Headlight Restoration, 600 grit?

[GranPrix]

Wondering if I should start with 600 grit? What do you guys think?

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b101/Dariomend/IMG_2315.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/Dariomend/media/IMG_2315.jpg.html)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b101/Dariomend/IMG_2314.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/Dariomend/media/IMG_2314.jpg.html)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b101/Dariomend/IMG_2313.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/Dariomend/media/IMG_2313.jpg.html)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b101/Dariomend/IMG_2312.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/Dariomend/media/IMG_2312.jpg.html)

[A.P.A.D.]

You could start with 320 to knock out the defects faster.

[RevHeat]

I always start out wet sanding at 400. What about others?

[MarkD51]

600, 400, 320, yes, have them all I say just in case. The last pair of headlights I tried fixing on a Caddy CTS a few weeks back, I began to believe I needed my Milwaukee Angle Grinder, that's how bad they were.

Plus, somebody coated one with something that was worse to remove than the damage. I was breaking my butt with the coarsest paper being 1000.

[dcjredline]

I have used 320 before on bad lenses. You should start at 600 and see if its enough. Then go more coarse.

[GranPrix]

Sounds goods, thanks guys.

[TundraPower]

Holy aggressive Batman! Gosh I start with 1500 and go from there?

[GranPrix]

Holy aggressive Batman! Gosh I start with 1500 and go from there?

These lamps will laugh at 1500! :laughing:

[TundraPower]

These lamps will laugh at 1500! :laughing:

I didn't look close enough. At second look...WOW I've never seen headlights that trashed. Maybe break out the furniture sander?

[HateSwirls]

Same here and then use 3k Unigrit.
Then compound, polish then apply protection.
Sometimes you can get by without sanding.
I love the 3M 3 inch purple pad that removes scratches, you'd be surprised how well it works to correct headlights.

Always least aggressive can save time.





Holy aggressive Batman! Gosh I start with 1500 and go from there?

[Witty4242]

I normally start with 600 and if it barely knocks anything out will go to 340. I did some on a c6 vette last weekend that took me pulling out the pc to sand. The protective coating on those healights is very stubborn. I have found bmw headlights to be fairly easy and require only 1000 or 1500 to start.

[umana2482]

I would probably start at 600, but if you are having a hard with it I would go down to 320.

Sent from my HTC One using AG Online

[99monguse]

I have read about the mineral-spirits.polyurethane combo to seal the lamps for UV protection, but has anyone used the spray can polyurethane

[schpenxel]

I have read about the mineral-spirits.polyurethane combo to seal the lamps for UV protection, but has anyone used the spray can polyurethane

I've used a high quality exterior automotive clear coat for coating headlights in the past. So far both sets of headlights I've done this way (sanding starting at about 240 and going up to about 1000) then painting it with clear. You do NOT have to make them perfectly slick prior to painting them with clear. The clear will fill the scratches that are left and leave basically a perfect surface. Here are some pictures from the BMW ones I did:

Before:

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3715.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3715.jpg.html)

After:

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3954.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3954.jpg.html)

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/4272f6ec-7d91-49da-b4ec-72889d987532.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/4272f6ec-7d91-49da-b4ec-72889d987532.jpg.html)

[schpenxel]

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3715.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3715.jpg.html)

This was 200 grit:
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3719.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3719.jpg.html)

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3722.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3722.jpg.html)


http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3756.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3756.jpg.html)

This is as smooth as I got them before painting:
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3899.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3899.jpg.html)

Just after paint was applied..
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3908.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3908.jpg.html)

and, ta-da, after drying! They came out beautiful. I wet sanded a few dust specks and buffed them back to clear.. I've done this to two sets now and it has worked great. Corvette is up next!

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3914.jpg (http://s1117.photobucket.com/user/caparris/media/BMW%20E60%20Headlight%20Restoration/IMG_3914.jpg.html)