Help Restoring Lenses

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Mexmarine

Mexmarine

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Is there a way to restore the lenses in my tail lights?
 
It depends how crazed they are. Crazing is the really fine cracks plastic gets from long exposure to the elements. If the aren't too bad, you can polish them with plastic lens restoration products.
 
You mean restore like to this level? It's a lot of work. But they came out nice. :rolleyes:

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Mexmarine said:
View attachment 1715014979 Is there a way to restore the lenses in my tail lights?
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I have reconditioned a few of them, but I can tell you that at least the one backup lens is too far gone to do anything reasonable with.
You would be better off to locate replacements (there are repops on Ebay out of Mexico)
They don't have any of the painted area's so those would need to be done, but overall they look pretty decent.

Here's the problem, and some of the solutions I have used.
When they are as far gone as that one backup light they tend to crumble if anything is put on them, and you can actually hear it happening.
Paint, solvent, clear coat or anything like that and you can hear them snap crackle pop until they just fall apart.

The ones that are not as bad I have used candy red enamel and poured it onto the outside directly on the red area's, letting them sit level and covered until dry. (a few days at least)

I have also tried polish with a mototool, but it can make the surfaces look funky because the surface can get uneven from the removal of material.
I finally gave in and located replacements.

Your two brake/tail lenses look like a good candidate for a hand polishing.
I used auto paint polish by hand for ones like that and they came out pretty nice.
 
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Their were some posted a week or so back here on the FABO site.
 
4spdragtop said:
Can they be disassembled further? So just the lenses are left? I did some of my cuda tail lights with the 3M headlight restoration kit. Worked good!
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Didn't know that stuff existed, that's why I always come here! Thank you.
 
No you can't disassemble them any further. Thanks for the nice comments. I enjoyed doing them. Used a air brush. And a lot of taping.
 
TrailBeast said:
I have reconditioned a few of them, but I can tell you that at least the one backup lens is too far gone to do anything reasonable with.
You would be better off to locate replacements (there are repops on Ebay out of Mexico)
They don't have any of the painted area's so those would need to be done, but overall they look pretty decent.

Here's the problem, and some of the solutions I have used.
When they are as far gone as that one backup light they tend to crumble if anything is put on them, and you can actually hear it happening.
Paint, solvent, clear coat or anything like that and you can hear them snap crackle pop until they just fall apart.

The ones that are not as bad I have used candy red enamel and poured it onto the outside directly on the red area's, letting them sit level and covered until dry. (a few days at least)

I have also tried polish with a mototool, but it can make the surfaces look funky because the surface can get uneven from the removal of material.
I finally gave in and located replacements.

Your two brake/tail lenses look like a good candidate for a hand polishing.
I used auto paint polish by hand for ones like that and they came out pretty nice.
Click to expand...
I'm going to try the hand polishing first with some of the suggested restoring kits, if that fails I guess I'll try Ebay. Thanks for the great tips!
 
I have purchased two sets out of Mexico (eBay) after I tried to salvage several sets.Some turned out ok but one 1/4 to a 1/2 of a turn too much on the mounting screws and one or two of them cracked. They are not exact reproductions but close enough. The only problem is that it took about a month to get them.
 
lee g said:
I have purchased two sets out of Mexico (eBay) after I tried to salvage several sets.Some turned out ok but one 1/4 to a 1/2 of a turn too much on the mounting screws and one or two of them cracked. They are not exact reproductions but close enough. The only problem is that it took about a month to get them.
Click to expand...
I read that when I saw them on Ebay. I'm not in that big a rush so it should be okay.
 
If I remember correctly? The Ebay ones are like one side only. And all 4 lenses are different.
 
I have restored some plastic, and glass using Purple Metal Polish (by California Custom) using light to medium HAND pressure in small circular motion. I would not recommend any motorized tool for this as it is too fast generating heat.
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