Repairing Headlights

[Black_02_GT]

Have any of you guys actually tried repairing headlights due to oxidation/road grim? I just attempted to do mine and from what i can see it looks pretty darn good if i do say so myself. Im just curious about how long this will last? Process:
1: Sand down with 1000 grit 3m sandpaper to get all the rough spots out.
2: Final sand with 2000 grit 3m sandpaper to achieve as smooth a surface as possible.
3: Cheap-o Walmart Buffer with Meguiar's PlastX until clear.
4: Not really a necessary step but i used the 3m scratch remover as well with the buffer.
5: Whip clean!

 

[rabidscoobie]

I did mine on my old gt but I used a kit for them.It turned out really good...for about a year then it all came backto about what it was before I did it.The kit was basicly everything almost that you listed,I then added the steps of using Plastx stuff and Mcguirers ScratchX.It might of lasted longer if I would have bought the vinyl film protector for the lights but I never got it.

 

[RedDaemon]

before:

after:

i applied a gloss clear coat over it and has been lookin good for almost a year now

 

[Spro]

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=536689

 

[Black_02_GT]

thanks for pointing out that 3rd brake light! i had totally forgotten i had scratches on it too

 

[smokin00GT]

That is just unbelieveable! Looks awesome. Wanna do mine too? LOL

 

[Black_02_GT]

nighthawk, what kind of clear coat did you use?

 

[RedDaemon]

im pretty sure it was kraylon. i cant confirm that right now since im out of state but ill be back in a few days (monday night prob)

 

[89lxsport50]

Have any of you guys actually tried repairing headlights due to oxidation/road grim? I just attempted to do mine and from what i can see it looks pretty darn good if i do say so myself. Im just curious about how long this will last? Process:
1: Sand down with 1000 grit 3m sandpaper to get all the rough spots out.
2: Final sand with 2000 grit 3m sandpaper to achieve as smooth a surface as possible.
3: Cheap-o Walmart Buffer with Meguiar's PlastX until clear.
4: Not really a necessary step but i used the 3m scratch remover as well with the buffer.
5: Whip clean!

I've done this to the clear headlights on my 89 and it worked great. The lights on my 02 are now in need of attention, but since they are the factory smoked lenses I was worried the sanding would remove the color. Are you saying the sanding didn't damage the coating / film or whatever it is on the lights? If so, I'm off to buy some sandpaper!

 

[2000fordstanggt]

I've done this to the clear headlights on my 89 and it worked great. The lights on my 02 are now in need of attention, but since they are the factory smoked lenses I was worried the sanding would remove the color. Are you saying the sanding didn't damage the coating / film or whatever it is on the lights? If so, I'm off to buy some sandpaper!

though i dont have a stock headlamp assembly in front of me, im pretty sure the lense on the 01-04 smoked boys is clear, and the relector on the inside is whats actually "smoked."

someone correct me if im wrong, obviously.

 

[89lxsport50]

though i dont have a stock headlamp assembly in front of me, im pretty sure the lense on the 01-04 smoked boys is clear, and the relector on the inside is whats actually "smoked."

someone correct me if im wrong, obviously.

You could be right, but it looks to me like there is some sort of coating or film on the outside of the lens as well. Whether or not it gives them their color, I don't know.

 

[Black_02_GT]

the only problem i have with mine is one of my headlights was far beyond the point of repair and plus i had never heard of trying to repair one so i bought a new one. The newer one has an obvious darker color to it compared to the original that i sanded down. From what i could tell before and after the OEM headlight looks about the same tint and is fairly hard to distinguish between the newer one. Other than the fact the newer one looks somewhat smoked like i said before. But if you're going to be doing 2 OEM lights i wouldnt see what it would hurt, they should come out to look the same and they its SO much cheaper. Hope that made sense?

 

[ceracer33]

mine looked very bad and i thought i was going to need to replace them, so i just took some 1000 grit and wet sanded the crap out of them and then sprayed 2 coats of clear coat while we had a car in the paint booth and they have looked great for 2 years now. mine were the newer smoked style so no it wont hurt to sand them.

 

[03TrueBlue]

They are not smoked. The insides are black so it makes them looked smoked. If they were smoked plastic they would be illegal.

 

[40th GT]

before:



i applied a gloss clear coat over it and has been lookin good for almost a year now

Is that all you did to it? That's very cool.