Buffing out plastic taillights / Do you have any tips???

[5SpeedBird]

Buffing out plastic taillights

Wonder if anyone can give me some tips on what or what not to do. What to use or what not to use.

Even with my 10 foot paint job my tail lights look light hell. I could live with the tail light parts them self but the center section that covers the trunk key lock is just awful. It had turned white bad. I tried a few thing but nothing I could do by hand worked.

Its bad enough I considered just painting the center section. Can do treat plastic like paint? Buff or sand it smooth then use a clear paint to bring back the shine?

Course I have no idea I am just reaching for an idea.

[3.4 slow to go]

try the eastwood co. for ideas. Also, if you have a bench ginder & as couple of buffing wheels, I think the white compound will work on plastic, but read up on the that before applying. All things can also be had at Sears.

[5SpeedBird]

I have a nice goose neck 8in buffer and some t56 [I think] tripol that says it will take out scratches in plastic but I had no luck in getting anywhere but making more of a mess.

I got a few small compounds. the tripole and I think some aluminum stuff. and a set of the sand grit ones. Cost like $60 for 3 big tubs of different grades of grit compound. I am just not having any luck.

I have one stitched buff and one lose buff.

[5SpeedBird]

I did read on another board that some people with good success. Have just wet sanded them trough many stages up to then used some VHT lense tint [nightshades]. Makes em look like black out but not as dark or steal-able. But no pics. So I am leary of that.

[97rs]

hear are some tips for you http://www.geocities.com/vipervenemgts/beauty_mods.html

[Bunz]

My taillights were scratched all to pieces from shipping. Now mine were only light scratches, not very deep ones. I just bought one of those cheap dual action buffers that won't burn your paint from Wal-Mart and used some Nufinish car wax and went to town on it. It took them completely out. There are no longer any scratches on my euros.

[5SpeedBird]

here is my piece

[94TeaL]

Mine dont look that bad, but i used Meguirs Plastic lense polish.

[5SpeedBird]

I ended up just wet sanding and clear coating them.

its all I really wanted was a nice shiny look.

I did a 220 320 600

Then clear coated them well.

Sun baked so they would dry fast.



I stuck the images all on one page.
They look really nice.

Dial up friendly.

http://www.viragotech.com/taillights.html

[5SpeedBird]

One thing that really helped and I did not know. The tail lights come apart. Its not easy from the gasket sealer they use but with little effort the lenses come right off. Much easier to work with apart.

[Everglades W68]

Nice job! The third gen center filler panel always dulled and scratched extremley easy.

On the other hand, the 3rd gen lettering and the bird do not fade away to nothing like 4th gens do.

[5SpeedBird]

I am glad the bird and name still shine through nice. Or I would of just painted it black.

It does look really nice though. I just like staring at the pics. Wish I could see em on the car as a driver behind. But no one drives my car.