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

[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