# Step-by-Step - How to remove scratches from convertible plastic windows



## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

*Step-by-Step - How to remove scratches from convertible plastic windows*

*Before & After - Removing scratches out of flexible plastic windows*









*Problem*
Over time and with normal wear-n-tear, plastic windows in convertible tops become filled with scratches, swirls, oxidation, yellowing and cloudiness.

*Solution*
Careful machine polish the windows to remove the defects and restore clarity.

*My comments*
I preach about abrasive technology a LOT. The most important factor when polishing anything is the abrasive technology. This is especially important when it comes to polishing soft materials like flexible plastic windows. The below how-to information is specific to 3D abrasive technology but you can use any brand that uses great abrasive technology.

Besides great abrasive technology, to polish soft, flexible clear plastic windows clear again, you need the right tools, the right pads and above all else - it helps to have some skill and experience. So tackle these types of projects at your own risk. If you want to be sure about your skills and all the other variable - practice on some older, junk car before tackling something that's important to you. You can also sign-up for one of my classes where I teach this type of technique.

*Caution*
When machine buffing any surface heat will be created on the surface and/or material. Do not press hard when buffing flexible plastic windows. The pressure and the heat will tend to stretch the window and deform it. Use light pressure and time is your friend.

*Supplies needed*

3D 510 Premium Rubbing Compound
3D SPEED or 3D 520 Polish
Foam cutting pads
Foam polishing pads
Orbital polisher - We used the FLEX BEAST, which is an 8mm gear-driven orbital polisher.
Lots of clean, uncontaminated microfiber towels.
3D Bead It Up - Final finishing step and maintenance product.

*Step by Step Directions*

*Step 1: * Clean plastic window with a spray detailer or waterless wash to remove any loose dirt.

*Step 2:* Tape off the surrounding vinyl or cloth material so you do not accidentally stain the material.

*Step 3:* Test a fine cut polish with a foam polishing pad using an orbital polisher. Inspect the results. If the defects are shallow and being removed - continue with this process to the rest of the window. If not - see Step 4.

*Step 4: * If a fine cut polish is not working fast enough or effectively enough, test the 3D 510 Premium Rubbing Compound with a foam polishing pad on an orbital polisher. Inspect the results. If the defects are shallow and being removed - continue with this process to the rest of the window. If not - see Step 5

*Step 5:* If the 3D 510 Premium Rubbing Compound is not working fast enough or effectively enough with a foam polishing pad, test using a foam cutting pad. Inspect the results. If this is not working then chances are good the plastic window you're trying to correct is past the point of no return and it's time to replace it.

*Step 6: * Final polishing. If you used 3D 510 to remove defects from a plastic window, wipe off all the residues and then re-polish using either 3D SPEED or 3D 520 Finishing Polish with a soft foam finishing pad.

*Step 7: * After polishing to your expectations - treat the plastic with 3D Bead It Up to seal the surface and create a slick, slippery surface that will be easier to maintain moving forward.

*April 2022 BIG 3-Day Detailing Class*
The students that attended our recent 3-day detailing class had the opportunity to learn how to machine polish flexible plastic windows. The goal is to remove the defects and restore clarity.

*Plastic Window Polishing*
I cover a LOT of topics in my classes, more than any other class you can find. Here's an example of showing the class how to remove SCRATCHES in flexible plastic windows like on this 1968 Camaro Convertible.

Here's a few before shots to show all the swirls and scratches in the plastic window




























Kyle starts out using the 3D 510 Premium Rubbing Compound with a dark purple 3D Spyder Cut Foam Cutting Pad on the FLEX BEAST to remove the deep swirls and scratches.



















*Zachary joins in the fun....*










*Everyone takes a turn...*










*3D SPEED for flexible plastic*
After the heavy correction step we switch over to foam polishing pads and 3D SPEED.




























*The inside needed polishing too - Corey took the challenge to contort himself into a pretzel to get the job done!*



















*That's Yancy's arm wiping the inside of the plastic window.*



















*Thanks for doing the hard part Yancy!*










*Check out the plastic window now!*














































*Completes the finishing touches to a proper paint correction and ceramic coating*










*Final comment...*
Remember - always do a Test Spot before tackling the entire window. Flexible plastic like this is soft and malleable, it scratches easy. You MUST use great abrasive technology to remove defects like scratches without leaving scratches behind. So be sure of your products before starting. Generally speaking, if a compound, polish or AIO will not make black paint look perfect it will not make anything look perfect.


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

Continued....

*Step-by-Step - How to remove scratches from convertible plastic windows*

My February class did the same type of plastic window correction work to the flexible plastic back window on a 1971 Mustang.

From this write-up...

*Pictures & Comments - 2022 February 3-Day Detailing Class with Mike Phillips and 3D*

*Removing scratches out of plastic windows*

Not only is the paint all swirled out and there were swirls and scratches in the glass windshield, the flexible back plastic window looks like it was washed with rocks.



















The class machine polished the back window using 3D 510 Premium Rubbing Compound with a foam cutting pad on the FLEX Supa BEAST followed by machine polishing with the 3D SPEED and a foam polishing pad on the 3D Random Orbital Polisher.

*The results were night and day.*



















Didn't get any actions shots of the window being machine polished but it was the same process you see on the Camaro in the above post.

This was one of 9 cars my February BIG 3-day class detailed plus 2 huge Center Console boats.




























*Nice work everyone!*


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## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

The thing is - the top window does look deformed in the 'after' pictures. 

In my view this is a high risk method which needs a lot of specialist equipment, with a potentially expensive downside. I stick to one of the proprietary hand applied kits available for my own 2 convertibles.


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

RaceGlazer said:


> The thing is - the top window does look deformed in the 'after' pictures.


Nah.... the window was HORRIBLE looking before and hard to see out of. The plastic was already somewhat warped and imperfect.

The owner did cartwheels in the front of the building after see the results. He also sold the car and attributes the quick sale to the work my class did to the top, the back window and the paint.



RaceGlazer said:


> In my view this is a high risk method which needs a lot of specialist equipment, with a potentially expensive downside. I stick to one of the proprietary hand applied kits available for my own 2 convertibles.


I did say this in my write-up...



Mike Phillips said:


> Besides great abrasive technology, to polish soft, flexible clear plastic windows clear again, you need the right tools, the right pads and above all else - it helps to have some skill and experience.


 I have tons of experience doing this for convertibles with flexible and rigid plastic windows over the decades as well as boats and their Isinglass windows.

In the next few days I'll share a write-up showing how I machine dry sanded both the inside and the outside of the removable hardtop on a restored 1965 Corvette Sting Ray. For this car I machine dry sanded the car itself, the back window on the removable hardtop and then machine polished the windshield to remove years of wiper marks.










The class LOVES learning this technique plus all the techniques I cover in my classes.

I wouldn't teach newbies things that are risky, been doing this way too long to start making mistakes at this stage of the game.

But for everyone that will read this into the future, please do check out RaceGlazer's products and websites and if you think this type of process is beyond your capability then by all means - don't do it and look into the products he uses and recommends.

For me? I'm already lining up cars and boats for my next class. And if Kelly has any cars with bad plastic windows, both flexible or rigid - I'll be happy to demonstrate these products and techniques at our upcoming class in June at his shop.

*Mike Phillips and Kelly Harris Training Day in the U.K.*

Thanks for chiming in, I've been where you're at before and completely get taking the careful, working-by-hand approach.


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

Just to clarify - pun intended 

Here's the original, full size pictures of the back window in the BEFORE condition.

It's hard to see any irregularities in the shape and form due the the mass swirls and scratches.










The below is cropped out of the above and rotated slightly clockwise before cropping.










If you look closely, the plastic around the top is not flat or smooth - it's irregular or warped, likely from being 54 years old and having been cycled up and down for all these decades.










No matter how you think of it - this wasn't easy or safe to try to look at surrounding traffic through and it certainly didn't add any value to the overall appearance of this class Detroit Muscle car.










Here's the best part - the review left by the owner of the 1968 Camaro.

*Mike Phillips Detailing Class Reviews - By students and car owners*

Here's a screenshot of the first page of reviews, which is the link above.










I encourage everyone to do their own research, take inventory of their skills and then make their own decision as to how to restore any plastic window on any vehicle they own or for any customer car they work on and above all, do some form of testing first.

My next BIG 3-day class is at the end of September, as soon as I confirm my convertibles for this class I'll share the before pictures. With my current format, I bring in 7 to 9 cars for the class to train on for the first 2 days. The third day of the class if for boat detailing.

Here's examples of what the 3rd day of class looks like,

*Extreme Boat Detailing - Gelcoat Correction and Ceramic Coating - Two 23' Black Sportsman Center Consoles
*

*Extreme Boat Detailing - Gelcoat Correction and Ceramic Coating - 26' Regulator Center Console*


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