Yellow Headlights!!! Help!!!

86StangGT · 08-12-2001, 09:44 PM

Hey, I just got my 95 Cobra and everything looks good on it execpt the damn yellow headlights, they look nasty!!! I read in a MM&FF to use 1600 grit sandpaper and wet sand them, then use a high speed buffer on them. Well I tried to wet sand them and all it did was scratch them and make them look worse. If someone has cleaned up there headlights or knows how please help!!

84LX89GT · 08-13-2001, 05:36 AM

I don't know how you can clean up the sanding you did to it, but i know that if you take bleach it will clean up and whiten the surface of the headlight. If you can, take off the lens and clean it inside and out with bleach. A friend of mine did this to his tail lenses on his POS VW Corrado and they were ALOT clearer and nicer. Good luck!

------------------
previous name: 84stangLX
'84 Mustang 5.0 LX
my LX
'89 Mustang GT
my GT

Chevyguy · 08-13-2001, 10:16 AM

The yellowing appears to be the actual Polycarbonate plastic the lens is made of yellowing due to sunlight exposure. Bleaching may help the surface, but nothing short of new lenses will really work IMHO.
Blame it on poor material quality control, and material specification shortcomings. Thanks Ford

------------------
Frank W
90 5.0 LX coupe Daily driver. Silencer removed, K&N filter. Flexalite fan, 3 core radiator. FMS flywheel and Clutch, FMS blue wires Energy Suspension end links
88 Notch 2.3L 5 speed Parts/beater car My two Notchbacks

74 Chevy Laguna Type S-3 305 Finally fixed getting a 454 to put in garage
<A HREF="http://www.chevellepages.com/folingo" TARGET=_blank>www.chevellepages.

joe4speed · 08-13-2001, 11:01 AM

I just got new lenses at www.stangparts.com 100% better!! good luck!

------------------
Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.58@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:www.joe4speed.com
99 Ninja ZX-6R:10.32@135mph!
1993 Olds Eighty Eight LSS 16.40@88.8mph

trbkrb · 08-14-2001, 04:26 PM

I don't think any thing is different with the 95 from my 87, but I used the 600 & 1200 wet & dry sandpaper with water, and then followed up with some scratch compound and my buffer - it was a lot cleaner. Not "new" clean, but maybe 3 year old clean. The scratch compound or rubbing compound( i've used both) takes out the scratches from the sandpaper. Treat the newly cleaned lenses like your paint - polish & wax them regularly. Some people recommend metal polish for polishing aluminum & such, - it may work better, but I just used what I had. They still look good 1 - 1/2 years later

------------------
Basically stock 87 LX 5.0, owned since 3/31/1987. 216,000+ mile daily driver, GT interior, King Cobra clutch, World Class T-5, GT turbine wheels.
Plans: GT hatch & spoiler, rear disk brakes, and a PAINT JOB!

08-12-2001, 09:44 PM	#1
86StangGT Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: slidell, La Posts: 73	Yellow Headlights!!! Help!!! Hey, I just got my 95 Cobra and everything looks good on it execpt the damn yellow headlights, they look nasty!!! I read in a MM&FF to use 1600 grit sandpaper and wet sand them, then use a high speed buffer on them. Well I tried to wet sand them and all it did was scratch them and make them look worse. If someone has cleaned up there headlights or knows how please help!!

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08-13-2001, 05:36 AM	#2
84LX89GT Mustangs Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 1,938	I don't know how you can clean up the sanding you did to it, but i know that if you take bleach it will clean up and whiten the surface of the headlight. If you can, take off the lens and clean it inside and out with bleach. A friend of mine did this to his tail lenses on his POS VW Corrado and they were ALOT clearer and nicer. Good luck! ------------------ previous name: 84stangLX '84 Mustang 5.0 LX my LX '89 Mustang GT my GT

08-13-2001, 10:16 AM	#3
Chevyguy Backyard Mechanic/Chemist Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Acton MA USA Posts: 435	The yellowing appears to be the actual Polycarbonate plastic the lens is made of yellowing due to sunlight exposure. Bleaching may help the surface, but nothing short of new lenses will really work IMHO. Blame it on poor material quality control, and material specification shortcomings. Thanks Ford ------------------ Frank W 90 5.0 LX coupe Daily driver. Silencer removed, K&N filter. Flexalite fan, 3 core radiator. FMS flywheel and Clutch, FMS blue wires Energy Suspension end links 88 Notch 2.3L 5 speed Parts/beater car My two Notchbacks 74 Chevy Laguna Type S-3 305 Finally fixed getting a 454 to put in garage <A HREF="http://www.chevellepages.com/folingo" TARGET=_blank>www.chevellepages.

08-13-2001, 11:01 AM	#4
joe4speed He said Member...heh, heh Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Jupiter, Florida U.S.A. Posts: 3,718	I just got new lenses at www.stangparts.com 100% better!! good luck! ------------------ Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.58@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:www.joe4speed.com 99 Ninja ZX-6R:10.32@135mph! 1993 Olds Eighty Eight LSS 16.40@88.8mph

08-14-2001, 04:26 PM	#5
trbkrb Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9	I don't think any thing is different with the 95 from my 87, but I used the 600 & 1200 wet & dry sandpaper with water, and then followed up with some scratch compound and my buffer - it was a lot cleaner. Not "new" clean, but maybe 3 year old clean. The scratch compound or rubbing compound( i've used both) takes out the scratches from the sandpaper. Treat the newly cleaned lenses like your paint - polish & wax them regularly. Some people recommend metal polish for polishing aluminum & such, - it may work better, but I just used what I had. They still look good 1 - 1/2 years later ------------------ Basically stock 87 LX 5.0, owned since 3/31/1987. 216,000+ mile daily driver, GT interior, King Cobra clutch, World Class T-5, GT turbine wheels. Plans: GT hatch & spoiler, rear disk brakes, and a PAINT JOB!