Deep headlight correction

[JKL1031]

Hello again!!

So my mom got her front corner fixed and got the car from the body shop. hood, fenders, bumper and headlight had some work, it all looks good. But the old headlamp on the other side is...old and damaged by a cat/racoon. Here are a picture of the scratches.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/19/ni7h.jpg

Should she just get another light or maybe I can make it satisfactory with wet sanding?

[mwoolfso]

good candidate for sanding

[hernandez.art13]

IMO wet sanding is pretty inexpensive. Plus you get to practice. :D. Just tape of the sides so you don't damage the paint. Worst that could happen is you'd have to get another headlight, which you are debating anyway.

http://youtu.be/ACu1yRyjzOU

^ great video :props:

Good Luck,
Art

Note: if you have the polishers, compounds, polishes, etc..., then it might be inexpensive. If you don't have it then price to get all that stuff might be to much to buy. :dunno:

[MarkD51]

It seems today that everybody and their brother makes a Headlight Resto Kit, and are just about available anywhere.

That, and perhaps in combination with a small assortment of fine grade wet papers, you should be able to get a much better match with the new headlamp housing.

The one problem will be though, once such is done, eventual degradation of the fixed light assembly will again rear its ugly head, and you'll be back in the same boat again.

Waxes, or even the best sealants seem to only work so long, maybe a few months at best. A coating of some type would probably have a better ability to preserve your hard work.

Something along the lines of CQuartz DLX, or another type coating, such as the DP or Pinnacle Coatings, or Opti-Coat/Opti-Guard.

Something like these would be my choices, or another coating type product specifically made for Headlights-Plastics

[JKL1031]

what grades should i go with?

[blkSRT]

Those don't look bad at all. How deep are the scratches, can you catch your fingernail in them?

[Rsurfer]

what grades should i go with?

Start with 800,1500,2000,3000. Or 1000,2000,3000, if not too bad.

[JKL1031]

^Did this. Sorry so late. Missed the edges.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/8150/8t3n.jpg

I more so removed the haze than the actual RIDs