Tail light cleaning/restoration

[73pony]

I am wanting to get my tail lights cleaned up. as you can see they are chalky looking, especially on the textured areas. I have scrubbed with dawn and tooth brush. Tried scrubbing bubbles and a bunch of other things to no avail. Any suggestions. Pic is attached.

 

[Hemikiller]

Propane torch

 

[73pony]

Propane torch

Huh????

 

[Stanglover]

IF they were out of the car, I'd suggest brake fluid. It won't harm the acrylic, but will eat any crud or paint overspray if there is any.
That however is a major job as the lights need to be totally taken apart.
Winter project??!!

 

[73pony]

IF they were out of the car, I'd suggest brake fluid. It won't harm the acrylic, but will eat any crud or paint overspray if there is any.
That however is a major job as the lights need to be totally taken apart.
Winter project??!!

I tried a test spot with brake fluid on a rag and wiped it in really well. Didn't do anything.

 

[MikeGriese]

Looks like you need a plastic polish. Maybe one of the kits for restoring plastic headlamp lenses would work?

 

[Stanglover]

I tried a test spot with brake fluid on a rag and wiped it in really well. Didn't do anything.

It's not a miracle worker, but it takes time, needs to soak for a while. It cleaned my lenses up just like you see in the pic.
If the discoloring is within the actual acrylic plastic, you may not be able to get them any better and may need to replace the lenses/lights.

 

[70cobrascj]

Propane torch

Or a heat gun?

 

[c9zx]

I've used 3M finesse-It machine polish (PN 05928), and a Dremel tool polishing pad(s). It is small enough to get into the crevasses. Use on slow speed and be patient. Excess polish can be removed with mild soap and water.
Chuck

 

[Vern Cook]

Maybe a bit of acetate or acetone and a tooth brush. Never done it myself so start small.
Where I live the bore water is heavy in calcium and the garden sprinklers spray it all over the cars. If it is allowed to increase it looks a bit like that stuff on your car so maybe try some calcium remover?
Never tried that before either. If you find a solution I'd like to know.
Vern

 

[Bentworker]

Of all the repo products the tail lights are good. Deeper red, not faded and the reflector inserts are actually reflective. I am not against restoring the old ones, but wanted to suggest the idea of new.

 

[TheDude]

Maybe a bit of acetate or acetone and a tooth brush. Never done it myself so start small.

Not the same part, but the other day I had a bunch of overspray on the front turn signal under the bumper and I tried a little brake clean (which is mostly acetone I think) on a rag. That wiped the overspray right off and left the lens clean and shiny and didn't appear to hurt anything. Obviously don't take my word for it and test before doing anything big, but for me it seemed to clean very well without hurting that front lens.

 

[Vern Cook]

Apparently your wife's fingernail remover is acetate. Just don't tell her I told you so.

 

[tpj71mach]

I used Meguair's 205 ultra finish polish and detail brushes to work it and microfiber towel where I could and did it by hand. I wasn't confident at first because they looked pretty bad and the back up lenses were quite yellowed. I started with removing the lenses from the housings and cleaned them really well inside and out. After that I masked and painted the black-out on the molding, then I polished out the lenses. It took a little time but the lenses came out really nicely, I polished them inside and out, the back up light section even cleared up. I also cleaned and painted the housing, I paint the inside with Testor's chrome paint and the outside with a linen white also Testor. I have found that model paint works well on plastic parts like these. I like to paint the inside with the chrome paint to help with the brightness due to being more reflective. It did help with the brightness of the taillamps, although I ended up replacing the 1157s with a LED panel and new housings when I got into the final assembly phase. The first tail light lit pic is with the incandescent 1157 bulbs and then the other is the LEDs. In fairness to the LED's the 1157 pic is with the brake lights on and the LED's pic is just the riding lights.