Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

L

Linkybird97

Registered
Just thought i would pass down this helpful tip to you 2ndGen Mark 8 drivers that can't stand to see the lenses cloudy/dirty/fogging over. I thought i would have to replace the headlight units because i thought it was all on the inside of lenses. When i took a closer look and rubbed my fingers over the surface i realized it was on the outside. I thought of a money saving remedy to fix this problem. I used fine grit sandpaper and wet sanded the lenses. It took some elbow grease and a watchful eye so that i wouldn't sand the paint. I wet sanded the lenses until they lost that rough exterior. After i wiped away the water they became hazed. Thats okay. The next step i took was a trip to autozone. I purchased "Bluemagic" it is a plastic and plexiglass cleaner that removes light scratches. Apply that with a pad you would use to wax the car with. Let that set until dried. Wipe off with a terry cloth. Than wax the lenses with car wax until the haze has dissappeard. I used a power buffer to. The results where terrific. The lenses had been restored. You will notice a difference how bright the light shines on the road too. The cleaner the lense the better chance the HID's will shine through. Hope this was helpful.

Brandon Shelton

1966 T-Bird Hardtop
1997 Lincoln Mark 8
1993 Lincon Town Car Cartier

Picuter of renewed Headlight Lenses!!!!
 
RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

What grit sandpaper did you use? And you wet sanded by hand correct ?

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
Just thought i would pass down this helpful tip to you 2ndGen Mark 8 drivers that can't stand to see the lenses cloudy/dirty/fogging over. I thought i would have to replace the headlight units because i thought it was all on the inside of lenses. When i took a closer look and rubbed my fingers over the surface i realized it was on the outside. I thought of a money saving remedy to fix this problem. I used fine grit sandpaper and wet sanded the lenses. It took some elbow grease and a watchful eye so that i wouldn't sand the paint. I wet sanded the lenses until they lost that rough exterior. After i wiped away the water they became hazed. Thats okay. The next step i took was a trip to autozone. I purchased "Bluemagic" it is a plastic and plexiglass cleaner that removes light scratches. Apply that with a pad you would use to wax the car with. Let that set until dried. Wipe off with a terry cloth. Than wax the lenses with car wax until the haze has dissappeard. I used a power buffer to. The results where terrific. The lenses had been restored. You will notice a difference how bright the light shines on the road too. The cleaner the lense the better chance the HID's will shine through. Hope this was helpful.Brandon Shelton1966 T-Bird Hardtop1997 Lincoln Mark 81993 Lincon Town Car CartierPicuter of renewed Headlight Lenses!!!!
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RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

You don't have to use the sandpaper!! Why scratch it up more than it already is? I used Meguiar's Mirror Glaze, also from AutoZone, on a buffing whell atached to my electric drill, set at a slow speed and carefully buffed the polish in....keep it wet. After a bit of buffing, wipe it off with a clean lint free cloth, then buff with a fluffy clean pad and they look great. Mine have been done almost a year now...still good great!

Bud Pytko
'97 LSC Silver Frost
'05 F250 SD CC PSD 4 X 4 AZ Beige
'94 Prowler 5th Wheel
http://squarebirds.org/images/BudPytko97LSC.jpg
 
RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

How bad were your lenses ?

So mirror glaze on a buffing wheel? That worked ? Sounding better than the sandpaper. Were you able to get an even finish on the lense ?

Thanks for the tip... look forward to your response.
 
RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

...again those directions are using sandpaper...no need. Use the polish and a polishing wheel (just like buffing your body finish)on a variable electric drill....slow speed. (I used a 3" wheel).I have some pics somewhere of my before and I can take one of todays if you like...send me your email address and I'll show you the difference...it's rather dramatic! Mine is a '97. The headlights were very frosted looking. Probably sandblasted from long time high-speed highway use. And I didn't have to remove the lights from the car either. My pic below is one of the before pics, but you can't see them good. Got a much better (worse) looking one on my computer at home.


Bud Pytko
'97 LSC Silver Frost
'05 F250 SD CC PSD 4 X 4 AZ Beige
'94 Prowler 5th Wheel
http://squarebirds.org/images/BudPytko97LSC.jpg
 
RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

Thanks to Alexander, I can now use my alotted space for pics. Here's the before/after shots of my '97 LSC headlight lenses. Remember, I just used the polish with a buffing wheel on my electric drill. If you try it, remember, keep it WET. If you let it get dry, you will burn the plastic lense.
http://mark8.org/users/budpytko/Before.JPG

http://mark8.org/users/budpytko/After.JPG






Bud Pytko
'97 LSC Silver Frost
'05 F250 SD CC PSD 4 X 4 AZ Beige
'94 Prowler 5th Wheel
http://squarebirds.org/images/BudPytko97LSC.jpg
 
RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

Hey guys

Something else you can use is rubbing compound or toothpaste with out grit. Both are used to clean and polish out scratches in plastics by body shops. Its a cheap easy (but elbow grease and time consuming) fix.

Use soft towels and rub in a circle for consistancy. Keep using a clean section of towel and do this a couple of times and it will last a few months. Part of the problem isnt just the road pits its the heat from the lights that bakes the surface soft and then clouds.

If you have the time to take them off the car... buff them out real clean to your acceptance and then spray them with 2-3 coats of a very good clear coat. This will last a good couple of years.
 
RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

Wet sanding with 600 grit, then with 1000 grit, then using a plastic polish will also restor them to new I have heard and seen. Also the addition of a high temp clear coat will help them to last.
 
RE: Dirty/Cloudy/Headlight Lenses-GRRR!!!

[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
Wet sanding with 600 grit, then with 1000 grit, then using a plastic polish will also restor them to new I have heard and seen. Also the addition of a high temp clear coat will help them to last.
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I don't think one can ever get the brand new look. The plastic throughout the entire lens gets yellow and faded by the sun. Polishing the surface helps a lot, but doesn't compare to new. I actually had to get a new one because the reflector material flaked off and it looked so much better than my polished one. It's a good thing the old one was taken out in an accident recently...now they are both new!

I do want to do apply something on the surface that will stop the sun from fading the lens. Doesn't car wax protect from sun damage?
 
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