Refurbish Tail Light Lenses, They come out almost as good as new Options

[TC/914]

Thank Goodness I got here in time!

I just did a cool thing to a pair of well used tail light lenses that I picked up from "Kerrys914."

Grab up an old lens to use as a test, wash it really well, use a tooth brush if you have to, but get rid of every spec of dirt.

Tape off and spray the clear "back-up" section inside and out with two coats (let dry for a few minutes between coats) of Dupli-Color Clear Wheel Coating (#HWP103 WHEEL COATING CLEAR) let it dry for a half hour or more.

Then tape it off and coat the red part, two coats inside and two coats outside (let for a few minutes dry between coats) of Dupli-Color Metal Cast Red Anodized Color Paint (#MC200 RED ANODIZED) make the final color coat on the outside a nice smooth one to build up the shine.

Let dry for a half hour and carefully untape the clear section. Let dry for another half hour and CHECK OUT WHAT YOUR BAD SELF DID . . .

The results are just PISSA! Now compare that formerly tired old lens to the ones that you thought looked perfect. Pretty cool, Huh?

You HAVE to try this out if you haven't already, it REALLY WORKS NEAT.

Luck,

TC

[STL914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

[jim_hoyland]

Is the MC 200 Red a tint ? Where do you get it ?

[SpecialK]

Thanks for the "914 tips and tricks" TC (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) , I'll have to give it a try!

I've got some of the red anodize paint from Eastwood, I wonder if I'd get the same results. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[anthony]

I dont' understand how spraying paint on tail light lenses will refurbish them. Is this red paint translucent?

I think you'd get better results by polishing the plastic on the outside of the lens.

[SGB]

Copious amounts of polishing compound will make 'em really shine ,too. I could tell when the surface went from rough to smooth when the grinding feeling went away.

[736conver]

I've used plain old tooth paste and a tooth brush on some dull lenses and got great results.

PS. Dont use your wifes tooth brush.

[mattillac]

I dont' understand how spraying paint on tail light lenses will refurbish them. Is this red paint translucent?

I think you'd get better results by polishing the plastic on the outside of the lens.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) thats what i would think, but i'm not very good at thinking anyways (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TC/914]

Sorry for not being more clear about the paint.

Oh, and I'm sorry for no pics. I don't have a digital camera as yet and the whole process was WAY too much fun and the results were WAY to terrific for me to stop and shoot "in progress" shots anyway.

It's available from Auto Zone and Pep Boys and the like. It's a VERY transparent glaze-like almost. It's really meant to be sprayed over a metallic silver base coat for an anodized/candy apple look, but when you spray it over the plastic lenses it builds up a nice "filler" coat that makes the lenses darker (no more pink/ orange/fade/etc.), makes them look like they were polished out, and fills in tiny scratches and imperfections. It even make cracks look WAY less prominent!

From a foot or two away they look BRAND NEW/BETTER THAN NEW. You just HAVE to give it a try, at least on a beat/worthless lens.

The spray also comes in orange/amber so that you can re-do the front blinkers as well.

With heavier and repeated coats you can turn amber lenses red. OR you can use it as it's intended and pick up a can of silver base coat and "anodize" all of your brackets and fittings and stiff. It's one of the coolest new finishes that I've found.

TC

[914rrr]

Novus Plastic Polish #2 wonders on hazy, dull or scratched plastic lenses. It worked miracles on some really hazy Passat headlight lenses.

[tracks914]

Great idea!
I gotta give this a try. I have one red lens and one pink lens. Guess which one I'll try first? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[aircooledboy]

Man I hate being the buzz killer: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


This works and looks great for about a year or so depending on the conditions, then the shoe drops. This is actually an old used car lot trick. They just used clear, but the end result is inevitable: it will begin to flake and then it looks like dog shit. These paints are not intended to adhere to plastic, and they will only do so for a while. Once they start to flake, it goes downhill pretty fast. Then you are left with a lense that looks like crap and you are stuck because there is no easy way to get the paint that did adhere off without damaging the lense worse than it was when you started. I would only do this to a lense that is beyond repair or that you don't intend to use for long.

[TC/914]

If you have the inside scoop, you HAVE to kill the buzz!!

I figured that since the paint is acrylic and the lenses are made of acrylic rather than plastic that there would be a better bonding than with the old clear stuff.

Maybe not . . .

I'm committed to it now since I already did up a pair. I'll let you know in a year how bad they look.

Thanks for the info, I was getting ready to do up a pair of lenses for the 356, maybe I'll hold off for a bit until I see how thw 914 ones do in the elements.

TC

[tracks914]

I've got a couple of old lenses, I'm going to give it a try anyway. WTH (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)

[anthony]

If the red part of your lenses has turned pink then I'd be tempted to try the paint on the inside only and then still polish the outside.