Making the HID headlights clear again

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seanklsc

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My 10 year old housings are showing their age, I didn't even realize it until I saw this pic. Anything I could do or is it just a fact of life? Mine aren't "yellow" at all they're more like... cloudy and hazed-over. I want them to be crystal clear like these.

markviii_010.jpg
 
A bottle of 3M Rubbing Compound, and a cotton cloth will help. I do not know if you will be able to get them looking as pristine as that pic but it should make a significant difference.
 
I started to do mine today, I wet sanded with 1000 grit then polished with blue magic. I am going to hit it again with more 1000 then go down to 1500 and polish again when I have more time and they will look just as good as the ones you posted except a little better because mine is a gen 2. haha
 
I'm hitting the meet in Detroit tomorrow where I'll unveil the 'secret solution' to our headlight woes.

Stay tuned for Monday pics of before and after and hopefully some complimentary testimonials form some of the guys.

How much should I charge for the headlight cleaning. LOL. I think at least $100.00:rolleyes:

I've been down the rusty road of sanding, etc. This I think is the holy grail. We'll find out what the troops think tomorrow.
 
seanklsc said:
My 10 year old housings are showing their age, I didn't even realize it until I saw this pic. Anything I could do or is it just a fact of life? Mine aren't "yellow" at all they're more like... cloudy and hazed-over. I want them to be crystal clear like these.

markviii_010.jpg
Click to expand...

where did you find that pic? somone must make aftermarket lights, because they arent stock lights. i have a set of new lights straight from ford, and they dont look like that. stock lights have that textured inside.. those are completely clear... unless the hid lenses are different....
 
MonsterMark said:
I'm hitting the meet in Detroit tomorrow where I'll unveil the 'secret solution' to our headlight woes.

Stay tuned for Monday pics of before and after and hopefully some complimentary testimonials form some of the guys.

How much should I charge for the headlight cleaning. LOL. I think at least $100.00:rolleyes:

I've been down the rusty road of sanding, etc. This I think is the holy grail. We'll find out what the troops think tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Anxiously awaiting!!! how bout half price as i only need to do one side lol
 
You have to polish your lenses using a plastic polishing compound, and a buffer wheel.

People spend way too much time looking for a "secret" that has been available for classic car restorers for years. I have like 12 different compounds specifically designed for the polishing of plastic lenses, and obviously it works well. It will make the scorched lense off of a 40 year old car look like new.
 
4.6powa said:
where did you find that pic? somone must make aftermarket lights, because they arent stock lights. i have a set of new lights straight from ford, and they dont look like that. stock lights have that textured inside.. those are completely clear... unless the hid lenses are different....
Click to expand...

The halogen bulbs look very different. The HID lenses are clear.
 
I tried wetsanding and polishing by hand last summer but it didn't work at all. I learned this trick from my Mark VII which had the yellowest headlights ever and it worked very well, see pics here: http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00019.html. I sent the guy pics of my car before/after and he put them on the site. I guess it only works for yellowed plastic and not cloudy plastic...

4.6powa, as far as i know there is no aftermarket solution for us so those are in fact OEM housings. i found the pic on this site but i can't find the thread, maybe the owner of the car will identify himself.
 
I went from this

97lincolnmark8%20003.jpg


to this-
97lincolnmark8%20010.jpg

97lincolnmark8%20006.jpg


This was just one shot with some 1000 grit wet sand and a quick hand polish with blue magic. I am going to hit it again with some 1500 grit wet and do a machine polish next and it should be good as new.
 
04SSHD said:
I went from this

97lincolnmark8%20003.jpg


to this-
97lincolnmark8%20010.jpg

97lincolnmark8%20006.jpg


This was just one shot with some 1000 grit wet sand and a quick hand polish with blue magic. I am going to hit it again with some 1500 grit wet and do a machine polish next and it should be good as new.
Click to expand...

The lights went from looking really :q:q:q:qty to just a little :q:q:q:qty... not worth the effort.. deff starting to think the marks are not worth the hastle... time to get "the ultimate driving machine"
 
aggiestckl said:
The lights went from looking really :q:q:q:qty to just a little :q:q:q:qty... not worth the effort.. deff starting to think the marks are not worth the hastle... time to get "the ultimate driving machine"
Click to expand...


not worth the time? it only took me 5 minutes to do that. If I spend another 10 on them with some finer wet sanding and a power buffer they will be good as new. I have owned ultimate driving machines before, and I like my lincoln alot better than my 7 series.
 
I have tried all of the miracle products out there. The best way is to use a high speed polishing wheel with the correct polishing compounds. This will cut all of the crap off and will bring a lusture to it.

Lowes home improvent has a very good selection of polishing compounds.
 
dummies. :shifty: :D wetsand 1000 1500 then 2000 then buff them just like paint on a car. Will be 10 on a ten scale.. will be as good as new.. will be PERFECT again.

You can't just sand them. You can't just rub them with rubbing compound. Take them OUT OF THE CAR and buff the hell out of them after 1000 1500 and 2000. Keep your paper SOAKED while you wetsand.

If you don't have a buffer a body shop will do it.

If you don't want to do that then clear coat them. Make sure 2000 is the last grit you use and get out ALL the 1000 and 1500 grit scratches before buff or clearcoat. ;)

I've done this MANY times.
 
Didn't get a chance to do a MarkVIII this weekend :mad: but I did work a little bit on RRocket's Twin-Turbo Supra headlights.

Flitz is about the best stuff to use that you can get from the store. That's what I would recommend for convenience. You also HAVE TO USE a foam pad witha buffer. In addition, a right angle polisher like a Makita or Milwaukee doesn't turn fast enough. A right angle high speed air tool is the ticket if you want to do it right.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to do a before and after like I promised. None of the guys at the meet had crappy headlights.:rolleyes: Or they didn't trust me with a wheel after a couple dozen beers. :drunk: It was one or the other.

I'm doing my Dad's Crown Vic tomorrow which are really crappy. I'll use that car for the proof in the pudding.
 
poniesviii said:
dummies. :shifty: :D wetsand 1000 1500 then 2000 then buff them just like paint on a car. Will be 10 on a ten scale.. will be as good as new.. will be PERFECT again.

You can't just sand them. You can't just rub them with rubbing compound. Take them OUT OF THE CAR and buff the hell out of them after 1000 1500 and 2000. Keep your paper SOAKED while you wetsand.

If you don't have a buffer a body shop will do it.

If you don't want to do that then clear coat them. Make sure 2000 is the last grit you use and get out ALL the 1000 and 1500 grit scratches before buff or clearcoat. ;)

I've done this MANY times.
Click to expand...

The correct compounds / polishes with a high speed polisher will get them as clean as they will get. If you have the proper compounds there is no need to wet sand them. The key is to have the correct stuff.
 
But that would literally take you a year and give you a grooved surface opposed to two hours and an even surface, because of rock/sand chips. You have to cut through alot of plastic to get to the bottom of those ya know.
 
turborich said:
The correct compounds / polishes with a high speed polisher will get them as clean as they will get. If you have the proper compounds there is no need to wet sand them. The key is to have the correct stuff.
Click to expand...



Not entirely true. It CAN be done with progressive steps from rough cut, to fine cut compounds, but the EASIEST way to do it, is knock the crap off by wetsanding it then buff.


Mike
 
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