Gen1 Headlights swaps

You are planning on sticking 1st GEN headlamps in a 2nd GEN LS ?

Not direct plug and play .... not worth the trouble, just clean the current headlamps, check youTube vids on how to restore lenses, super easy ... yes a bit of time and effort but we'll worth it, less dollars also. Fresh bulbs ... good to go.
 
Sam's club will refinish the headlights for $30 with a five year warranty. They did a great job on my 04.
 
joegr said:
Sam's club will refinish the headlights for $30 with a five year warranty. They did a great job on my 04.
Click to expand...
The tops of my 06 headlights were a little scuffed (from what I have no idea).
My "fix" was to install painted fiberglass eyelids :)
 
Mine were pretty bad so I picked up the 3M restore kit from O'Reilly's. 45 minutes and three beers all in and voila!

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just a warning about the 3m kit...

it does not come with any kind of UV blocking, and you have now sanded off what little bit was still on the headlights.

after I did mine, they stayed good for a little over a year, then the following summer, I was driving the car more and moved to a place that did not have a garage and they went down hill quick, by the end of summer, they were ten times worse then they ever were before.

last summer while I was waiting on my exhaust to get done, I spent a full days wet sanding them down my hand and re coating them. now they actually look better than the day I bough the car. I'm hoping this last a good while, but the car hasn't sat out in sunlight for even 10 hours since then.
 
joegr said:
Sam's club will refinish the headlights for $30 with a five year warranty. They did a great job on my 04.
Click to expand...

that is a really great price, even if there wasn't a warranty, it would still be a hard deal to beat!
 
1LoudLS said:
just a warning about the 3m kit...

it does not come with any kind of UV blocking, and you have now sanded off what little bit was still on the headlights.

after I did mine, they stayed good for a little over a year, then the following summer, I was driving the car more and moved to a place that did not have a garage and they went down hill quick, by the end of summer, they were ten times worse then they ever were before.
Click to expand...

Great point. I forgot to mention that I also used the Sylvania UV Block clear coat kit the following weekend. Mine sits outside, so after a summer in the Texas sun I guess we'll see.
 
Forget the brand I have at home but it's also a type of plastic polish keep, works good, usually after a good entire clean up they get a wipe. Recently cleaned up the lamps on my Pete, they came out of the winter looking a bit worse for wear, following slow plows and other trucks in the mud too much. Just needed some good ol elbow grease with some Meguiars polishing compound and a rainX finish, all clear again. Couple of deep nicks but hey ... can you do when you live in a wooden shoe, move to a boot and not give a hoot.
 
Thanks all, lil more info to help with comments

Thought you all knew by now I am 01 gen1 so direct swap

I have zero tools so investment in tools and kits would be up there
Also have little patience lol so buffing sanding type activities drives me nuts

No Sams club for me (Costco - dont think they do) and prices I have seen here in CA for that would be upwards of 100 bucks, so really my thoughts are two new units with all bulbs still near same out of pocket is better

My units are not hazed like Cypress, the tops are near solid tan/brown. Would take some serious work I believe.

Any one have experience with Aftermarket pieces like these?
 
Those look like DEPO replacement aftermarket LS headlamps in your link.

I bought some for my 01 when I first got it, they work fine, fit perfect just one snag which was one side had a defective harness.

EDIT: Ok, I'm either getting new thumbs or a new cellphone, so tired of this text fixing.
 
Thanks Rigs. Fit is mainly the concern, and if a harness is snafu, either return it (using amazon) or could even stay factory harness. Think I will try.
 
I had similar success as Cypress with the kit from Meguires.
Fully charged drill for the polishing, a little elbow grease during wet sanding and 3 beers later, the headlights looked 13 years younger.

It is interesting how many tasks take only 3 beers. Polishing headlights, regripping golf clubs, mowing the lawn......
 
hell, stocking the fridge in the barn usually takes three beers...
 
this however, was a little more than a 3 beer job...

this was 2-3 years after the 3m kit got it back to very good condition

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this was after 400 grit

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then after 1500 grit

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then after the clear coat mix

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this was after it was all done and put back on

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to be honest, next time Ill just pay for the whole sams club membership!!!
 
Might you take some time/beers and clean that filthy engine bay up, there Loud1, shame on you! :p


btw: what did you use for the clear coat mix? end result is very clean!
 
lol, well the garage it sits in has a small gap at the top and its a freaking dust bowl here. I was surprised when I pulled it out how much dust was on it after it sat for a few months waiting the exhaust. and now, well I've been spending a lot of time on the new daily driver turbo car so its probably not going to get too much attention for a while.

I took a couple of guys recommendations I saw on here for the refinish, it was a mix of Spar urethane with UV blocker and mineral spirits 50/50, also the same thing a friend at a body shop says they use.
 
Copy that on the "Spar urethane with UV blocker and mineral spirits 50/50"

That stuff brushed on and it simply evens out where no lines from brushing is visible then?
If I recall correctly, the 03 we bought from former member M4rk, he had done the same thing ... and unfortunately couple years later they look like crap again. Which I'll have to refinish this summer.
 
I used a small piece of lint free cloth, folded up into a small square. and yeah, basically brushed it on. it was brushed on thin enough not to run.

honestly, gonna have to wait it out and see how well it holds up.
 
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