Repairing Headlights

Black_02_GT · May 16, 2008

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 · May 16, 2008

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 · May 16, 2008

before:

after:

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

Spro · May 16, 2008

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

Black_02_GT · May 16, 2008

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

smokin00GT · May 17, 2008

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

Black_02_GT · May 17, 2008

nighthawk, what kind of clear coat did you use?

RedDaemon · May 18, 2008

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 · May 19, 2008

Black_02_GT said:
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 · May 19, 2008

89lxsport50 said:
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 · May 19, 2008

2000fordstanggt said:
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 · May 19, 2008

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 · May 19, 2008

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 · May 19, 2008

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 · May 19, 2008

-=NightHawk=- said:
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.

Repairing Headlights

Black_02_GT

Member

rabidscoobie

RedDaemon

Spro

New Member

Black_02_GT

Member

smokin00GT

New Member

Black_02_GT

Member

RedDaemon

89lxsport50

2000fordstanggt

Member

89lxsport50

Black_02_GT

Member

ceracer33

New Member

03TrueBlue

Member

40th GT

New Member

Similar threads

Repairing Headlights

Member

New Member

Member

New Member

Member

Member

Member

New Member

Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency