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What you are seeing is the breakdown of the original protective coating. To restore you have to remove all of the original coating down to the base polycarbonate through chemical stripping and/or sanding. Headlights are very thick, at least an eighth of an inch or more. It would take you days...

Good point. They might also use MEK or acetone. ray6

We buy 55 gallons at a time from a wholesaler, but many of our dealers use SLX from Home Depot and haven't had problems, but who knows what they might use to denature in the future. Even though, the time the alcohol is on bare polycarbonate is probably safe enough. ray6

With respect to headlight restoration, the differences between different types of alcohol doesn't matter. As a solvent, alcohol is alcohol. A good alcohol to use would be denatured alcohol from Home Depot or Lowes. It is 99.5% with the addition of a substance added to make it taste bad, thus...

Because most headlight restorers do more than used car lots. And some higher end lots (usually new car dealers) don't want an unsatisfied customer coming back in a few months. There is also a potential liability issue. Most restorers are always open to new customers such as taxi fleets...

I am looking for a clear coat paint with UV protect-ant in it that DOES NOT require a UV light for curing. That is my only hang up right now. I have used Meguiars Headlight Protectant, plastic protectant, plastic sealer but I want something more long term. Not something I have to re-apply every...

I saw on another post a recipe for stripping headlights using mean green and tire cleaner. Has anyone tried it? Also, Impalas are becoming an item. Has anyone tried just removing the deteriorated part of the coating then recoating the entire headlight? If the original coating is as tough as it...

The spar is a polyurethane that cures by solvent evaporation and oxygen adsorption. If you are going to premix, you need to place it in containers that won't allow oxygen to permeate through. Safest would be glass or metal. If using glass, try to get amber bottles in case there any reaction of...

Great post. Might suggest you add a ball bearing to your bottles and shake before dispensing to make sure there is no spar/ms separation. Don't know if spar/ms separates over time, but some 1K solvent based coatings do. ray6

The higher the concentration of alcohol, the better it will attract water and the faster the dry. ray6

Paint thinner and mineral spirits are really the same thing. They are derived from steaming coal (thus mineral spirits). Oderless mineral spirits are really a higher purity mineral spirits which the sulpher and other stinky stuff has been distilled out. Laquer thinner is something completely...

Probly not because mold is a living thing and must have something to feed on. I can't imagine a headlight being so coated there's actually dinner on it. Just my guess. ray6 :confused: :confused:

The higher the alcohol content, the better it will capture moisture on the headlight. Alcohol is hygroscopic, meaning it is attracted and will capture water. Rubbing alcohol is 70% water and will not attract water with the same force. 100% is best, 91% is better than rubbing alcohol, rubbing...

Re: How to prevent runs Did you stir the mixture well before wiping? MS is thinner than spar and would tend to rise to the top. You could also start with 80/20 mix and apply just a little. See how it flows. If it's O.K., wipe off the spot with MS and coat headlight. If too thick, add more MS...

Re: How to prevent runs You could also start with 80/20 mix and apply just a little. See how it flows. If it's O.K., wipe off the spot with MS and coat headlight. If too thick, add more MS to your mix and try again. Make sure to stir your mix well. The thicker the coating, the longer it will...

You might try spraying or wiping the headlight with alcohol before restoring. For a few seconds the headlight will clear up enough that you might be able to see if there is interior damage. Then you would know what the headlight will look like after restoration. You may not have to forewarn the...