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#1
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Removing headlight glazing?
Is it possible to polish out the glazing on the plastic headlight covers?
I'm buying a '99 V6 for my daughter (it's a suprise for her birthday this Saturday). It looks brand new except that the headlights look like frosted glass. This is the newer style body that has the clear plastic covers (not fluted). If anyone has successfully done it can you please post what you used and how long it took? Thanks! |
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#2
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Alan Chapman opined in :
> Is it possible to polish out the glazing on the plastic headlight covers? > I'm buying a '99 V6 for my daughter (it's a suprise for her birthday this > Saturday). It looks brand new except that the headlights look like frosted > glass. This is the newer style body that has the clear plastic covers (not > fluted). If anyone has successfully done it can you please post what you > used and how long it took? Thanks! > > > do a google search on this group using glazing polishing and headlight as terms I use mapei unsanded tile grout (Lowes) in a paste and a sponge and it works great ... thoguh evidently most dont agree with me because it's "too cheap, thus couldnt possibly work". Cuts the "frost" fast... if you see micro-scratching THEN use a polish. Then a UV resistant plastic wax |
#3
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I've used the 3m white polishing compound on a foam drill bonnet, and they
look like NEW! Only problem is that they will revert back to "frosted" much sooner than they originally did because there is no UV protection. Haven't tried waxing them as BYM suggests, but is makes sense that it would work. Actually, though.. Mustang headlights are CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP on ebay. There's lots of aftermarkets, and there's lots of OEM's from the folks INSTALLING aftermarkets.. "Backyard Mechanic" > wrote in message ... > Alan Chapman opined in : > > > Is it possible to polish out the glazing on the plastic headlight covers? > > I'm buying a '99 V6 for my daughter (it's a suprise for her birthday this > > Saturday). It looks brand new except that the headlights look like frosted > > glass. This is the newer style body that has the clear plastic covers (not > > fluted). If anyone has successfully done it can you please post what you > > used and how long it took? Thanks! > > > > > > > > do a google search on this group using glazing polishing and headlight as > terms > > I use mapei unsanded tile grout (Lowes) in a paste and a sponge and it works > great ... thoguh evidently most dont agree with me because it's "too cheap, > thus couldnt possibly work". > > Cuts the "frost" fast... if you see micro-scratching THEN use a polish. > > Then a UV resistant plastic wax |
#4
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Alan Chapman wrote:
> > Is it possible to polish out the glazing on the plastic headlight covers? > I'm buying a '99 V6 for my daughter (it's a suprise for her birthday this > Saturday). It looks brand new except that the headlights look like frosted > glass. This is the newer style body that has the clear plastic covers (not > fluted). If anyone has successfully done it can you please post what you > used and how long it took? Thanks! this is what i did to my 96 Ford Contour head lights.... open the hood and took duct tape and covered the bottom and sides of the headlight lenses so you dont remove any paint from the fenders and bumper... the i took a can of $1.79 Turtle Wax Polishing Compound and a glass of water and two old face cloths... wet the cloths and ring them out and then apply some of the polishing compound onto the rag.. rub each lense for about 5 minutes each with the damp rags and the plolishing compond on it... i then took the other wet rag and kept wiping off the polishing compound.. i had some head mounted magnifiers so i could see what was going on..(to see if it was doing anyting... and yes it did.. the old hazy coat was coming off. it took some time but i could tell where to work on the lenses... i then used a polishing bonnet on an electric drill and worked on each lense for about 5 minutes each.. then lenses looked new.. but it does not last more than a few months and then you have to start all over again... i think its the plastic gassing off some chemicals that lets it get dull????? hope this helps. |
#5
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Where'd ya get the foam drill bonnet... ? And the polishing compound? :P
Wal-mart? -Mike -- A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT Cold air intake FRPP 3.73 gears Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter Full Boar turbo mufflers Hi-speed fan switch 255/60R-15 rear tires Subframe connectors "Chief_Wiggum" > wrote in message news:xf8pd.157933$G15.131340@fed1read03... > I've used the 3m white polishing compound on a foam drill bonnet, and they > look like NEW! > > Only problem is that they will revert back to "frosted" much sooner than > they originally did because there is no UV protection. > > Haven't tried waxing them as BYM suggests, but is makes sense that it would > work. > > Actually, though.. Mustang headlights are CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP on ebay. > There's lots of aftermarkets, and there's lots of OEM's from the folks > INSTALLING aftermarkets.. > > > "Backyard Mechanic" > wrote in message > ... > > Alan Chapman opined in : > > > > > Is it possible to polish out the glazing on the plastic headlight > covers? > > > I'm buying a '99 V6 for my daughter (it's a suprise for her birthday > this > > > Saturday). It looks brand new except that the headlights look like > frosted > > > glass. This is the newer style body that has the clear plastic covers > (not > > > fluted). If anyone has successfully done it can you please post what > you > > > used and how long it took? Thanks! > > > > > > > > > > > > > do a google search on this group using glazing polishing and headlight as > > terms > > > > I use mapei unsanded tile grout (Lowes) in a paste and a sponge and it > works > > great ... thoguh evidently most dont agree with me because it's "too > cheap, > > thus couldnt possibly work". > > > > Cuts the "frost" fast... if you see micro-scratching THEN use a polish. > > > > Then a UV resistant plastic wax > > |
#6
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dbird > wrote in message >...
> Alan Chapman wrote: > > > > Is it possible to polish out the glazing on the plastic headlight covers? > > I'm buying a '99 V6 for my daughter (it's a suprise for her birthday this > > Saturday). It looks brand new except that the headlights look like frosted > > glass. This is the newer style body that has the clear plastic covers (not > > fluted). If anyone has successfully done it can you please post what you > > used and how long it took? Thanks! > this is what i did to my 96 Ford Contour head lights.... > open the hood and took duct tape and covered the bottom and sides of > the headlight lenses so you dont remove any paint from the fenders and > bumper... the i took a can of $1.79 Turtle Wax Polishing Compound and a > glass of water and two old face cloths... wet the cloths and ring them > out and then apply some of the polishing compound onto the rag.. rub > each lense for about 5 minutes each with the damp rags and the > plolishing compond on it... i then took the other wet rag and kept > wiping off the polishing compound.. i had some head mounted magnifiers > so i could see what was going on..(to see if it was doing anyting... and > yes it did.. the old hazy coat was coming off. it took some time but i > could tell where to work on the lenses... i then used a polishing bonnet > on an electric drill and worked on each lense for about 5 minutes each.. > then lenses looked new.. but it does not last more than a few months and > then you have to start all over again... i think its the plastic gassing > off some chemicals that lets it get dull????? hope this helps. wet sand them with a palm sander, you'll cut right through it. it does need to be protected then. Chip |
#7
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at 24 Nov 2004, ] wrote in
. com: > Where'd ya get the foam drill bonnet... ? And the polishing > compound? :P Wal-mart? Walmart carries the ploishing compound alright. Auto aisle, where the waxes and polishes are. :-) Dunno about the bonnet, you may want to try www.harborfreight.com -- _ 1995 Mustang V6 Coupe (Bright Blue) |_| Member Modern Mustangs of North America (MMNA) http://mustang.fdns.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
#8
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On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 14:18:24 GMT, "Alan Chapman" >
wrote: >Is it possible to polish out the glazing on the plastic headlight covers? >I'm buying a '99 V6 for my daughter (it's a suprise for her birthday this >Saturday). It looks brand new except that the headlights look like frosted >glass. This is the newer style body that has the clear plastic covers (not >fluted). If anyone has successfully done it can you please post what you >used and how long it took? Thanks! > I bought a pair of headlights for my 96 mustang from 1A auto for $70 for the pair. http://www.1aauto.com/ I found them on ebaymotors.com Their prices are better if you can find it on ebaymotors rather than their "regular" website. I didn't see any listed for your car other than smoked lenses. You may call them and ask.. |
#9
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Thanks for all the replies. I tried elbow grease and the drill polisher with rubbing compund and even grout (yes someone suggested grout) and nothing worked. Was a lot of mess and trouble eventually leading nowhere. I guess the 99 & up headlights don't take to this fix. Course if I had an AC powered drill it might have helped. Looks like I'm going hunting for headlights on ebay. Thanks for being helpful though. Alan |
#10
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Alan Chapman wrote:
> Thanks for all the replies. I tried elbow grease and the drill polisher > with rubbing compund and even grout (yes someone suggested grout) and > nothing worked. Was a lot of mess and trouble eventually leading nowhere. > I guess the 99 & up headlights don't take to this fix. Course if I had an > AC powered drill it might have helped. Looks like I'm going hunting for > headlights on ebay. Thanks for being helpful though. > > Alan > > My 89 didn't either. I polished the hell out of them and they only looked marginally good and turned again really quick. I replaced them. -- YOU are the real piece of work in this post. I think you are a couple of drumsticks short of a picnic there bud. - SVTKate |
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