OO er, what have I done now?

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:14 pm

Hi gang,
I have been trying to get rid of the faint amber tinted film over part of both headlamps for some time now. I tried sticky stuff remover, elbow grease and T cut to no avail.
Tonight I tried cellulose thinners and the effect was immediate. the tint dissapeared and the front of the lens was covered in a gooey white film made up, as I thought of the glue and plastic film coming away. The trouble is that it seems to be endless, is the glue thicker than I thought, or am I dissolving the front lens in thinners.
So, the question is, Has anyone done this before or does anyone know whether the plastic lens on the light dissolves in cellulose thinners?
Awaiting your reply, with trepidation
Tim

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:21 pm

Sorry Tim, but there is no amber tint film on the headlamp plastic lens.

It is simply discolouration of the plastic due to the effects of heat from the bulbs and light from the sun.

Sadly, your use of thinners has irrevocably dissolved the plastic.

You are facing the purchase of two new headlamp assemblies.

Sorry to be the harbinger of such bad news.

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:32 pm

Darn it!

I only mucked up one of them but if I can get a couple of clean ones off a Bongo breaker I guess I will.

Why do I do these things?!

Thanks for the quick reply Pippin.

All the best,
Tim

Colin Lambert · Post by **Colin Lambert** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 11:25 pm

Oh dear I bet Tim is humming now!

Sadly I agree with the able seaman.
Best of luck finding a new one.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 1:10 am

So is the entire headlight lens plastic then? It sounds like glass if you tap it! I assumed that it was a plastic inner lens, with a conventional glass outer

If it has knackered the headlight,thats bloody hard luck mate

Its probably down to a previous owner pennypinching with the cheapest replacement bulbs they could find.

U.V. headlight bulbs will have to be used for the replacements...Dont forget not to touch the glass! just handle the metal surround when you fit them.

Taxiback · Post by **Taxiback** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:54 am

My friend done the same thing, he then got a friend who sprays cars to use very fine wet and dry sandpaper and then used a buffer and they came up like new.
Here is what they looked like and I will see if I can get a picture of them now.
[img][img]http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/3150/lightsid9.jpg[/img][/img]

Kentish Paul · Post by **Kentish Paul** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 6:00 am

Tim, Taxiback is right. There are materials which can restore the plastic with skilled polishing/buffing. The challenge will be to find someone to do this at a reasonable price. Depends I guess on how easy it is to source replacements from a breaker.

The plastic headlight covers on my new shape had a frosted appearance and I used Plastic-X to restore them but a LOT of elbow-grease was required!

Cheers.

By the way everyone, I have been off the scene for past six months working in sunny Hong Kong. I am back now and within days have been struck down with Gout again. There must be a link!

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:27 am

Thanks for the support and replies everyone. I will try to use fine wet and dry whilst looking for replacements.
Happy motoring,
Tim

maxheadroom · Post by **maxheadroom** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:48 am

I have seen some polish advertised on a shopping channel ( I know I know just flicking channels) and it says it will polish the misted rear plastic window in convertibles back to clear.
I think it was called miracle shine or polish or something. advert looked a lot like the mer type stuff

smartmonkey · Post by **smartmonkey** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:26 am

There are a few products that work but they all involve annoyingly hard graft. The convertible window stuff is excellent and I think the stuff I use is called renovo. I got mine from MX5parts.co.uk

I have polished plastic on my buffing wheel and you do get a good result but you have to be so careful. The tendancy is to melt and burn rather than cut. You need adelicate touch and you have to keep moving to stop heat building up.

I think the headlamps are are suffering from UV degredation - the discolouration is likely to be all the way through.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:37 pm

I agree smartmonkey - bite the bullet and get some new ones, use the old ones for a bit of practice as per the above - they may make useful spares

Post by **Simon Jones** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 6:12 pm

I'm 99% certain the headlamps on my 97/98 model are glass. I'll check tonite, but if they are glass, then the discoloration may be just the glue gone hazy, rather than the lens.

timhum · Post by **timhum** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:09 pm

My lenses are plastic for sure. They give when pressed and sound placky when tapped.
I have ordered a pair from Bongobits, one of the two advertised on Ebay breaking a Bongo.
Just to add salt to a wound and because fate thinks I am made of money.... I found a trace of brake fluid on the outside of a rear brake disc today, I guess it is the cylinder but will have to check. Does anyone know where a new one can be found? Bongobits said no and AVA do not advertise them on their site. Any ideas?
I will post this last paragraph in another thread if no replies .
All the best,
Tim

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:51 pm

Are you sure it's brake fluid and not rear axle oil Tim - they can be prone to the hub seals leaking...........

Post by **Simon Jones** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:07 pm

Tim - I was mistaken, there are indeed plastic lenses - I never realised this. Hope you manage to fit the replacements ok.