Practice hood & headlight sample

[AllanS]

Being newer to machine polishing, I wanted to refine my technique before using my DA polisher. By coincidence, a friend of mine works at a body shop and I was going to try to pick up a hood that they would only throw out anyway. If you had a wish list, what color, manufacturer, etc. hood would you use?

Also, I was going to consider doing headlight restoration-same question applies. In an ideal world, what year, brand, etc. headlight would be a good choice? Any preferences, besides quite yellowed? (I was going to do a 50/50 on it)

Thanks for your feedback,
Allan

[11Silverado]

I'm not going to be of much help as I've never done headlight restoration and only a few paint corrections. I think people would suggest black paint as that is typically one of the more difficult colors to correct. Really any dark color. I like the idea of picking up some practice panels and I should try to do the same thing!

[Mantilgh]

Get something dark colored. If you could get one with a hard paint and one with soft, that might be good too. I think Fords have harder clear, European, maybe GM also. Get a Asian one for soft clear.

I don't think headlights differ much. You could get one that has more of the factory coating to see how it sands off.

[Paul A.]

I agree with mantilgh, dark color (preferably black) and 2, if possible...hard black and soft black. Ford/Lincoln and Honda.

[CarolinasFinestDetailing]

Don't worry about brand, etc that i came from. Try to find the worst shape hoods and lights. Another place to visit is a scrap yard. Find a hood or two that have oxidation and has been sitting in the sun.

[DaveT435]

Get something dark colored. If you could get one with a hard paint and one with soft, that might be good too. I think Fords have harder clear, European, maybe GM also. Get a Asian one for soft clear.

I don't think headlights differ much. You could get one that has more of the factory coating to see how it sands off.

I would actually try to narrow this down to Honda. All most all Honda paint is soft. I've worked on some very hard Nissan paint, it's also been my experience that Hyundai is very hard.

[AllanS]

THANKS, guys for all of your ideas. I was thinking of using a black hood (Honda??), but didn't think of 2 - hard & soft paint. Great thought. I can store 1 hood, not too sure if I can store (hide!) a 2nd one! LOL

Picking a hood that's sun-beaten at a boneyard is a great idea. Of course, gotta make sure the clearcoat is intact.

Thanks again for the feedback.

- Allan