Headlight Restoration-new UV sealant idea

[HotRod]

Thanks David and Adam for your insight. What I might do is raise my prices a little on lens restoration, and offer the customer a "maintenance kit" for headlights and give instructions on how to use it. Basically, the maintenance kit would include an ounce or two of regular paint sealant (wolfgang, klasse, BFWD etc...) a couple of microfiber rags and an applicator. And explain to the customer to apply the sealant every 2-3 months as needed to help make the restoration last longer. Now, some customers may never use it, but if I educate the customer about maintenance then it might be worth my time, and it also might prove that I go the extra mile.

I am currently testing the spar urethane on all lenses on my work van, but it gets washed regularly and sealed with BFWD or whatever sealant I am using when I seal the paint on my van. Whenever I seal the paint, I also seal the plastic headlight and tail light lenses with the paint sealant. Now, the white mercury that is the "test car" in this thread sees no maintenance besides the occasional wash job every couple of months and never sees a garage.

[Black Bart]

You can buy small aerosol spray cans of top coat it is for clear coat repair.

I have used it before on my paint and it should work on lights.
This would cost less and no mixing and clean-up just prepare the surface and spray.

My lights do not need anything done too them but if they did I would try the clear coat in a spray can.

[termigator]

You can buy small aerosol spray cans of top coat it is for clear coat repair.

I have used it before on my paint and it should work on lights.
This would cost less and no mixing and clean-up just prepare the surface and spray.

My lights do not need anything done too them but if they did I would try the clear coat in a spray can.

Would you sand it before spraying? If yes, would the spray make the sanded headlights clear again?

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

Wow, i just read ALLLLL 11 pages of this thread...my eyes need restoration!

sounds like a good idea. I just did the 105/205 method on our taurus and it turned out nicely...didnt sand thou...you think sanding is pretty much manditory or can you get away without sanding sometimes?

here is the link to the write up i did on them if someone wants to take a look and give me some feed back on if sanding would have made a difference.

First Headlight Restoration 96' Taurus

keep everything updated...i just so happen to have those exact materials (the clear gloss and mineral spirits) in the garage ...might try it over the weekend...

[the student]

since i live in Puerto Rico i cant find Helmsman Spar Urethane anywhere, even home depot, i found a can that is Ultra Spar Marine Urethane, clear, but on the inside is a bit brownish, its that typical???? also read extra UV protection but the color its what got me confused

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

since i live in Puerto Rico i cant find Helmsman Spar Urethane anywhere, even home depot, i found a can that is Ultra Spar Marine Urethane, clear, but on the inside is a bit brownish, its that typical???? also read extra UV protection but the color its what got me confused

If i remember correctly it does have a slight brown tint but dries clear (the helmsman that is) Its been over a year since i used it on a door, but i think it had that brown tinge too. Now I could still see to the bottom of the can...it was totally transparent...but just a brown color, is that what you're finding?

[02nissanISR]

Wow, i just read ALLLLL 11 pages of this thread...my eyes need restoration!

sounds like a good idea. I just did the 105/205 method on our taurus and it turned out nicely...didnt sand thou...you think sanding is pretty much manditory or can you get away without sanding sometimes?

here is the link to the write up i did on them if someone wants to take a look and give me some feed back on if sanding would have made a difference.

First Headlight Restoration 96' Taurus

keep everything updated...i just so happen to have those exact materials (the clear gloss and mineral spirits) in the garage ...might try it over the weekend...

sanding is not necessary in all cases if you can polish them to clear then you have accomplished the goal. i just did a set of headlights on an older 3 series bmw. One light was completely yellow but as this was an add on (freebee) for a friend after cleaning the car i just polished them to make them look a little better. i used megs solo and 4" foamed wool pad and they came out clear. i thought for sure they would need sanding.

[feslope]

keep everything updated...i just so happen to have those exact materials (the clear gloss and mineral spirits) in the garage ...might try it over the weekend...

FWIW Minwax Helmsman Spar Urathane is now (recently) available in a water based version. Helmsman Spar Urathane is also available in spray (Rattle) cans pretty much everywhere paint is sold. I have also played with the (Mentioned early in this thread) Sem 21013 Solaray UV Headlight Repair spray. The Sem really needs to be UV cured. I have cured Sem with an 800 watt facial tanner, took about 5 minutes 18" away, it can sit out in roomlight for hours and barely get tacky. The cottonwood is blowing here now so I have not tried it outside. Also the Sem is very expensive. I have done about 8 sets of headlights for friends using the rattle can over the last 3 months and so far no complaints.

[HotRod]

Longevity Test- One year since original restoration

Ok, as promised here is the one year update. I have been doing updates every three months and we have finally reached a year in this test. By picture they look really good. But there is a slight "haze" at the very top edge of the headlight, nothing major and you have to get really close to see it. I'am wondering now if I did not get good coverage with the sealant on the edge or it was too thin of an application, or maybe I did not clean them up well. I think removing the lights from the vehicle would produce better results. So I might change that in my process.

These lights are on a 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis, it is never garaged, seldom washed and the lights, since restoration have never had a coat of wax or paint sealant as maintenance.

These were the first lenses that I used the spar urethane method with, so my technique of application has improved, which there is a little learning curve if you have never done anything like this.

To sum it all up. This sealant which is made for wood not plastic, works very well on headlights and tail lights. It can be a little finicky with the application, but I will continue to use it until there is something as cheap and easier to use than the spar urethane. Which is highly unlikely.

These lights are far from needing another complete restoration!

[HotRod]

Here is another update on a pair of headlights restored with the spar urethane method. This is my work van(2000 GMC Safari), the headlights were pretty bad to begin with, so they were sanded, buffed and sealed with the urethane.

This test is about a year old, and these lights were washed regularly and applied a couple coats of paint sealant(BFWD or whatever I was using) every couple of months. This van is driven a lot and never garaged so it is exposed to the elements all year.

Since these lights were maintained after the restoration, there is absolutely no evidence of the urethane degrading or loss of gloss. However there was a slight loss of gloss and possibly haze on top edge of the 1998 mercury lights that was the original test subject of this thread. But that car was not maintained at all. My van lights were treated as if they were new since restoration.