How do I clean/polish lights?

S

Skolzie

Member
Recently acquired some sidelights for my '14, and am wondering about the best method(s) to clean & polish the reflectors. My original determination (although wrong) was that the reflectors were stainless steel. When using mild brass polish, I discovered that they were brass and plated with something that appears like stainless steel or chrome.

Further , is there anything I can do to "restore" the area that I just ruined? Even something to sorta match so it looks good for car shows?

Thanks much for all your help. Skolzie
 
I know a person here in St Cloud MN who sends stained glass christmas ornaments out to be silver and gold plated every year before christmas. If I think of it I'll call him tomorrow and see if he'll give me a name and a phone number. I'm pretty sure what ever get's sent to them will have to be stripped and polished but that's an assumption on my part and maybe they're even able to strip them there.
 
Skolzie said:
Recently acquired some sidelights for my '14, and am wondering about the best method(s) to clean & polish the reflectors. My original determination (although wrong) was that the reflectors were stainless steel. When using mild brass polish, I discovered that they were brass and plated with something that appears like stainless steel or chrome.

Further , is there anything I can do to "restore" the area that I just ruined? Even something to sorta match so it looks good for car shows?

Thanks much for all your help. Skolzie
Click to expand...
So is shipping pretty high for lights that came from Poland?
 
If you want to patch them for now, and hold on to your hat, spray them with some 3M spray glue, and lay a film of aluminum foil on them as flat as you can. Burnish the foil until its really flat and then polish the foil with Nev-R-dull. The judges will never see it unless they pull the lenses off.
Google "burnishing gold leaf" for a synopsis. The polish job will probably last for a few months then youll hafta re-polish it. Like I said, its a temp patch but OK for a while... ws
 
Many thanks to yachtsman bill for the "quickie" patch job! I'm betting I can make it work for what I need.

I do local car shows, and the judges are John Q Public, and some shows Have a "drivers choice" award. I really feel honored when I get that one. I usually opt out of any of the other judging. thanks again! skolzie
 
Just say it isnt so... I just picked up a pair of buckets today. I did have a set of reflectors that were gonners. Soooo... I took a scotchbrite pad and cleaned them a bit and after a swipe or two were down to bare brass. I took the mexicali approach and painted them with fake chrome spray paint. It turned out good enough for this judge! I may convert over to sealed beams sooner than later tho... ws





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It seems like a fairly common problem to have the headlights accumulate a layer of dust that takes away the bulbs' innate luster.

I think that is because of a small opening leading to the part of the junction between the lights. There will be no other solution to this other than taking out the whole set and polishing it out of its original shelter.

Quite a hassle but one you should do, still.
 
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