Headlight lens restoration

[The_Lizard]

I recently got this 96 OB, and the headlights look like they've been out in the sun for a long time. So I got a headlight restoration kit from Permatex.

Here's the Before pic:

[The_Lizard]

You get four grades of sandpaper (1000, 1500, 2000, 2500) and you go from coarse to fine. This is after sanding but before polishing.

[The_Lizard]

...and after the final polishing procedure. Not as clear as the pic on their website, but it's at least an improvement. They're more cloudy than I had hoped, but I'll try them out after dark.

Plus, now that I know what's involved, I can work on it a bit more and see if I can get more cloudiness out. At least that ugly yellow is gone.

[FMGreen]

Hrmmm...I'm a little confused why you didn't just try the amazing Meguiars Plast-X...

Meguiars PlastiX - What A Difference!

[mikey1273]

I used this on my old 1990 Legacy last winter before inspection. I don't have any before and after pics nor do I have the car any more but I think I got better results Than the lizard did with this product. my mechanic asked me where I found used head lamps that looked so good so I would say it was worth the 12 or 13 dollars the kit cost. The key with it is to be meticulous and fallow the instruction to the letter then polish real good.

[Daekar]

+1 on the comment about Meguiars Plast-X, I used it on the lights on my 1999 OBW and it did pretty darn well. Two friends used it on their lights (which were REALLY far gone) and it was a big improvement - didn't fix everything though, they're still not perfect. It looked to me light some of the clouding was actually further into the plastic than the surface.

Another treatment I've seen is Crystal View, a multi-step treatment like the Permatex one mentioned by the OP, except that it includes a last step: a smoothing protective finish which you "paint" on to the lens which protects it and keeps it clear. You know how headlamps always look clearer when they're wet? I'm pretty sure it accomplishes something like that effect.

[scoot_mcgrute]

My headlights were just like the lizard's and I used plast-x to cure the problem as I had done in the past. The yellowness was too far down for the plast-x to reach, so out came the sand paper and meguiars 3 step plastic polish. It worked great!

Before-


After-


The cloudiness was at the top of the lens on mine. I wish I would've taken a picture of the driver's side because it was quite a bit worse.

[htioki]

Originally posted by scoot_mcgrute
My headlights were just like the lizard's and I used plast-x to cure the problem as I had done in the past. The yellowness was too far down for the plast-x to reach, so out came the sand paper and meguiars 3 step plastic polish. It worked great!


The cloudiness was at the top of the lens on mine. I wish I would've taken a picture of the driver's side because it was quite a bit worse.

wow, what a difference! i'm gonna need to sand mine too, 'cause the solution alone wouldn't do it.

[paintballplr199]

cd scratch repair polish works good too, and its cheaper

[biking4life]

For $20 at Advance Auto Parts I got CV Headlight Restorer. Worked great! You sand the lens, apply a protective layer, sand with 1000 grit, and then put on a polish. Took me 30 minutes and they look great!