R33 Series 2 Front Headlights Scratched?

[Xizor]

Hi Guys,

Finally got my car! Had it for 2 weeks, pouring the money into it to make it how i want. Well not so true, im broke already, so slowly but surely. Anyhow its an R33 series 2 and i have noticed the headlight are scratched quite a bit. Not sure why, god knows what they got up too in Japan. My mind boggles trying to wonder how, but it looks shit if you notice it especially when the lights are on. Almost like they were attached with sand paper.

What can i do? Its not deep i dont think, so can they be polished with any sort of compound to fix it? Are the headlight lenses glass or some sort of plastic? I havent had much time to fiddle with the car at all so busy, and im a total car ignoramous aswell especially when it comes to mechanics and details. Hope to slowly rectify that a little. But yeah, what can i do? Can the front part of the headlight assembly be removed and replaced or would i have to replace the entire freaking headlights?

If anyone lives in the campbelltown region i'd be happy to meet up to get advice.

Cheers

Rob

[dezz]

Hi Guys,

Finally got my car! Had it for 2 weeks, pouring the money into it to make it how i want. Well not so true, im broke already, so slowly but surely. Anyhow its an R33 series 2 and i have noticed the headlight are scratched quite a bit. Not sure why, god knows what they got up too in Japan. My mind boggles trying to wonder how, but it looks shit if you notice it especially when the lights are on. Almost like they were attached with sand paper.

What can i do? Its not deep i dont think, so can they be polished with any sort of compound to fix it? Are the headlight lenses glass or some sort of plastic? I havent had much time to fiddle with the car at all so busy, and im a total car ignoramous aswell especially when it comes to mechanics and details. Hope to slowly rectify that a little. But yeah, what can i do? Can the front part of the headlight assembly be removed and replaced or would i have to replace the entire freaking headlights?

If anyone lives in the campbelltown region i'd be happy to meet up to get advice.

Cheers

Rob

the R33's are plastic, not glass, thats why they yellow over time ...

people polish them with all different types of polish...plastic polishes etc....the list is endless really.

ive read 2000 grit sandpaper will do the trick as well, with some polish, but expect to do it regularly, not just once off...

and the headlights are sealed, so i dont think you can get inside em...and new you're looking at like $500+ each...so you might want to grab some polish

[Xizor]

Faaaark. Can anyone who has done this recommend what i can do? What sorta polish?

Sandpaper? sounds like what caused this problem to start with to me... but what do i know lol

[Konrad]

I'd say a light sanding in at least a couple of steps down to some really fine grade paper then follow with a few applications of metal polish. I use mothers mag and aluminium polish it works fine, then chuck a couple of layers of wax over the top should get them looking ok.

[Xizor]

never even heard of most of that stuff let alone make sense of what ive just been told. hmm

[JD-33]

so you guys just polish the yellowish grit on the outside of the headlight?

cause mine seems to look like its on the inside....

Cheers,

-JD

PS: anyone used brasso?

[krzysiu]

how often do you guyz wash your cars? I dont even wash mine THAT often and my headlights are still shiny as hell.

[SirSkyline]

I rubbed mine with 1500 sand paper and buffed them up they look like new now

[Mid_Nite_R33]

Well I used Scratch X on mine and got rid of the yellow look quite easilly so they look pretty clear now, but when the lights are on u still see all these scratches.........pisses me off too but theres not much I can do...

[siddr20]

justjap sell some polish for 20bucks!!! give them a call..

[Bliksem]

Okay, this has been covered 1000 times before, but i'll tell you how i fixed mine.

1. Get your hands on some 2000 grit sandpaper (probably easiest to get from a panel beater as hardware stores often only have 1500 which I found too course) Fold the sandpaper into quaters and lightly rub this over the headlight longways & in one direction only, not circular or this will cause more damage that you already have. Also be sure to continually dip the sandpaper in a bucket of water for lubrication.

2. Get some cut and polish, I used motospray which was in a black tin and sold at most car stores such as supercheap (it's green and smells like "extra" chewing gum ). Apply this to a clean cloth and rub over the headlight (again in one direction), this will remove most of the fine scratches caused by the sandpaper. You can also use some of the water used with the sandpaper for more lubrication.

3. Buy some maguires scratch x, and follow up to remove the rest of the scratches that the coarser cut and polish wont remove.

4. Finish off with some maguires plastic polish, I have only ever seen this sold at autobarn (might be sold else where too), but it is awesome stuff. Once this is applied the lights will come up crystal clear.

I used steps 1-4 of this treatment several months ago and the lights still look fantastic despite many long trips involving bugs and road crap hitting the lights and after each wash the head lights keep coming up like new. If they dull out again just rub in some more maguires plastic polish and they will clear up again.

Hope this helps.

Edited April 14, 2006 by MintR33

[Xizor]

Thanks MintR33....will be doing this to the letter!!