidized.
In the construction of the lights a top layer of plastic on the headlights is applied that contains a UV polymer that retards or slows down the aging of the plastic lens. Therefore, it is important to use a polish (containing UV polymers) or UV coating to slow down the oxidation or discoloration of the lens. Maintaining the polycarbonate lens by washing, waxing, and polishing a minimum of every three months, can help avoid damage to the headlight lens. Do not clean lenses with harsh chemicals or detergents, scouring pads or abrasive shop rags. Use a soft genuine Microfiber towel for maintaining your headlight lens lustre. Parking your car in the shade or garage reduces the amount of UV damage and helps in maintaining a clearer longer lasting lens.
While polycarbonate headlights help reduce vehicle weight and withstand impact, oxidation and sunlight can dull the surface, turn it yellow or leave it cloudy and scratched. This means the light from the headlights is diffused and not focused correctly on the roadway, which limits visibility in the dark and in bad weather conditions. Not only can the driver of the vehicle not see the roadway, the vehicle also is also less visible to other cars. With the average age of vehicles on U.S. streets today approximately 10 years, the safety problem is growing.
OTC Headlight Restoral Kits are nothing but a temporary fix, failure to recoat will further damage the lens. While these scuff and buff kits work great for the quick fix, it's not a long term solution.
UV cured coating mentioned above renews plastic headlights clarity while improving vehicle and appearance. This UV cured coating technology provides superior durability. Coating cures quickly and its end results will increase light output by 200%. A UV curing lamp must be used for this repair, consult a professional technician to do the right job!
I am currently testing a 2 part wipe on coating which requires no UV curing lamp, something I came across at last years SEMA show....
So the right choice is the obvious......if your Covettes lights are in need of restoration, save some money and have them recoated.
When it comes to proper Headlight Lens Restoral, recoating with a sacrficial UV coating is the only way to go.........IMO
In the past, automotive manufacturers provided vehicles with glass headlights lenses, but they were limited to sizes and shapes. The creation of polycarbonate headlight lenses allowed manufacturers to save money, weight and introduce all new shapes and sizes for improved radical looks and styling.
As you can see polycarbonate headlight lenses have many advantages but they also have a major dissadvantage, failure. Oxidation and discoloration is caused by having your headlights on or being exposed to the heat of the day. This ultimately causes the pores to open allowing debris from the road to get in and bond to the lens. Debris, together with a combination of environmental factors such as the sun (UV rays), car exhaust, acid rain, dew, fog and harsh chemicals used to wash you car can cause the plastic headlight lenses to become oxidized.
In the construction of the lights a top layer of plastic on the headlights is applied that contains a UV polymer that retards or slows down the aging of the plastic lens. Therefore, it is important to use a polish (containing UV polymers) or UV coating to slow down the oxidation or discoloration of the lens. Maintaining the polycarbonate lens by washing, waxing, and polishing a minimum of every three months, can help avoid damage to the headlight lens. Do not clean lenses with harsh chemicals or detergents, scouring pads or abrasive shop rags. Use a soft genuine Microfiber towel for maintaining your headlight lens lustre. Parking your car in the shade or garage reduces the amount of UV damage and helps in maintaining a clearer longer lasting lens.
While polycarbonate headlights help reduce vehicle weight and withstand impact, oxidation and sunlight can dull the surface, turn it yellow or leave it cloudy and scratched. This means the light from the headlights is diffused and not focused correctly on the roadway, which limits visibility in the dark and in bad weather conditions. Not only can the driver of the vehicle not see the roadway, the vehicle also is also less visible to other cars. With the average age of vehicles on U.S. streets today approximately 10 years, the safety problem is growing.
OTC Headlight Restoral Kits are nothing but a temporary fix, failure to recoat will further damage the lens. While these scuff and buff kits work great for the quick fix, it's not a long term solution.
UV cured coating mentioned above renews plastic headlights clarity while improving vehicle and appearance. This UV cured coating technology provides superior durability. Coating cures quickly and its end results will increase light output by 200%. A UV curing lamp must be used for this repair, consult a professional technician to do the right job!
I am currently testing a 2 part wipe on coating which requires no UV curing lamp, something I came across at last years SEMA show....
So the right choice is the obvious......if your Covettes lights are in need of restoration, save some money and have them recoated.
Last edited by Innovative714; 03-19-2011 at 09:18 PM.
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mbsnmisc (03-12-2017)
#37
Headlight Restoration can cure your light but beware!!
My name is Mark Knapik and I own AA Mobile Headlight Restoration in Sacramento.To let you know all Polycarbonate headlight lenses will Pitt,haze and peel!!! The trick is fining someone that can do the right job restoring them for you. Most methods is the polish process which should get them clear but a short time fix because they were not sealed.If sealed most sealers again are a short time fix the automotive industry game wanting you to buy new headlights guess what they have to remove and reinstall money for them. Most dealerships will polish or will recoat them with the clear coat from cars again short time fix. I have a lot of info on my site that can answer most question take a look.
aamobileheadlightrestoration.com you can also e-mail me at aacclearlynow@yahoo.com Be Safe & Look Good
aamobileheadlightrestoration.com you can also e-mail me at aacclearlynow@yahoo.com Be Safe & Look Good