headlight restoration what have i done wrong.. (update de-lining 08/12/12)

[ballsdeep]

thought i would post the results so far, so almost a month later and no fingers i have sanded all the lacquer off both sides resulting in de-lining the lenses which im pleased with but i am struggling to find the willpower to get rid of the rest of the scratches!!! i have come to terms that i cannot just polish them out, and reaaaaly dont want to sand them again if i can get away with it.. so what im wondering is if i have them lacquered again will it get rid of the remaining scratches and and make them clear again?

Edited September 2, 2012 by ballsdeep (see edit history)

[lewysdanny]

Buy glass........ cheapskate lol Tim (lewysdanny )

[ballsdeep]

Buy glass........ cheapskate lol Tim (lewysdanny )

 

lol i would if i new it was going to be this painfull! didnt know you could buy glass facelifts?

[wile e coyote]

You cant

[Suprab1]

How will them lights pass the MOT without the lines? Or do you have a spare set?

[ballsdeep]

That's a good question im not sure if they will be legal although my mate does my m.o.ts and I do have a spare set!

[SupraP-Z]

Try sanding the lights upto around about 1200grit, then laquer it, it should cover all the scratches up and you will have a perfect headlight! Just make sure you use a decent laquer though, and dont go back to the same bodyshop either!

[ballsdeep]

I know nothin about lacquer but what he told me was he uses 2pack?? Will that do? I sanded them too 2500 grit so il just go back over them with 1200 and give that go!

[Guest vasee13]

Use a rotary or any kind of buffer plus a compound to get rid of the scratches, after using a real fine grade sandpaper. The use isoprophyl alcohol before laquering them, to make sure u get rid of a'll oils on the headlight. Then laque r them. Trust me they will look much better since they are also now delined headlights which look much cleaner

[TubbyTwo]

Use a decent lacquer as well

[SupraP-Z]

I know nothin about lacquer but what he told me was he uses 2pack?? Will that do? I sanded them too 2500 grit so il just go back over them with 1200 and give that go!

 

Whatever you do, DO NOT go back over them with 1200 grit if you have already sanded out the scratches to 2500 grit. I was merely saying laquer will be able to cover scratches as deep as 1200 grit without much of a problem. If you have gradually decreased the grade of wet and dry all the way to 2500, all you will need to do is polish them up and they will come up a treat. Try farecla G3 or G6, fantastic rubbing compound...then as mentioned above by Vasee13, clean all the residue off with IPA. then get your guy to laquer them, 2K laquer should be ok, although i have never used it myself

[ballsdeep]

well 4months on and swollen sausage fingers here is the results..

 

there is still alot of polishing to do but im very pleased with how they look and defanitly will not be laquering them!!! the sad part is i have to sell them if i want to finish my na-t, funds will be spent on the e-mange ultimate ecu.

 

im guessing these will be quite rare as nobody would be stupid enough to attemp to de-line facelift lights..

 

what would these sell for?

 

[Sheefa]

Ah this is useful mate as I've ballsed up mine!

 

[ballsdeep]

They don't look to bad mate! I had too rub down all the lacquer off using 80 grit then working up to 2500!! It was torture!! Yours look like they just need a good polish up now.. Good luck

 

Here's how one of mine is so far, just need to polish some more for it to be perfect!

[d-_-b]

well 4months on and swollen sausage fingers here is the results..

 

there is still alot of polishing to do but im very pleased with how they look and defanitly will not be laquering them!!!

 

im guessing these will be quite rare as nobody would be stupid enough to attemp to de-line facelift lights..

 

 

Have been there, done it only with even worse starting point of non facelift headlights so even more lines and ridiculous lumps for the beam adjustment >

 

My thread: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?242657-Round-2!-(AB-Flug-light-inserts-facelifting-amp-clear-lensing)/page2

 

I had them for a while, but then tried a proper clear lens kit as the sanded ones (as you prob know) are never 100% like.

turned out the clear lens kit was even more of a nightmare!! >

 

yours is looking good though, anyone that does this I have respect for as I know what I had to do back when I did it!!

[Fly]

good thread, my headlights are on my list of stuff to do, i need to take them apart anyway as the chrome rings are degrading and thought i would do the headlights at hte same time. BD youve gone to all this effort and now selling them??!! how much?