Metal Skull

I've notice my headlights look like crap ever since I purchased my C6 pre-owned, but never knew what the real issue was. I tried cleaning, waxing, you name it, but the surface always had these weird blotchy dull spots with horrible pitting. I started to wonder if the issue was on the inside of the headlights, but that wouldn't explain the pitting and the cost to replace them was just not worth it (would rather add more HP).

Last time I was getting an oil change, my Service Tech @ Marvin K. Brown (in Mission Valley) pointed out that they are actually de-laminating! He told me they work with a headlight restoration company (http://www.lenzsaver.com) that comes to their facility. I made an appointment for this Wednesday. The cost I was quoted for this service is $179 and takes around 3 hours. I can't remember if that cost is per light or for both. Either way it is cheaper than replacing them and supposedly the restoration caries a warranty.

Has anyone tried this service? I am really excited about it. I will post before and after pictures afterwards.

RoHo

I have never heard of this but it sounds interesting, you know you can buy them from the General (whoops, I should say the Goverment) for only $800.00 each.

There was a guy in the C6 For Sale section that was selling new clear lens for $225 a pair but haven't see him on there for a while. I guess it's a bear to get the old lens off, he said you had to cut and grind the original lens off the base.

Mine are also pitted, so if you go for it, let us know what you think of the final results.

Earlier in the year a few of us Varmits did a Very Spirited Drive up and down the PCH to Monterey and back and even the lower parking/fog lights took a beating from the fine sand along the coast, how are yours looking?

rwpatte

The pitting is caused by rock, sand or anything else thrown up by other vehicles, or in the wind. Normal over a period of time. Replacement is about $1000 each plus installation. Front bumper needs to come off.
The lenses are made of a type of acrylic. Thats not the problem when it comes to polishing. Acrlyic can be polished taking the pits out.
Here is what you run into polishing them. The headlamps and fog lamps are coated with some kind of material to minimize pitting. Windshields on boats with wipers are equipped to prevent scratches.
Polishing the lamps to remove the pitting will cause you to break through that coating. This will be very obvious. BEWARE before you start this. Part of your lenses are behind the bumper. I played around with a couple of spares. I was able to polish one foglamp after sanding to remove the coating. If they ever go back on a car they will pit easier.

P.S. The front bumper has to come off to replace H/Lamps, lenses. Foglamps are fitted inside front bumper. I got my old ones after they were replaced. The lenses look like they would be hard to replace easily and reseal.

Metal Skull

Regarding your question on my fogs, they are undoubtedly pitted. But I use my fogs much less and they are out of view so it isn't that noticable. I am also considering buying black-outs for them or getting them lightly tinted.

As for my main lenses, the problem is that the "coating" you mention is actually already damaged pretty bad and is visibly coming off. For a while I thought it was a really bad water stain on the surface of the inside or outside of the lense. It's to the point where I hate to back my car in anywhere because the lenses look so bad. I tried polishing with an electric polisher but it had no effect. It wasn't till the service tech actually showed me the lamination was coming off till I realized what the problem was. If you run a fingernail on the surface of the lense, you can actually feel it catch at the edges of where the lamination is gone.

I am planning on taking some high-res images. If this works out, might have them do my fogs as well. I'll be sure to let everyone know because I can see this as a major savings for most owners!

Duke/Earl

Are you sure you don't have an after market protective plastic film on the lens'?

rwpatte

No, this was on my red ZO6 I bought new. I believe it was applied in a wet flow process. Earl if this was addressed to me.

Sorry Earl, missed last posting.

Duke/Earl

I was referring to "suckaterrace" as he described feeling the edges of whatever was on there. Also he bought it used. Who knows what may have been put on there.

Ed 718

I was thinking the same exact thing.

Metal Skull

The "edge" I am referring to is extremely thin- probably thinner than suran wrap, window tint, or clear coat paint. It is barely noticable when trying to "feel" it and the naked eye may not even be able to see the thickness of it. That is why I thought it was simply a really bad water/chemical stain in the surface of the headlight till it was pointed out to me that the lamination is simply coming off. And although the thickness is practically microscopic, the appearance of it is VERY noticable. That combined with 4-5 years of pitting (it's a 2005) really makes it look like crap.

Supposedly the chemicals and process they use is able to remove the UV lamination that is applied from the manufacturer. From there, I assume, they use some sort of grinding process to remove the pitting and buff the lense surface down to a shine. Then I am told they re-coat it with a new UV protectant material that comes with a lifetime warranty. This is what I know so far!

RoHo

Recently there was some discussion on the forum regarding some type of clear bra type plastic for the headlights, some guy's had trouble with headlight crazing after they put in on their lights and another guy had his on for three years and no problem what so ever, they determinded that it has something to do with the thickness of the film and I'm sure the product they used.

I know if I'm paying $175 to get the lens looking good again, I will find out what type of film will work without hurting the lens again.

Then I will get my new windsheild and get it clear coated, Earl told me to do when it was new but we had an MVCC run before I could get it installed, and that one run was all it took and there was no tuning back, the damage was done. Life ain't easy at a buck 80.

Earl has had his done for nearly 3 years and it still looks good and next time I will listen.

Live and learn

RoHo

Hey Guy's

I just popped over to the C6 parts forum and this same guy has new clear lens available again for $230.00 a set.

Pat - do you want to give up one of those pitted headlights for a little expermentaion on how hard it would be to take off the old lens?

Metal Skull

Here are some hi-res (before) pics:

rwpatte

That is the coating I was talking about That is the way it comes from the factory. I have never seen it peel like that.

Old coating has to come off and pitting sanded off. Then polished. IMHO

rwpatte

I;m in the process of polishing them right now. I'll look at them and see how hard it is to take the lens off. I know the bumper has to comeoff to replace them. The one I'm working on is still attached to the assembly

OctaneGuy

Maybe the previous owner had a detailer that tried to correct it, or even polish it thinking he was improving it, instead of degrading it.

rwpatte

I looked closely at the lenses and how they were attached to the housing.There was a sealing bead going all the way around the lenses where it attaches to the housing. Examing it, no way I could see removing the lenses and replacing it out breaking some of the housing.
Where are the lenses for $230 coming from? No dealer has a listing.

RoHo

Pat, there shown in the C6 For Sale section, something about Both Right and Left Len's Now For Sale posted by RL Sebring.

One of the guy's that bought a pair of lens was talking about using a heat gun to warm the edge of the lens where it bonds to the housing and used a flat blade screw driver to pry up the edge and said once he had it started it was a little bit of a struggle but with the heat it came off clean.

If your polish job doesn't come out to clean why don't you give it a try?
What have you got to lose?

I had a broken C6 headlight at one time before these lens were available but ended up trashing it, sould have kept it to experiment on.

rwpatte

I looked at at the postings from him. I think he is getting his units from salvage cars. He does seem to know wat he's doing. It does look like a work out. This is just a project to see if I can polish them up as new. I have finshed one of the fog lights. Polishing is slow. Too much pressure and you burn the acrylic. I use a Baldor which may be too aggressive even with a loose woven wheel. That whole assemby is quite complicated.

Metal Skull

Okay here are my first "after" pics (just took these). You will notice I have dust all over from parking under a palm tree for a few minutes, but I wanted to post what I have so far to keep this thread going. I was told not to touch the lenses or wash them for at least 24 hours because the new coating needs to cure. Here are some additional notes:

1. The service took a good 3+ hours to complete. It may take less time for someone with lenses in better condition, but mine were pretty bad. Considering the service was a flat fee of about 180 bucks, this is a pretty good deal when you consider dealership labor rates plus materials.

2. The pitting is completely gone. The surface of each lense is shiny and smooth. I am no longer ashamed of them! In fact, I am considering going back to get my fogs done but am struggling on whether I want to just black them out instead.

3. They completely removed the factory coating, sanded/polished them, and re-coated them.

4. My lenses are still a little "foggy" in parts, but the fog is on the inside of them. I understand this is common to C6 headlights because there are vents that allow water to get inside them (which can then evaporate).

5. The service caries a 1-year warranty. The warranty remains in place for the "lifetime" of the purchaser IF the vehicle is brought for lens maintenance yearly. The maintenance fee is $50 each year but they re-polish and re-coat the lenses each time.

6. So far I am happy with the results. Do they look BRAND NEW with crystal-clear clarity? Close, but not quite. However they are 90% better looking for about 900 bucks cheaper than buying new headlights and having them replaced! It should also be noted that mine were in horrible condition to begin with. Someone with less pitting, coating issues and fogginess would probably come out looking practically new.

In summary, if you are considering replacing your lights, I highly recommend trying this service first!

Initial pics follow (I will post more this weekend after washing her):

rwpatte

They turned out great! Lot easier than replacing the lenses.