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Headlight Restoration and Covers

Discussion in 'Paint and Body' started by jman07jb, May 5, 2011.

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    jman07jb New Member

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    Hey guys! Jerry here. I own a 2008 Flint Mica tC had it for about 4 years now. So I'm kinda new to this forum stuff so gonna try this out :p I've done some searching around the web and i kind of want to do a headlight restoration on my headlights cause I've got a few scratches and just wanna get em looking nice and clean again. I've seen 3m's restoration kit but I've heard that using their product is hard because of our lenses? Anyone have any experience/tips for this?

    After that I want to be able to protect my lens so i was wondering what experience you guys have with covers for headlights that will protect it from chips/scratches/etc. I've heard of BlueBatmobile i believe it is? But anyone have any other suggestions?

    Just looking for ideas so throw em out their! Thanks for reading guys!
    jman07jb, May 5, 2011
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    CadenceScion Moderator

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    Welcome to Club-tC.com Jerry. I would look into Mother's Headlight Restoration Kit. As far as keeping your headlight lenses looking great, you can polish and wax them when you detail your tC, which is what I do every year w/ my o6 tC.
    CadenceScion, May 5, 2011
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    jman07jb New Member

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    Thank you! I just looked at em and watched a couple videos and i like it. Seems alot less damaging then the 3m one with all that sanding. I think im gonna go ahead and try that out. Also by polish and wax is their a specific headlight polish and wax for headlights?
    jman07jb, May 6, 2011
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    CadenceScion Moderator

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    I am not aware of a specific head light polish or wax. I use Meguiar's polish and wax on my tC, which I also use on the headlights. Hasn't given me any issues and they look great. You can also do this on your tail lights as well.
    CadenceScion, May 6, 2011
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    jman07jb New Member

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    Cool yea i just bought that mothers headlight restoration kit at Walmart today for about 22 bucks i think and some tape and i might be doing this tomorrow or so. Ill try to get some pictures up if possible. And sweet! Ill probaby be hitting up my tails then haha
    jman07jb, May 6, 2011
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    CadenceScion Moderator

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    Your welcome, let me know how that came out and I want to see pics. :)
    CadenceScion, May 6, 2011
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    navylife59 Super Moderator

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    Be sure to tape off the body around the headlamp assembly to keep from damaging the clear coat. Just about everyone seals a headlight restoration kit these days. Before this became the latest craze, I did a couple of old cars in my Family with the three step compound that you use to get rid of swirls and bring the snap back to your clear coat. Used a buffing pad on a drill. Pretty much the same stuff in the kits. Trick is to not overheat the plastic by too high a speed or from pressing too hard.

    After you have them all cleaned up, you can purchase yourself a pair of headlamp laminations. These are optically clear vinyl that are thick enough to handle rock and debris from damaging the plastic covering. Both Xpel Technologies and Lamin-x offer overlays for the front and back. Also available in different color tints. I have them on the headlamps of all my cars.
    navylife59, May 6, 2011
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    jman07jb New Member

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    Ill definitely get some pictures up when i get the chance. I did one of em today cause found out i had to help the parents out with some stuff outside of the house and it came up a little scratched :/ But im just gonna re-do it sometime maybe tomorrow. Hopefully i can get all the scratches out. Since i used Mothers, it said to kinda of press hard on the sanding part but should i maybe just do it not too much pressure but to where it still gets so sanding done? And about how long should this process take me im afraid maybe i did it too fast.

    And yea i believe the kit came with a 20% off and Xpel product probably the cover so im definitely taking that offer. Thanks! :D
    jman07jb, May 7, 2011
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    navylife59 Super Moderator

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    You should press firmly somewhat but not so much that the drill is being slowed down too much. You will mar the optical clarity if it gets too hot. It will give it a wavy surface that is about 90-95% clear. That will leave artifacts in the light pattern (shadows).
    navylife59, May 9, 2011
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    jman07jb New Member

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    Well see this one doesnt use the drill it has 2 little 2in by 2in squares number 1 through 4 depending on coarseness and just says to go over it say sideways first then go up and down with the next one then sideways again then finish up and down again. Then after that I have to clean it with the polish and thats what we use the drill with. But the sanding is all by hand
    jman07jb, May 9, 2011
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    navylife59 Super Moderator

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    The sanding part by hand will require a firm hand.
    navylife59, May 9, 2011
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    jman07jb New Member

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    Ok cool. Would you by any chance be able to give me a rough estimate of how long this should take me? Its first part of buffing with the drill. Then sanding 1, 2, 3, 4, then buffing again with the drill thing. I did it in like 40 mins and it didnt come out to great so i was thinking maybe i did it too fast? I was in a bit of a hurry so that might have been it.
    jman07jb, May 9, 2011
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    navylife59 Super Moderator

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    It is not really a matter of time but how complete that you do each step. The first step is a rough cut to get the surface clean and uniform. From there, each successive step will take more time incrementally. The trick is to get the surface, in each step, as uniform as possible. Follow the directions in the kit to the letter and all should be right.
    navylife59, May 10, 2011
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    jman07jb New Member

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    Ok well good plan then. I was just hitting it all for a few mins then wiped it after each sand (which is what i read helped). Also should i wet sand in every step? The directions dont specify they just say to sand in opposite (90 degrees) direction. Thanks for all your help guys im excited to get this buffing up and ready now with all the new knowledge haha
    jman07jb, May 10, 2011
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    navylife59 Super Moderator

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    Every step needs to wet sanded save for the first heavy sanding.
    navylife59, May 10, 2011
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    jman07jb New Member

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    Gotcha. Thanks for the help guys. Really appreciate it
    jman07jb, May 11, 2011
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    navylife59 Super Moderator

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    You are welcome. We try to help.
    navylife59, May 12, 2011
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