Headlight Restoration-new UV sealant idea

Gatto5 said:
Hi Guys,
This is my first post.
Wanted to say thanks to all of you. I was looking to start a little side business and noticed all those nasty looking headlights, Mine included! I have compounded,polished and waxed mine and as you know it needs to be done every 4-6 months. I was looking for a way the prolong that and found this site, and yes I've read all 58 pages:eek:
I work on a friend old car to try out the stuff i bought from AG. I ordered the groit's 3in orbital:buffing::, dry sanding discs 320,500,800 and 1500 wet. I'm sending a couple pics.
This is also the first time using any kind of sanding tool and I'm sure you guys can provide a few tips to another newbie on getting the best results with my new toy.
The last pic is after sanding with 320,500,800,1500wet and also used meguires ultimate compound . I'm assuming I still have some of the original clear coat as you might be able to see in the pic.
Any advise is greatly appreciated.:props:
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If you have spots of clear left..go on and sand those on out and then refinish up all the way up to 1500...if you do it right you should be ready to do the helmsman seal...that stuff fills scratches fairly well as long as they arent' super deep

And also, welcome!
 
Part-timer said:
mitsuman95 said:
Thanks! Well when i advertise i just put $40 any lights. Some take less time some take more, but it usually equals out. I charged the porsche guy $40, but he gave me a $30 tip. So sometimes is pays to do a good job, called me the next day to do his mercedes and gave me $20 tip. I also have a day job.


So How/where do you advertise?
Click to expand...

Pretty much just on Craigslist. Few fliers here and there.
Click to expand...
 
Wills.WindowsAndWheels said:
If you have spots of clear left..go on and sand those on out and then refinish up all the way up to 1500...if you do it right you should be ready to do the helmsman seal...that stuff fills scratches fairly well as long as they arent' super deep

And also, welcome!
Click to expand...



Thanks for the tip. :thankyousign:
Ill be doing my neighbors VW bug this weekend. They are in bad shape and I'll post the results
 
So i have been pretty frustrated with compound getting all over my customer cars, and having to spend even more time cleaning up all the splatter. I decided to go without with great results.

I went 800/1000/1500/2000(all wet) then cleared. Looked perfect. No scratches. Not sure if this made a difference, but i sanded left to right, and then at a ////// kind of angle.

Just a heads up yall! This saved me a lot of time.

I know HotRod did something similar, but i didn't believe it. haha. I'm a believer now.

EDIT: BTW this was all hand sanded.
 
Mitsman95.....I thought about trying Craigslist in the past but figured noticed there was some other guy already doing that at $20@pr...(I'm at $40@pr)...so I just kinda blew off the idea. Maybe I'll try it anyway and see what response I get.... Thanks!
 
Gatto5 said:
Hi Guys,
This is my first post.
Wanted to say thanks to all of you. I was looking to start a little side business and noticed all those nasty looking headlights, Mine included! I have compounded,polished and waxed mine and as you know it needs to be done every 4-6 months. I was looking for a way the prolong that and found this site, and yes I've read all 58 pages:eek:
I work on a friend old car to try out the stuff i bought from AG. I ordered the groit's 3in orbital:buffing::, dry sanding discs 320,500,800 and 1500 wet. I'm sending a couple pics.
This is also the first time using any kind of sanding tool and I'm sure you guys can provide a few tips to another newbie on getting the best results with my new toy.
The last pic is after sanding with 320,500,800,1500wet and also used meguires ultimate compound . I'm assuming I still have some of the original clear coat as you might be able to see in the pic.
Any advise is greatly appreciated.:props:
Click to expand...
did u apply polish or clear coat need for the lights to stand out just a little more
 
mitsuman95 said:
Thanks! Well when i advertise i just put $40 any lights. Some take less time some take more, but it usually equals out. I charged the porsche guy $40, but he gave me a $30 tip. So sometimes is pays to do a good job, called me the next day to do his mercedes and gave me $20 tip. I also have a day job.




They look longer in the picture, but no i havent noticed anything like that. sometimes randomly they will streak and i have to wipe them down and redo.



?? what bmw...
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the one u done on 6/25 post
 
reggie1967 said:
the one u done on 6/25 post
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its a Scion tC guy.

ehjdc6.jpg
 
Part-timer said:
Mitsman95.....I thought about trying Craigslist in the past but figured noticed there was some other guy already doing that at $20@pr...(I'm at $40@pr)...so I just kinda blew off the idea. Maybe I'll try it anyway and see what response I get.... Thanks!
Click to expand...

Those guys come and go from my experience. Its not worth it in the long run to charge $20 per pair, especially if your mobile.

It's also all about presentation. Create a nice looking ad, and you will get interest. Don't be like those other guys with pictures of the front end all wet and the headlights tapped up. Also write up a decent couple paragraphs(not too long) of what you have to offer. A website also helps to make you seem more legit.
 
reggie1967 said:
did u apply polish or clear coat need for the lights to stand out just a little more
Click to expand...


Hi Reggie,
I sanded them and compounded with Meguires ultimate and the used the spar/mineral mix.
I'm very new at this and appreciate any tips:xyxthumbs:
 
Gatto5 said:
Hi Reggie,
I sanded them and compounded with Meguires ultimate and the used the spar/mineral mix.
I'm very new at this and appreciate any tips:xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...
way to go ur going in the right direction just keep up to see how ur 50/50 last on the cars
 
reggie1967 said:
no not this car it was a bmw i seen it he knows
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No, I thought you understood they weren't BMW's. The lights with the junk on the top is a Scion TC. It's in the same post as the pictures of the Porsche and The Mercedes.
 
Hi all,
This are the pics I took of my neighbors VW bug. They were in bad shape. Hand sanded the right and used the 3in. groit's on the left. I used the meguires discs 320,500,800 ( I used them wet and they seem to do fine) also used 1000,1500 then compound and seal.
as always comments are appreciated:props:

:Picture:
 
Gatto5 said:
Hi all,
This are the pics I took of my neighbors VW bug. They were in bad shape. Hand sanded the right and used the 3in. groit's on the left. I used the meguires discs 320,500,800 ( I used them wet and they seem to do fine) also used 1000,1500 then compound and seal.
as always comments are appreciated:props:

:Picture:
Click to expand...

Good job man, clouds always mess up headlights when taking pictures.

Has anyone here done any 7 series BMW's? I did one yesterday and when i finished, it looked like it has a weird haze. It didn't look crystal clear as always. I did 400/800/1000/1500/2000 then cleared. The surface looked great, no scratched, no nicks. but I cleared one and noticed it was kinda hazzy, so i went ahead and polished up the other headlight and applied the clear still looked somewhat hazzy. I couldn't do anything to get this out. What is this from and can it be fixed? The guy was pretty cool about it because i did his other x5 that turned out really good, and he was sitting there talking to me the whole time i did the 745i so he knows it wasn't anything i did wrong.

Thanks guys.
 
A very few headlights, unfortunately, seem to haze over on the inside. Some deteriorate WITHIN THE PLASTIC (I rented a Pontiac like that, both lenses all full of tiny cracks throughout) and I'd guess if that's the case with this BMW, it's off to the BMW dealer. The owner will have to bring lots of money.
 
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