New Idea for Yellowed Headlights

[Mark_88]

I've done 4 rigs in just the last month alone, even the ones I've done a couple years ago look factory new. If they are real bad I start wet sanding with #600 then #800 then finish with #1000. You don't need to go finer or the plastic has no tooth for the clear to grab ahold of. Remember clear is NOT like paint and will run in a heartbeat so make darn sure you shoot a practice part of plastic first or you will rue the day you didn't. Also and this is huge don't use rustoleum, krylon or other clears they just don't do the magic, use Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel Clearcoat (Crystal Clear). You can buy it off the shelf at oreillys ect. I have done at least 50 sets on lenses like this and they are all flawless and have withstood the test of time in Alaska's almost 24/7 summer daylight and harsh winters. Also you do not need to remove the lights just tape and paper the rig off and have at it, there are tons of videos on youtube and about 99% are either just stupid or very sub par for results. There is one I will try to find that the guy does it exactly like I do. Maby I should do a video myself since I have a few friends rigs in line to get it done because it can go from OMG what did I do to Meh to WOWZA thats bad azz.

I just did my 92 lenses using this method and they came out much better than they were...

I also drilled a 3/16" hole at the bottom of both lenses to allow moisture to escape...I originally did this on my 89 Tempo and it worked great...didn't have to replace blubs, every month like I was doing...and when they first came out the blubs were $20 a pop...so to speak...

 

[Kayakcrazy]

Here is one I tried recently, DEET, bug spray. thought the guy who told me was crazy but had on old 89 ranger that came out of the woods so... why not. It did a really good job ended up doing my b2 and my sons MR2 spyder. turned out great. spray it, clean with a cloth, and then I rinsed them well. threw a little spray wax on there and wow!

Just playing around sprayed it on the hood of the woods truck and it cut all the black junk from the paint that washing didn't touch. I wouldn't recommend that on a decent paint job but was kinda impressed.

 

[naford]

Be careful when using deet. I saw that it will ruin the clear coat on a car/truck.

 

[sblake01]

I've used toothpaste to clean yellowed headlights with fairly good results. There's also the bug spray method but that has so much down side that I wouldn't recommend it. Look that up on youtube.

 

[Mark_88]

Toothpaste...deet...all kinds of things can make them clearer than they were. When I first saw yellowed headlights I thought the vehicle belonged to a smoker...but, alas, it was not something that can be blamed on smoking...imagine...smoked glass caused by smoking!

 

[CaliNickXLT]

Mazda what part of Cali are you in ? Im in Bakersfield, Ca "about 90 mins north of LA" and i prolly have 7 or 8 diffrent junk yard in my town alone.

 

[Mazda]

Mazda what part of Cali are you in ? Im in Bakersfield, Ca "about 90 mins north of LA" and i prolly have 7 or 8 diffrent junk yard in my town alone.

I'm in Temecula. So about 200 Miles south of you. Inland between L.A, and San Diego.

 

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

So I'm also in vintage computing and have several "valuable" computers in my collection and a method that we use to un-age old computers is to use a product called a cream developer like they use in hair salons. This method if it would work on the light housings takes a total prep-application-cure time or about a hour with no sanding or any 'elbow-grease" whatsoever. All you do is clean the parts in a mild soap to get the grease off. Brush on a generous coating of the developer and then wrap it in plastic wrap and set it in the sun for a hour or so. That's it. Still going to try a few more test but I know from the third brake light I did you cant use it on colored plastic but it did work on the clear parts. Here is what it does to the computer parts.

That's frigging amazing.

 

[Mazda]

That's frigging amazing.

Thanks Ranger Dave...

I just wish it worked on the lenses.