shall I be daring enough to attempt the headlight re-furb?

**paulvectrac** · 30th July 2011, 08:29

How far is it from me matey

**peelmeister** · 30th July 2011, 08:35

Originally Posted by paulvectrac

How far is it from me matey

according to Google maps about 70 miles, 1 hour 50mins - im sure you'll be quicker then that ! LOL

**K7SH M** · 30th July 2011, 11:10

i just used a cheap tube of rubbing compound results are fanatastic.

**Das** · 30th July 2011, 11:23

Originally Posted by GSiFan

Will the compound work using hand application? I don't have any pads for the DA smaller than about 150mm. I also do not have any hard wax to protect the headlamps with when they're clean. Might take a look in Halfords tomorrow but need to keep costs down because I've spent lots this pay day already.

Paul

I wouldnt imagine it would work by hand, if you tape up the body work sufficiently a 150mm pad will work no problems. You dont need hard wax to protect them, tbh wax would do anything, if your hoping to keep them in an as new condition maybe look into either headlamp protectors or a clear wrap over them.

**MURDO** · 30th July 2011, 12:56

i must do mine again cttoi. Are you guys using hand method to sand down the lamps or machine sanders. I used the tutorial method, cork block and wet+dry. got ok results but must go at them again seeings its the dryer months lol.

**GSiFan** · 15th August 2011, 15:01

Well I did my headlamps over the weekend with a little help from Mrs. GSiFan.

I took some pictures as I went and shall post them later.

Paul

**GSiFan** · 16th August 2011, 22:06

Here are my headlamp photos.

Here are the headlamps at the start of the correction.

The headlamps cleaned and following a few passes with 800-grit wet and dry paper, soaked in water mixed with car shampoo.

More wet and dry sanding was needed. I carried on until I could not see any irregular scratches through the highly regular pattern created by sanding only horizontally and vertically.

Working up through the grades of wet and dry - 800-, 1200-, 1500-, 2000- and 2500-grit, the sanding patterns are refined further and further. You are left with milky-looking headlamps.

The next stage was to set up my hitherto unused Kestrel DAS-6. I tried my two pads - an orange medium-cut pad and a red finishing pad - with two compounds - Autoglym Paint Renovator and Halfords Rubbing Compound. The AG renovator was too gentle and I found that the orange pad with the rubbing compound was very effective and gave an excellent correction, finishing the job brilliantly. I finished the headlamps with some Victoria Concours Wax for some protection. I might get something harder wearing to try on the car in due course. The results speak for themselves.

It was quite a lot of hard work but it was worth it. They lift the appearance of the car by a surprising amount.

Paul

**peelmeister** · 16th August 2011, 22:11

Looking good that Paul, I've gotta get mine done, they really let the car down. Hopefully at the Knaresborough meet Ill have them sorted, fingers crossed.

**GSiFan** · 16th August 2011, 22:17

I enjoyed doing mine.

I hope you do too.

Here were mine last year, before my first, half-hearted attempt without the proper wet and dry paper, DA, etc...

Yikes!

Paul

**peelmeister** · 16th August 2011, 22:41

Originally Posted by GSiFan

I enjoyed doing mine.

I hope you do too.

Here were mine last year, before my first, half-hearted attempt without the proper wet and dry paper, DA, etc...

Yikes!

Paul

Yep, that's exactly how mine look, both of them. Shame we're not closer to each other, I'd bet members would pay to have them refurbed, I know I would