Polishing headlights and removing taillight spray tint

[Coatingsarecrack]

So I have a co worker who just got a 2016 mustang. He’s a good kid so I’m gonna help him out with head lights and taillights.

Do these headlights look to need sanding or can I polish. If so what should I use? I have MF and all kind of medium and light polishing pads.

For polishes Griots Correcting cream, griots glass polish (light cerium ixide) Ceriglass, Adam’s polish and Essence.

For rears we’re trying to remove rear spray on tail light tint. I have seen video’s using gasoline and I’m thinking acetone. Anyone remove this before?

Also his grill is ashy. We’re going to test spot a trim coat and if not I’ll have him try solution finish. Looks worse than pics show

Thanks in advance for the help.


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[chilly]

I did the lenses on my TT by hand with 4 grits of wet dry and finished with Hyper Compound and Hyper Polish.

It took forever

I’d look into one of the $25 kits with sanding discs and a backing plate you can chuck into a drill

I shudder anytime someone mentions acetone and car in the same sentence

I know there’s a formula for paint wipe using acetone but I’ve seen too much plastic instantly crazed by acetone

#


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[chilly]

I did some looking around and most of the kits I saw are a magical solution of unicorn tears that you wipe on and it instantly clears the plastic and rainbows come out and stuff

Mother’s has a kit with the backing plate for a drill, what looks like foam backed abrasive discs, a compound and a fluffy looking buffing “ball”

I haven’t used it so I can’t say if it’s worth the $ but it looks a lot less like smoke and mirrors than the other kits

Meguiar’s has a kit as well but they include hand held abrasives instead of drill driven

Both were in the $20-25 range

I’m not familiar with the oversprayed taillight deal so I don’t really have any ideas other than paint stripper or something but that could get sketchy


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[PaulMys]

I did some looking around and most of the kits I saw are a magical solution of unicorn tears that you wipe on and it instantly clears the plastic and rainbows come out and stuff

Mother’s has a kit with the backing plate for a drill, what looks like foam backed abrasive discs, a compound and a fluffy looking buffing “ball”

I haven’t used it so I can’t say if it’s worth the $ but it looks a lot less like smoke and mirrors than the other kits

Meguiar’s has a kit as well but they include hand held abrasives instead of drill driven

Both were in the $20-25 range

I’m not familiar with the oversprayed taillight deal so I don’t really have any ideas other than paint stripper or something but that could get sketchy


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Hey Mikey........ Empty out your PM box.

 

[chilly]

Hey Mikey........ Empty out your PM box.

I made some room…

lol


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[2black1s]

No recommendations to answer the original question(s)...

But...

As far as the acetone you're considering on the tail lamps - Don't! Or at least don't use it without a small, inconspicuous test spot.

I'm not sure what type of plastic newer lenses are made from, but in the past, I've seen acetone melt tail and parking lamp lenses.

 

[Eldorado2k]

I wouldn’t bother trying to waste too much time restoring that grill. It’ll take too much time and won’t last as long as it takes. I’d clean it up real quick, blow dry it, and spray some Stoners Trim Shine or similar aerosol trim coating on it.

As far as the lights, 1st thing I’d do is either Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish with a cutting pad on speed 4.5
Either that or Megs Plastx.

If that doesn’t cut it then you’ll know you have to sand.

Remember to open the hood when you’re polishing with the 3” pad.

Btw as far as that grill, is that even the real finish or is that Plastidip we’re looking at?

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

I wouldn’t bother trying to waste too much time restoring that grill. It’ll take too much time and won’t last as long as it takes. I’d clean it up real quick, blow dry it, and spray some Stoners Trim Shine or similar aerosol trim coating on it.

As far as the lights, 1st thing I’d do is either Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish with a cutting pad on speed 4.5
Either that or Megs Plastx.

If that doesn’t cut it then you’ll know you have to sand.

Remember to open the hood when you’re polishing with the 3” pad.

Btw as far as that grill, is that even the real finish or is that Plastidip we’re looking at?

Real finish. Never treated. Looks pretty trashed


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[Coatingsarecrack]

I did some looking around and most of the kits I saw are a magical solution of unicorn tears that you wipe on and it instantly clears the plastic and rainbows come out and stuff

Mother’s has a kit with the backing plate for a drill, what looks like foam backed abrasive discs, a compound and a fluffy looking buffing “ball”

I haven’t used it so I can’t say if it’s worth the $ but it looks a lot less like smoke and mirrors than the other kits

Meguiar’s has a kit as well but they include hand held abrasives instead of drill driven

Both were in the $20-25 range

I’m not familiar with the oversprayed taillight deal so I don’t really have any ideas other than paint stripper or something but that could get sketchy


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Griots has a kit I think I will try. Have mothers mag and wheel polish also and will give it a go [mention]Eldorado2k [/mention]


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[Coatingsarecrack]

No recommendations to answer the original question(s)...

But...

As far as the acetone you're considering on the tail lamps - Don't! Or at least don't use it without a small, inconspicuous test spot.

I'm not sure what type of plastic newer lenses are made from, but in the past, I've seen acetone melt tail and parking lamp lenses.

I saw a video where a guy used gasoline. What do you think of that?


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[Danube]

I'm almost certain acetone would cause damage to tail lights.

Don't ask me how I know that ..

 

[DFB]

So I have a co worker who just got a 2016 mustang. He’s a good kid so I’m gonna help him out with head lights and taillights.

Do these headlights look to need sanding or can I polish. If so what should I use? I have MF and all kind of medium and light polishing pads.

For polishes Griots Correcting cream, griots glass polish (light cerium ixide) Ceriglass, Adam’s polish and Essence.

For rears we’re trying to remove rear spray on tail light tint. I have seen video’s using gasoline and I’m thinking acetone. Anyone remove this before?

Also his grill is ashy. We’re going to test spot a trim coat and if not I’ll have him try solution finish. Looks worse than pics show

Thanks in advance for the help.


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I can't help on the rear's, but the fronts I would use the Griot's Correcting Cream with the MF or Foam cutting pad. You will get a decent level of correction, they may still be pitted but will at least have clarity to them. (Don't use CeriGlass, Essence won't have enough cut.)

These were done with Scholl S20 Black on a medium cutting pad -






Perfect Finish & medium cutting pad -






Cutmax and medium cutting pad -

 

[Desertnate]

I really like the Griots Severe Headlight restoral kit. I've used it several times now with great results. The kit is my recommendation for the headlights.

I have no experience with dealing with the taillight issue, so no opinions there.

The grill is a fun one. Is it OEM? I'm surprised it's gone ashy on such a relatively new car. I don't know if anything will save it at this point because putting a trim restoral protectant or coating may not work. Some plastics when they get ashy and rough will simply absorb the product and it will leave no visible change at all.

 

[2black1s]

I saw a video where a guy used gasoline. What do you think of that?

Gasoline is probably ok... But again, try a small test spot before diving in.