Faded Paint, Hazy Carbon... Headlight Restore Kit!

[InfiniteGSX]

My hood was soo messed up, I've buffed it, polished it, soaked wax into it even tried wet sanding and clearing and nothing helped. Always looked like ass. Well I think I got it now. Haven't seen anyone use these 3m 3000grit sand pads before till the headlight restoration kit. I used it on my hood today and the results are amazing!

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Autozone is now carrying larger, 6" pads which I will be buying a lot of to do the rest of my car! Figured someone might like this.

***EDIT*** Here is a Dry Photo, taken a few minutes ago. Finished result.

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[KyleClyne]

Gorgeous! A well-done carbon fiber hood is always a nice sight.

 

[Nicklepage1010]

i might have to try this.

 

[4g63tc]

I used the 3M 6" trizacts on mine as well, they are amazing!

 

[TeamRDM]

U said this works for headlights as well? Mine are as foggy as ####. I just purchase a 95 eclipse GS it looks like no one has touched the lights since then .

*1st post

 

[Bud92gsx]

This is the headlight restoration kit ona cf hood..HA ha ha..Thats amazing.

 

[Silver99OZ]

U said this works for headlights as well? Mine are as foggy as ####. I just purchase a 95 eclipse GS it looks like no one has touched the lights since then .

*1st post

Yes, 3M makes a kit that comes with the 3000 grit trizact as well as other grit sand paper for headlight restoration. You can find them at any autoparts store for roughly $20. I have used them in the past with great results.

 

[TeamRDM]

only 115,xxx miles though- Carfax checked too

 

[Silver99OZ]

I wonder if using the trizact pad on our silver 2g faded side skirts would do any good. Has anyone tried that yet?

 

[bryanwheat]

IF you would of wet sanded and buffed it properly than it would of worked the same or better.

 

[3kgt2nv]

miguires ultra cut compound #105 and a good buffer would have given much better results as it would have also conditioned the hood at the same time. mechanical sanding leaves light scratches that when the hood is dry or in the sun will show. buffing is almost always going to be needed after mechanical sanding to remove the marks.

good results but finish it properly and a good coat of wax for maintenance will keep it looking new for years

 

[rr06rs]

Looks great! I'm really not sure how this is any different from wet sanding and how you could have gotten any different result when u wetsanded it. In fact, you probably could have gotten even better results since you could have tapered the grit down even more and used a buffing compound for a higher luster. Either way, looks good.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

I used the 3M 6" trizacts on mine as well, they are amazing!

yeah they are.

U said this works for headlights as well? Mine are as foggy as ####. I just purchase a 95 eclipse GS it looks like no one has touched the lights since then .

*1st post

Yes, they are originally from the headlight kits, but now Autozone started carrying the larger 6" Trizacts pads which are 3000grit.

This is the headlight restoration kit ona cf hood..HA ha ha..Thats amazing.

yep.

I wonder if using the trizact pad on our silver 2g faded side skirts would do any good. Has anyone tried that yet?

I have taken it to a few scratched area's of the car, like the trunk and fender from things scuffing the clear coat and it has taken it all out and restored it.

IF you would of wet sanded and buffed it properly than it would of worked the same or better.

I Polish aluminum all the time and Its not fun. Doing it more when not needed doesn't sound fun. It only took me about 10 minutes with a drill and water. And I don't see how it can come out better. Minus the spider cracks I've had in that pos hood.... It looks brand new. Has my room mates and friends amazed and buying them to buff out their cars old paint easier than going all out.

In fact this is technically wet sanding. Using a 3000grit pad on a drill and water, and buffing using a foam 3" buffing pad and 3m polishing compound.

Only thing I haven't seen these pads work on, is my mom's tiburon's headlights. 06 GT... they are soo bad I don't think anything can get them looking new again.

miguires ultra cut compound #105 and a good buffer would have given much better results as it would have also conditioned the hood at the same time. mechanical sanding leaves light scratches that when the hood is dry or in the sun will show. buffing is almost always going to be needed after mechanical sanding to remove the marks.

good results but finish it properly and a good coat of wax for maintenance will keep it looking new for years

I've heard about the ultra cut a lot lately. Mainly for the aluminum polishing. I didn't use the sand pads, only the Trizacts pad. Which even tho is a sanding pad but it is only 3000grit with water. And then I went over it with some rubbing compound. Now in the sunlight and at angles I cannot see any haze. Just pure gloss and Carbon.

 

[se7enine]

Looks great, would like to get a nice carbon hood for my gvr4

 

[snapc3]

Looks great. The combination of Megs 105 and 205 works on everything I have tried so far. Its pretty impressive how 105 on a DA will take out 1200 grit wet sanding marks.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

I'd love to find a good priced perfect aluminum polishing setup. but I haven't yet. My polished aluminum parts look hazy even tho clear. And still some scratches from not enough fine sanding. Its just tooooooo pressing. I been using a drill with these different grit discs and then from there this black metal polish with a buffing disc from harbor freight. Works ok. My friend says it makes it look chrome but I don't see it.

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[3kgt2nv]

one of the keys to polishing alum is to use a torch to heat them up a bit before using the polishing compound

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here is the steps i did.

1. die grinder with 2" sanding pad (80 grit)
use very spareingly as you can do as much harm as help

2. wet sand 200grit
3 wet sand 400 grit
4 wet sand 600...800...1000...1500...2000
5 using a propane torch use heat sparingly and a good buffing pad with a fast cutting compound
6 use torch again and use a med cutting and then a light cutting compound.
(remember different wheels each time.
7 use a dremel tool to get small spots
8 use torch and do small sections with a polishing compound
9 repeat no * till your happy with the results
10. us an alum sealer then a wax to help prevent water spotting

 

[3kgt2nv]

just a quick pass of meguires ultra cut on a car i get to play with occasionally.

before(water spots, water etching / acid rain and the normal spider webbing and swirls from years of improper care.

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one quick pass and a coat of wax

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[Archer Fabrications]

holy crap, can i see a picture of these trizacts pads i gotta get some of this stuff my car has old as hell swirls from someones bad buffing job. wax makes it look good but then it just fades and looks like crap again. i want my dsm to look like that farrari what are you using to buff that farrari??? ive got some ultra cut next door at napa that im gonna pick up i think. can you use this with a hand pad? or is a drill 100% best way to go.. i dont wanna do more harm then good.

 

[snapc3]

Wow, lambo looks amazing.

 

[sypherzero]

Wow, lambo looks amazing.

Ferrari?

 

[4g63tc]

Ferrari?

Yup, Lamborarri, testiablo

holy crap, can i see a picture of these trizacts pads i gotta get some of this stuff my car has old as hell swirls from someones bad buffing job. wax makes it look good but then it just fades and looks like crap again. i want my dsm to look like that farrari what are you using to buff that farrari??? ive got some ultra cut next door at napa that im gonna pick up i think. can you use this with a hand pad? or is a drill 100% best way to go.. i dont wanna do more harm then good.

Google Image Result for http://www.3mselect.co.uk/images/Product/medium/2275.jpg

 

[3kgt2nv]

here are some of the results of just the ultra cut compound. you will defiantly need a buffer. do not use a drill. get a quality unit like a porter cable 9424 its like 90 bucks and its amazing. very safe even for a newbie and very low chance of you burning your paint. hand buffing with a cutting compound is totally pointless as your looking for the machine to do all the work with even pressure. doing it by hand can cause imperfections as your fingers put different pressure on the pad.

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this is a 13 yr old county snow plow that has never been touched before

a quick video i did for a review for a company showing how quick this can improve even the worst condition paint.
2012-05-02_20-01-38_209.mp4 video by 3kgt2nv - Photobucket

properly buffed and ready for wax

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the next one to be done once my back is better

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[KyleClyne]

Might try some of these. My hatch/spoiler is a bit dull. Something to do in between having the trans replaced ^_^

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Lambo? It's a ferrari dude.