My headlight ordeal

malibu9in

New member
Just passing on what ive found to be my best method of restoring these yellow lights. I should have took before pics but I didn't think they would come out this good. This is about my 20th or so set to do and here is what i did. These are oem lights on a 99 626. They were about as yellow as they can get. About a 8 on a 1 to 10. I masked everything off and started with 320 on a da. Then 800,1000,1500,2000,3500. Sounds like alot but the finer the scratch the better the outcome. I can't belive I didn't do these lights like this before. I buffed the light out with a 3 in polisher with 3m's super dutty compound. The old school stuff you would use on laquer and enamels. Then I polshed them with diamondlite's clear plastic restorer with the 3in orange foam pad. ( i used a 3in orbital on all this too.) Then i cleaned them with a mf a added a coat of pb blue wax. I have not found something good to keep them from yellowing yet. Im fliiping the car so im not to concered with that. Here is a pic.
head002yq3.jpg

head003he3.jpg

head004aq6.jpg
 
If you're flipping cars -- and you're doing a high volume of headlights, I would seriously recomend a bench grinder (pedastal type) with a cotton lapping (polishing) pad. Using the same compound, the polishing takes less time (10-15minutes) without having to do the tiedious work of sanding. Furthermore, removing the lights in most cases, takes less time than masking, sanding, and the final clean-up. This method's worked for me and my buddy's auto dismanteling yard for 20+ years :)
 
ive got the bench polisher...I used it to polish aluminum and grind metals. Some of these imports are hell to get the light out. I wish they were like chevy trucks.
 
Back
Top