Headlight Salvation!
10-19-2013, 11:13 PM
#1
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Headlight Salvation! Mine, like I am sure most your your headlamps are deteriorating and bringing down the look of your otherwise beautiful Cadillac Car. I finally took the plunge and invested in a Porter Cable. Here is the process I used to restore my headlamp.
Materials
1000 Grit Sand Paper
1500
2000
3000
Sanding block
Polishing Compounds
Chemical Guys V34-V36-V38
Sealant
Chemical Guys Jet Seal 109.
Porter Cable
7424xp
Polishing Pads
HexLogic- Orange-White-Black
Starting Point
Word of advice. Completely tape up the top of the bumper. As you can see from my tape job to begin with I did not cover enough surface and hit the bumper with sandpaper that I will have to go and clean up tomorrow.
Begin wetsanding the whole headlamp with 1000 grit. I focused on the whole lamp to get the factory sealant off then came back and hit the top and edge of the headlamps.
Its going to look pretty good at this point,
[IMG]https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-
prn1/944643_10152064321955209_882298928_n.jpg[/IMG]
However if you allow the headlamp to dry or water you will see all the spots you missed. You can more than likely use a lower grit to knock down these areas faster, however I was not going back to the store at this point for a 500-600 grit.
I would sand for 10 minutes or so dry and check out all the areas I missed and refocus.
Aha now we hit all the areas we kept missing!
This is after 2000 grit
After 3000 Grit
After V34 and an Orange Pad
After V36 and White Pad
After V38 and Black Pad
After Jetseal 109
Materials
1000 Grit Sand Paper
1500
2000
3000
Sanding block
Polishing Compounds
Chemical Guys V34-V36-V38
Sealant
Chemical Guys Jet Seal 109.
Porter Cable
7424xp
Polishing Pads
HexLogic- Orange-White-Black
Starting Point
Word of advice. Completely tape up the top of the bumper. As you can see from my tape job to begin with I did not cover enough surface and hit the bumper with sandpaper that I will have to go and clean up tomorrow.
Begin wetsanding the whole headlamp with 1000 grit. I focused on the whole lamp to get the factory sealant off then came back and hit the top and edge of the headlamps.
Its going to look pretty good at this point,
[IMG]https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-
prn1/944643_10152064321955209_882298928_n.jpg[/IMG]
However if you allow the headlamp to dry or water you will see all the spots you missed. You can more than likely use a lower grit to knock down these areas faster, however I was not going back to the store at this point for a 500-600 grit.
I would sand for 10 minutes or so dry and check out all the areas I missed and refocus.
Aha now we hit all the areas we kept missing!
This is after 2000 grit
After 3000 Grit
After V34 and an Orange Pad
After V36 and White Pad
After V38 and Black Pad
After Jetseal 109
10-19-2013, 11:18 PM
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try this its free buff with crest whitening toothpaste then put peannutbutter finish with wax no **** works really good didn't believe my self.have a before
and after my lights where crap couldn't even see the bulbs like new now
and after my lights where crap couldn't even see the bulbs like new now
10-19-2013, 11:25 PM
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Ive done stuff like that before with mixed results. Always ended up looking good for an hour but because there is no sealant or something finer like the 3000 grit to get all the larger scratches it just looks like crap again after it gets in the sun or after a car wash
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10-20-2013, 09:08 PM
#9
Looks great. How much time did you invest?
There's a company advertising on craigslist locally that will restore a pair of headlights for $100 which includes a clear coat step to keep the oxidation from returning. Seems like a better use of my funds than the standard 3M kit, seeing as I don't have the time or patience to go the roll your own polisher route.
There's a company advertising on craigslist locally that will restore a pair of headlights for $100 which includes a clear coat step to keep the oxidation from returning. Seems like a better use of my funds than the standard 3M kit, seeing as I don't have the time or patience to go the roll your own polisher route.
10-20-2013, 09:29 PM
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The 3m kit will provide decent results, however you need to cut down the plastic alot more than the kit will provide and it does not have a sealant
I spent around 30-45 minutes a side, would have been alot faster if I had a larger grit to knock down the defects alot faster. I went this route to have the equipment I need to restore the rest of the car. Would you rather spend 100 dollars to have someone just do the headlamps or put that 100 dollars towards a good buffer and do the rest of the car?
I spent around 30-45 minutes a side, would have been alot faster if I had a larger grit to knock down the defects alot faster. I went this route to have the equipment I need to restore the rest of the car. Would you rather spend 100 dollars to have someone just do the headlamps or put that 100 dollars towards a good buffer and do the rest of the car?
10-20-2013, 10:15 PM
#11
Detailers that offer this service usually offer one of two options, the cheaper being the process used here where they only apply a sealant that will degrade and must be reapplied over time, and a more expensive but permanent option of either doing a coat of UV sealant or a simple clear coat. Although I've done the former many times, I'd really recommend the latter, it's much better protected and permanent. However the former is obviously a great DIY project for most any skill level and someone just looking to clean up their headlights.
For your reading pleasure, here's a method that seems to work without the need for a UV curing light.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...lant-idea.html
For your reading pleasure, here's a method that seems to work without the need for a UV curing light.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...lant-idea.html
02-23-2014, 12:49 AM
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instead of sealant or some type of diminishing protectant, i'd try opti-lens which will add a more permanent (resin) coating with UV protection that's removed during the correction process.
http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti...t-coating.html
it may be cost prohibitive if you're not doing a good amount of lights but much much cheaper than reclearing and something you're able to do at home vs bringing your lights to a sprayer.
FWIW opticoat also comes in a 10cc syringe and will easily coat 2 regular sized cars. so a tube of OL should do many many sets of headlights.
http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti...t-coating.html
it may be cost prohibitive if you're not doing a good amount of lights but much much cheaper than reclearing and something you're able to do at home vs bringing your lights to a sprayer.
FWIW opticoat also comes in a 10cc syringe and will easily coat 2 regular sized cars. so a tube of OL should do many many sets of headlights.
