O.C.Detailing (Lynchburg, VA.) 2004 Mustang GT - Headlight Restoration

[O.C.Detailing]

Okay, so I picked up a new dealer the other day who decided to try out my headlight restoration services on several of his cars. The first one, and the worst, is this 2004 Mustang GT. Probably a very dramatic turn around for most of you, but I need to get these things to where they're perfect and it's killing me that I can't get them that way. Anyway, onto the process and pics!

PROCESS:

- Wet-sanded using 3M 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper
- Followed up 1000 grit with 2500 grit wet/dry sandpaper
- Polished out the 2500 grit marks with M105 on 3" light cut pad on the Chicago Tools Rotary
- Polished with PlastX to help condition and protect the plastic
- Sealed with Poorboy's World Pure Sealant

BEFORE:

A couple of in-process pictures after finishing up the sanding phase and ready for polishing:

And here are the afters!

Thanks for looking! Hope you enjoyed. Constructive comments and criticisms are always appreciated!

 

[fancyfootwork]

I think they look great, but maybe slightly hazy? What do you think is missing? Either way, I think you did a great job. Amazing how headlights get that bad in the first place!

 

[cmichael258]

Impressive.

 

[O.C.Detailing]

There was a bit of condensation staining on the INSIDE of the lens that I couldn't get to. It was irritating, but the outside of the lens was clear.

What I'm referring to is not being able to get rid of every single wet-sand mark from the plastic. lol There are still some scratches in the plastic that wouldn't come out...it bothered me so much that I hit these lights 4-5 times with M105 and it still wouldn't come out completely. Oh well, the lot owner was blown away. heh Thanks for looking.

 

[5.4 Shelby]

I bet he'll be using your services again. A little thing like that can make or break the sale. If it looks bad, nobody is gonna want to buy it. If it looks as good as you got it, the car has a chance.


Nice job.

 

[O.C.Detailing]

Impressive.

Thanks!

I bet he'll be using your services again. A little thing like that can make or break the sale. If it looks bad, nobody is gonna want to buy it. If it looks as good as you got it, the car has a chance.


Nice job.

He's already gotten me to do a set of headlights on a 2003 Chevy Cavalier and has a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix he needs me to take care of once the turn signal gets replaced as well. Thanks for the compliments and I agree. :dblthumb2:

 

[tuscarora dave]

There was a bit of condensation staining on the INSIDE of the lens that I couldn't get to. It was irritating, but the outside of the lens was clear.

What I'm referring to is not being able to get rid of every single wet-sand mark from the plastic. lol There are still some scratches in the plastic that wouldn't come out...it bothered me so much that I hit these lights 4-5 times with M105 and it still wouldn't come out completely. Oh well, the lot owner was blown away. heh Thanks for looking.

I know time is money but maybe you could do an additional pass with 3000 or even 4000K paper. 3M also has those grits in a 4" pad with a velcro backing. I have been contemplating getting the pads and the worst headlight I can find at a local salvage yard and practicing at it. They are stunning results in your pics though.

 

[A4 1.8tqm]

Were the sanding marks that you couldn't get out from the 1000 grit? As I posted in one of my recent threads, I will do each grit in different directions. That way it is really easy to be sure you have removed all of the previous sanding marks. I know this would be difficult on a headlight because one way would be short up and down strokes, but that's where I would do the 1000 grit. That way you can sand in the long direction with the 2500, which takes more work to get the 1000 marks removed than it took to put them in.

Just my $0.02. Good work as always O.C.D.!

 

[O.C.Detailing]

I know time is money but maybe you could do an additional pass with 3000 or even 4000K paper. 3M also has those grits in a 4" pad with a velcro backing. I have been contemplating getting the pads and the worst headlight I can find at a local salvage yard and practicing at it. They are stunning results in your pics though.

The local store here doesn't sell 3000 grit paper is the problem. I've thought about the disks and will probably break down and get some. Just didn't have the money to get them this time around. I'm sure that'd help a ton though. Thanks for the compliment Dave.

Were the sanding marks that you couldn't get out from the 1000 grit? As I posted in one of my recent threads, I will do each grit in different directions. That way it is really easy to be sure you have removed all of the previous sanding marks. I know this would be difficult on a headlight because one way would be short up and down strokes, but that's where I would do the 1000 grit. That way you can sand in the long direction with the 2500, which takes more work to get the 1000 marks removed than it took to put them in.

Just my $0.02. Good work as always O.C.D.!

Yeah, I read your comment and try to apply the same process when I can, but these lights were so bad that the 1000 grit had to be used in a way that I got the most defect removal as possible. I'm sure the sanding marks were from the 1000 though. I'll just have to be more careful next time and probably bump up to 3000 when I get my grubby mits on the disks to do so. Thanks bud. Always appreciate your comments!

 

[jmp09fg2]

They really were as bad as you said they were lol. I need to sit in on you doing a set sometime and figure out where I am going wrong. Excellent work!

 

[Shane731]

Gosh, I think they look great! Very nice! :dblthumb2:

 

[DARK HORSE]

There was a bit of condensation staining on the INSIDE of the lens that I couldn't get to. It was irritating, but the outside of the lens was clear.

What I'm referring to is not being able to get rid of every single wet-sand mark from the plastic. lol There are still some scratches in the plastic that wouldn't come out...it bothered me so much that I hit these lights 4-5 times with M105 and it still wouldn't come out completely. Oh well, the lot owner was blown away. heh Thanks for looking.

Hey Adam, Great job, those look awesome!! You always do such a great job on headlights. Very impressive! I have used these 3m Trizact pads before polishing w/ plastix and can say they are awesome for a final clean up before polishing! I can see you are thinking about trying them. My suggestion would be go for it... you'll love em...

Tad

3M Trizact Hookit 3 Inch Foam Discs P3000, 3m spot repair discs, abrasive discs

 

[O.C.Detailing]

They really were as bad as you said they were lol. I need to sit in on you doing a set sometime and figure out where I am going wrong. Excellent work!

Yeah, they were terribad man. It was a lot of sanding and the cavalier lights were a tad bit worse now that I think about it because someone tried to fix them in the past and there was a thick coat of clear on them that needed to be completely removed before I could polish them out. Had to pull out the 320 grit for that set...I'll call you on the next really bad set of lights I get.

Gosh, I think they look great! Very nice! :dblthumb2:

Thanks so much Shane! I appreciate the kind words. I'm going to start using the urethane treatment to protect more permanently I believe. Maybe they'll come out as perfect as I'm hoping they will.

Hey Adam, Great job, those look awesome!! You always do such a great job on headlights. Very impressive! I have used these 3m Trizact pads before polishing w/ plastix and can say they are awesome for a final clean up before polishing! I can see you are thinking about trying them. My suggestion would be go for it... you'll love em...

Tad

3M Trizact Hookit 3 Inch Foam Discs P3000, 3m spot repair discs, abrasive discs

Thanks a lot Tad! :dblthumb2: The guy I buy quite a bit of my Meg's stuff from has the Trizact discs on his truck. I'll pick up a few of the high grit pads the next time he comes. You all may be right about how they'll help finish out better. Like I said above too, I'm going to start using the urethane treatment on the headlights after they're all done to make them last as long as possible.