Hi everyone. I got really sick of my foggy 2gb headlights so I decided to wetsand and polish them. I used 2000 grit sand paper, some sort of plastic scratch remover, and mother's polish.

I was just wondering if anyone knows of any sort of clearcoat I can put over the lights to keep the results? I've done this before and it only lasted about 1 month at which point the lights returned to exactly how they were before...nasty. So please, anyone with any ideas, please help! I don't want to have to polish every month if possible.

Anyways, here's the results if anyone's interested:

Before:


AFter:

The Plasti-X polish is supposed to help prevent that..

Nice Job, I will have to try that out they look very very nice

I am a painter. Ive never cleared headlights before. I sprayed red candy over my 1gb talon tails to red them out. Ive had no problem with them. I just dont know what clearcoat would do on a headlight. I would think it would be ok though. Just make sure they are perfectly clean!

Anthony

95% of the time you paint on any plastic/polyurethane surface you should use some sort of adhesion promoter. The surface should also be slightly scuffed and free of any thin layers of polish, film or anything that will sit between the adhesion promoter/clear coat and the actual plastic on the headlight.

I always used mothers mag and aluminum polish on my 2g's headlights and it worked fine for a couple months at a time

I actully just did the same thing pretty much as what you did, but after acouple day I notice the haze coming back. The only thing is I used the new 3M kit that is made for headlight restoation. But the clear coat, I am also trying to get ahold of right now, it is actully a chemical clear coat, the auto store, is getting some for me. I will try to inform you of what I find out. Im hoping it is in a aersol can.

rubbing compound by 3m would help sand it down a little more, but maybe the headlight thing plastix will work well too.

Nothing will work as a permanent solution until the surface is sealed with something like a clear coat.

It's the way the plastic reacts the the air (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ext...) that causes the surface to get that way so unless you have something to prevent the surface from being exposed to those elements it's just going to happen again after a few weeks/months.

Wow, I didn't know the 2gb lights did that as well... Why the hell is it that EVERY 96 that I have seen does not get the hazing, but every 95 I've seen has at least one head light haze?!?! Mine are CRYSTAL clear!

Crystal View The Best Auto Headlight Restorer Defogger Cleaner <== try this it work like charm and cheap

The six how-tos in the FAQ weren't enough?

If you can find a clearcoat that won't yellow, let us know.

T is for TURBO said:

Wow, I didn't know the 2gb lights did that as well... Why the hell is it that EVERY 96 that I have seen does not get the hazing, but every 95 I've seen has at least one head light haze?!?! Mine are CRYSTAL clear!

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I had a left headlight from a 95 and a right headlight from my 96 and both had the hazing problem.

I then purchased an aftermarket set of headlights off ebay for my 2gb conversion and NEVER had the hazing problem. My light patern was kinda messed up though.

hmm so far to date I have not seen a 96 that hazed... strange

T is for TURBO said:

hmm so far to date I have not seen a 96 that hazed... strange

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...until today



They were somewhat worse until I used turtlewax rubbing compound on them, that seemed to help a little. I think I'll give crystal view a shot.

MaNGiNa24 said:

Nothing will work as a permanent solution until the surface is sealed with something like a clear coat.

It's the way the plastic reacts the the air (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ext...) that causes the surface to get that way so unless you have something to prevent the surface from being exposed to those elements it's just going to happen again after a few weeks/months.

Click to expand...

Nope... It's the UV Rays. The stockers don't have crap for UV protection on the plastic.

Well, if anyone can get something that protects form UV rays then SHARE.

BulletProof Products - D - BulletProof Headlight Lens Protect - BulletProof AutoSports Online Shop

I found this. No experience with it though and I wont get to try til spring.

Morpherex said:

The Plasti-X polish is supposed to help prevent that..

Click to expand...

I've used it in the past, and the hazing comes back in a few days.

MaNGiNa24 said:

95% of the time you paint on any plastic/polyurethane surface you should use some sort of adhesion promoter.

Click to expand...

What exactly is an adhesion promoter?

All_Boost16G said:

I actully just did the same thing pretty much as what you did, but after acouple day I notice the haze coming back. The only thing is I used the new 3M kit that is made for headlight restoation. But the clear coat, I am also trying to get ahold of right now, it is actully a chemical clear coat, the auto store, is getting some for me. I will try to inform you of what I find out. Im hoping it is in a aersol can.

Click to expand...

Please let me know what they get you! The hazing comes back in a few days. I feel like my headlights are permanently messed up. I really feel like it needs some kind of protective coating, not just polish.

nongthep said:

Crystal View The Best Auto Headlight Restorer Defogger Cleaner <== try this it work like charm and cheap

Click to expand...

Have you used this? What results/how long did it last if so?

Defiant said:

The six how-tos in the FAQ weren't enough?

If you can find a clearcoat that won't yellow, let us know.

Click to expand...

No, the 6 how-tos were not enough. I read them all, and none have anything about a finishing coating besides polish which is not good enough for me. I made this thread in search of a clearcoat or anything equivalent.

markp said:

No, the 6 how-tos were not enough. I read them all, and none have anything about a finishing coating besides polish which is not good enough for me. I made this thread in search of a clearcoat or anything equivalent.

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Perhaps there's an obvious answer in that.

As I said, if you find something that'll work, let us know.

Okay this is what I was told. You can use any catalized clear coat, which means two parts, usually the clear coat and the hardner. This beening said, you can usually get it in quarts, but if oyu hit up a body shop they might work with you, if they have some left over. I actully had some dupont from a previous car project that im going to use. Air car clear coat will not work, beacuse its mostly laquar clear, and has very little UV protection.

Hope that helps

All_Boost16G said:

Air car clear coat will not work, beacuse its mostly laquar clear, and has very little UV protection. Hope that helps

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Sorry, but what is "air car clear coat"?

[Probably a bastardization of "spray can".]

MaNGiNa24 said:

Nothing will work as a permanent solution until the surface is sealed with something like a clear coat.

It's the way the plastic reacts the the air (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ext...) that causes the surface to get that way so unless you have something to prevent the surface from being exposed to those elements it's just going to happen again after a few weeks/months.

Click to expand...

Can I expect the same thing with a newly purchased set of Angel Eye projector head lights? If so, is there any preventive maintnence to help slow or stop fogging?

MaNGiNa24 said:

Nothing will work as a permanent solution until the surface is sealed with something like a clear coat.

It's the way the plastic reacts the the air (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ext...) that causes the surface to get that way so unless you have something to prevent the surface from being exposed to those elements it's just going to happen again after a few weeks/months.

Click to expand...

Can I expect the same thing with a newly purchased set of Angel Eye projector head lights for my 96? If so, is there any preventive maintnence to help slow or stop fogging?

Aftermarket headlights are a lot less likely to fog up due to the different material used

MaNGiNa24 said:

Aftermarket headlights are a lot less likely to fog up due to the different material used

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So if possible swap the aftermarket lense?

as stated before in different thread same topic
USE this VentureShield to keep them looking clear

justoscar1 said:

as stated before in different thread same topic
USE this VentureShield to keep them looking clear

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Definitely a good option.

You could always do a lens swap as well as long as they are the same model years