in my hands and fingers

Now, most know I'm fairly tough and have rough hands and toughened skin, due to my work, etc., but today, my hands and fingers are killing me

If you think refurbing a fuel cap or replacing a rear light cup surround may be tough, then don't bother refurbing your headlamps

Well, the rest of the refurbing side of the headlamps isn't bad, it's the splitting them apart and getting rid of the sealant that's the main problem!

I've had a spare set of lights hanging around for a while, which have lacquer peel and as mine on the car are in very poor condition too, I thought I'd have a go at refurbing the spare ones.

Took me about 3 hours in total (excluding fag and coffee breaks) just to do one light.

I have four stab wounds from slipping with a scraper and screwdriver and sore fingers from picking off the sealant while still very hot and it sticking to my skin on my fingers lol.

Nightmare of a job and not looking forward to doing the second light at all.

Firstly, I took all the lacquer off the lens with some 2000 grit wet and dry.

Then set about trying to split the lens from the back.

Eventually done this and then spent ages trying to get the old sealant off the lens sides and back cover.

Still haven't removed it all, but have 'hollowed' it out to make room for the new bonding.

After using 2000 wet and dry, I then used Autoglyms paint renovator (like t - cut), before moving on to their polish, then wax.

I used WD40 to bring the black on top of the lights, back up to nice condition.

I haven't bonded them yet, as I have no Tiger seal here, so will do that when I get around to refurbing the second light and will also have to swap my hid's over too.

For some reason, Photobucket won't accept all my uploads, even though they are all the same type of file, so only have a couple of photos to show you:

Lacquer removed with wet and dry and the rest rubbed down too:



Finished result, apart from it needs bonding together:

Blimey

They look brilliant T!!

(despite the blood loss)

wow!
Looks amazing T!

very nice, can you do mine too ?

They look better than new. my word if only i had such good workmanship. (or workwomanship or whatever,

they look devine T

good job T , they look pukka .

Fancy doing mine T as you love doing them!!!!

lmfao, T you're a legend!!

good job though, well done

Cheers for all the comments

For people who refurb their headlamps and polish up their rocker or coil pack covers and then go on to sell them - they are worth every pennny you get for them!

It's a gorgeous day here today, so am undecided whether to do the other light or do something girly instead and clean my windows

Go for a drive and smoke lots of fine rollies.

Nice job T!
You didn't fancy painting the inner body colour? Look nice on your colour car!

I'm still thinking about that, especially as I haven't sealed the units up yet and have a can of Sprinty paint here

The only thing putting me off really, is the state of the ones I have on the car now.

They were ok until I put hid's in and since then, they have gone yellowish and weird inside.

I'm worried that if I paint them, the blue paint will come off and just look a mess.

Then I'll have to go through the whole process of this again, which I really don't want to do.

I have saved myself from a further two stab wounds this morning, by wearing thick gardening gloves to do most of the sealant removal work

Having the luxury of a spare set, maybe worth a spray then you can change or not if you don't like them!
In the words of Paddy McGuiness
'No likey, no lighty!
Let the aerosol see the light, cmon!'

Great post T. Nice to see you enjoying yourself

I wouldn't go with paint job. That one you've done looks really good as it is

sounds like the temperature of your HIDs has discoloured the plastic doesn't it? do they get hot? Has anyopne else experienced that?

The HiDs don't affect the paint Theresa, but you said you'd sprayed the plastic with WD40? That would probably affect the paint more!

Haha, I was thinking that while polishing the lens and was going to say something along those lines if I spray them




I've sprayed the black plastic inside with WD40, to make them blacker, on the ones I'm refurbing.

If I spray them blue, obviously I know I'll have to get the WD40 back off and rub them down, in order for the paint to stick.

The ones on the car now only started discolouring and looking a mess after I put the hid's in.


I don't know what to do. I like the ones that are painted inside, but as my car is blue with black wheels and other black bits, etc, I feel the newly refurbed lights will look nice too and break up the expanse of the blue bonnet, like the original ones do.

I'm leaning towards keeping them as they are to be honest.

I have about half an hour to decide, before I go out and get some Tiger Seal

do one of each Theresa and see which you like best after a few weeks

Well, in true female style, I've changed my mind

They are now outside, waiting for the primer to dry

Blue would be good... always liked the colour coded headlights. They just look special. Great job T! Get them sorted for Brooklands, and I will gaze in envy

Tim

Cheers Tim, nearly sorted



Ready for the lens to be bonded on now:

Nice job Theresa. First time i have seen them in blue. well done girl.

Good job and the right choice with going blue. Super work Theresa, just need the finished and installed shots

Cheers Joe

They have been done in blue before and I think it was nismo that I was going to buy a set from, but someone else beat me to it

I've seen some on Ebay too, but pretty sure they went for about £80.

Considering this started off as a quick clean up and refub, it's taken me two days on and off to do and I've colour coded them

I've bonded them now, so will wait for them to set overnight and then swap the hid's, etc off the ones that are on the Coupe now and hopefully get them fitted and finished tomorrow

Cheers Phil and yes, I'll be taking more photos

Would putting in the hid's be a bit too soon T? As the paint is fresh still.

Should be ok Joe to be honest. I'll be swapping the hids over tomorrow and will test that all lights work, but other than that, I won't be using the lights for a few days, giving them time to dry out properly.

Maybe get some new hids if your worried about them undoing all your hard work.
Any chance of a detailed how to?

I think there's already a how to guide about headlamp refurb.

Unless you want more details about my injuries, pain scales, etc

I'll keep my hid's for now as I can't afford new ones and if the painted lights start flaking or looking a mess, I'll just put back in, the ones that are in the Coupe now.

I'll then be back to where I was two days ago, except I'll be buying some lights that someone else has taken the pain to refub instead of doing it myself

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=502200#Post502200

Found the how to guide.

I did mine differently, as I didn't look at the guide, but end result for the refurb is the same.

Just that I changed my mind and then painted them too

Update after Fernando's T

Bollox, just realised I've missed Benidorm, I forgot what day we were on.

Last episode tonight too.

Ah well, will have to catch up with it another time

So, Ms T, on a scale of one to ten, where one is no pain and ten is the worst pain you can imagine, how bright are your headlights?

I'd say a six

Right, all done

Pretty happy with them to be honest, except they look a bit strange from a distance when the sun is on them.

I don't know if thats because they're now blue or because they are clean and shiny

Finished, but not fitted:



Before:



During:



After:

Likey likey likey

Good work T, fancy cleaning mine up, they've started with the yellowing old age finish to the clear lens.

well done T, gotta say for a bird that's a bosting job!!! really sets the front off nice, a lovely uniform finish makes the whole front end look smooth and professionally finished.

Cheers Jimbo

Not a job I want to be doing again though, unless I really have to again on my car


Cheers to you too proccy. I didn't think it was too bad a job, for a bird either (ps, sort your signature out ).

I know the lights won't be to everyones taste, but I'm happy with them for now

They'll ding dang do for me

my sig is just fine for the next few weeks

it pretty much mirrors the convo's in the garage at donington when she died

what a lovely set of headlamps you've got T

Lovely work T, this is the next on my to do list, expect a PM

I know It was a hint at sorting the size out, because it was slightly on the large side (bet that's the first time you've ever heard that )

Somebody else wasn't as kind as me though and they've deleted your signature





Thanks wmt




Cheers mayzon, look forward to a pm, although don't expect me to talk about the lights


Im quite surprised at all the positve comments about these lights to be honest. I thought there would have been more negative ones

They look good T.

I think it's because it clear you've made a good job, they look very professional

That and we fear you

Cheers Pete

Lol, more likely to be the latter

Well you have done a brilliant job T. The refurb looks great But i still prefer the black finish to the colour coordinated one

I agree c2d and the normal black ones are very nice, especially when cleaned up, but also like the coloured ones in a different way too

I think it looks great T! Down to personal taste etc but I think it all works especially with the grille you have and debadged.Ties it all together very well. It highlights the shape of the headlight, which some may not like, but it makes it flow as one for me.
Excellent job!

I have the same grille and debagded. I painted my inners too, but as I have said before on ink black its not really an impact or noticably different. And I really need to finish polishing mine as I half did them, especially compared to yours.

Very very nice matey

Thanks Mikey




Well, doesn't seem Sprint Blue is either to some people I asked my daughter what she thought about them earlier and her words were 'why what colour where they before?' She's only looked at and had lifts in the car over the last five years Flamin women

Thanks for your comment too To be honest, the photos have done them better justice than what they look like in real life, but definately worth finishing that polishing off, as it makes them look hell of a lot better than when they have 14 years of grime and laquer peel on them

**Like**

Thanks Taz