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Diy - Restoring Faded Headlights

siu_loong_bao
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siu_loong_bao Rising Star

siu_loong_bao

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****Disclaimer: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK, Every car's situation is different. You have been warned.****

Ok All,

I have now 'perfected' my method of restoring plastic headlights without buying those expensive and ineffective Headlight Restoration Kits...

For those who met me at the VIC V35 Meet, you would have saw how bad my headlights were, even after using the restoration kit...The yellowing was all gone, but the lights were 'faded', despite buffing with plastic polish...Undeterred, I did some research and redid the headlights....This time, they came up great.

Have a look...

v35leftsmall.jpg

v35rightsmall.jpg

Note: it was just finished, so u can see the surrounding hasn't been washed yet...

Interested in restoring yours? Ok, I've put together this DIY, and this time, I have taken pics....but I did it on a Mazda 3....

Equipment:

1200 grit wet type sandpaper (cut a 50cm x 90cm piece - 1 piece per headlight)

1500 grit wet type sandpaper (cut a 50cm x 90cm piece - 1 piece per headlight)

2000 grit wet type sandpaper (cut a 50cm x 90cm piece - 1 piece per headlight)

1 bucket

1 sponge

Duct tape

Plastic Polish (around 50mL per headlight)

Microfibre cloth x 2

Water

rubber gloves (optional)

Super strong arms and roughly 40mins - 1 hour per headlight...

Ok...Here are some shots of the headlight b4 restoring...

mazda3001.jpg

mazda3002.jpg

mazda3003.jpg

For comparison, here's the other light, which is unaffected and in like-new factory condition...

mazda3004.jpg

Steps....

1. Do Not Buy any headlight restoration kit - don't waste your money like me.

2. Tape up the paint work and sorrounding with duct tape. Duct tape is very very sticky, so before you stick it onto the car, stick it onto your cotton clothes to get rid of the stickiness...Lightly stick them on. The tape is there to protect your paintwork, and nothing else...

mazda3006.jpg

3. As the headlight was not that badly oxidised, I skipped 1200 grit sandpaper and went to 1500 grit. Soak the 1500 grit sandpaper in a 1/2 bucket of water for 5 mins...wash the headlight with a sponge, then sand in 1 directions for about 10 mins..make sure that you sand evenly, in 1 direction only, with plenty of sponged water to be dripped onto the headlight when u r sanding...

mazda3007.jpg

TIP: Sanding times differ, but a good guide to the sanding is to feel the sandpaper after 10 mins, if the particles on the paper are not as rough (or used up), then move to the next step.

4. Wash the headlight with water. change the water. soak 2000 grit sandpaper for 5 mins and start sanding, but this time in a perpendicular direction as step 3. Sand for 10 mins...make sure that you sand evenly, in 1 direction only, with plenty of sponged water to be dripped onto the headlight when u r sanding...

mazda3008.jpg

5. Wash off with water and dry....Your headlights will now look very dull....and you should have a very worried look on your face! LOL...

mazda3009.jpg

6. Pour a 20c piece worth of plastic polish onto a microfibre cloth and start rubbing in a circular motion....you will need to concentrate on a small area, say 10cm x 10cm area at a time. Rub until you arms feel like dropping off!!!! You would need to keep rubbing for about 10-15mins with 2 - 3 coats....In between the coats, buff off with a clean microfibre cloth to check the clarity... You should end up with the headlight looking like this...

mazda3010.jpg

If it is hazed, unclear or you can still see the scratches caused by the sandpaper, then....wait for it.....

.

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You need to repeat the whole process again!!! If you feel like an idiot, then don't worry, because it happened to me too...I didn't sand long enough and had to redo it all on the V35....Keep trying and don't give up...

Moderators: When can we have a DIY section for V35s only??? Is this post eligible to be a sticky?

siu_loong_bao Rising Star

siu_loong_bao

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i didn't have any in the house....i originally did my V35 with masking tape and it was too thin...so I found some duct tape..works better...just make sure that b4 u stick it on, u sitck it onto your clothes or something...

T88turbo Collaborator

T88turbo

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what do you guys think of this product by meguiars? The one thing i am concerned about with these plastic products is that they contain a fine abbrasive texture like sand. We know that it will get rid of the yellow cloudy stuff on the outside however will they leave swirl marks in the plastic??? In saying this i have always trusted meguiars products. I have that clay brick kit which works excellent.

Click on the link and let me know what you think.

http://www.meguiars.com/estore/product_lis...onname=Consumer (Meguiar's Brand)>Clear Plastic Care&sectionID=15101

vcool Rising Star

vcool

Posted
Posted
what do you guys think of this product by meguiars? The one thing i am concerned about with these plastic products is that they contain a fine abbrasive texture like sand. We know that it will get rid of the yellow cloudy stuff on the outside however will they leave swirl marks in the plastic??? In saying this i have always trusted meguiars products. I have that clay brick kit which works excellent.

Click on the link and let me know what you think.

http://www.meguiars.com/estore/product_lis...onname=Consumer (Meguiar's Brand)>Clear Plastic Care&sectionID=15101

do you have sum before after photoz? so we can see how good they are?

BTW. good work for siu loong bao! if that chemical thing isn't work for me, will try ur solution.

popeye Contributor

popeye

Posted
Posted
do you have sum before after photoz? so we can see how good they are?

BTW. good work for siu loong bao! if that chemical thing isn't work for me, will try ur solution.

I love my Meguiars products. I just put a coat of wax on it last weekend and cleaned the headlights using the PlastX..

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/detail/MEG+G12310

Mind you, my headlights weren't "hazed" like the pictures in the earlier post by siu_loong_bao(only slightly hazed), but I think prevention is better than cure.

The wax...

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_deta...p?T1=MEG+G12711

Coincidently, both products have the G35 picture on it, Not the reason why I chose the products. :)

Here are some photos of the results if you're interested:

http://cid-c29301da78538c2a.skydrive.live....0PlastX?lc=3081

our12 Enthusiast

our12

Posted
Posted

Hi.

Great DIY write up.

Couple of points. I would have used brasso first which would have given you the same as your final result.

If you have to use 2000 paper soak it in brasso before use. I would not use 1500 paper to abrasive for perspex or whatever it is.

If you try brasso always thoroughly shake container before use.

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