# Headlight restoration for a golf GTI project



## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

Well as the title suggests, here is my shot at headlight restoration.

I set out to use the products I already had, without having to buy anything new....however I didn't have a sanding block or 1500 - 3000 grit wet and dry left, so after a week of trying to get my hands on a megs sanding block, I was told that they have removed them from most stores as they are not supplying them anymore 

Not sure but anyway....This was the first time I had done a proper restoration job on horrendous headlights that needed full sanding and compounding.










The picture above doesnt show the full extent....they really were block light with how yellowed and milky they were.....so I set off cleaning them with a mixture of snow foam and hot water, wiped away and then clayed (my method here was that seeing as the headlights are the first things to contact any bugs/splatter i wanted to make sure anything dug into the surface of the light i wanted to remove before I spread it around worse with my sander).
My rotary came out next, a 3 inch backing plate and a 3M sanding pad with 1500 grit....it left the lights looking this bad....



















you can see the bottom section of the light was some yellowing, mainly around the indicator

This was fully removed and sanded out with 2000 grit.....then followed with 3000 grit, again all being used on the rotary.

I was lucky while searching for the sanding block, to find meguiars' 3 inch microfibre cutting pads, which i really wanted, owning a Astra VXR, the front bumper and splitter is a real pain to do with any pad over 3 inches, so I bought the last one in stock, and also a funky looking 3 inch Dodo Juice Fin cut finishing pad also 3 inch. Cool looking pad kinda like the hex pad with a 'maze' surface.

I compounded the 3000 grit with the Megs microfibre pad and Megs UC, and to be honest, i could have left it at that, as it really looked a million times better at this stage, but wanted to go the full hog (and also wanted to try out the Fin cut pad from dodo juice, like the child that I am) so used stage 2 finishing polishing from Megs.

The finished result in my eyes was as good as going out and buying a new light, the only downside was that I didnt have any protection with UV barrier properties, but as this was going back into a golf that the engine was still having treatment, I'm in no rush to get it protected yet as it wont see sunshine for a few weeks. Put some Collinite 845 on them just to give some sort of protection while moving them around and fitting, but apart from that, here are the finished products.



















Hope you all liked the little write up of 'How I do it'

And My tip for anyone doing the same, is to use a rotary for the sanding for a much more even and less aggressive sand as we all know, the sanding stage is the most important, and it really did the job for me!

Thanks all

Lloyd


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## Jono_A (Nov 17, 2015)

Great work... Looks as good as new!


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## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

Jono_A said:


> Great work... Looks as good as new!


It nearly was...when I showed a work colleague, he was devastated that he had just paid £350 for new Jaguar headlights due to failing MOT on the headlights being Milky white.....a new money maker lol.


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## Coachman (Mar 8, 2015)

Use a rotary for sanding........


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## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

Ljh1991 said:


> Use a rotary for sanding........


Not too sure what your point is.


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Floyd said:


> Not too sure what your point is.


Nice new lights you have there


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## WHIZZER (Oct 25, 2005)

Look great


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## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

chongo said:


> Nice new lights you have there


Will you change your name to Gnat on this forum, And I will change mine to BBQ. so at least when people read our threads they understand why you keep following me around !


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## great gonzo (Nov 4, 2010)

That's a an amazing turn around, hold your head high my friend as that's a fantastic job. 

Gonz.


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## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

great gonzo said:


> That's a an amazing turn around, hold your head high my friend as that's a fantastic job.
> 
> Gonz.


Thanks Gonz, appreciate that mate!


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## fozzy (Oct 22, 2009)

One of my jobs coming up is to do my sons Fezza ST500 headlights, If they come up half as good as these I'll be happy. Good job dude


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Floyd said:


> Will you change your name to Gnat on this forum, And I will change mine to BBQ. so at least when people read our threads they understand why you keep following me around !


:lol::lol: god your funny:wave:


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## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

fozzy said:


> One of my jobs coming up is to do my sons Fezza ST500 headlights, If they come up half as good as these I'll be happy. Good job dude


Thanks Fozzy. Good luck with the ST, they will look great when done. Get some pics up for us to see the before's and afters. I always think the headlights finish off a cars look perfectly. (just like cleaning the engine bay after a full detail) :driver:


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## Peter D (Oct 26, 2005)

Super job!


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## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

Peter D said:


> Super job!


thanks mate! :thumb:


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## neilb62 (Jul 30, 2007)

That is awesome. I'm guessing I need to get some sanding discs for my rotary.... :thumb:


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## monkeyboy173 (Nov 6, 2008)

Top work, they came up a treat.


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## Yellow Dave (Apr 5, 2011)

Recently did the headlights on my 54 plate gt tdi. Think this was with 1500g


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## Yellow Dave (Apr 5, 2011)

3000g


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## Yellow Dave (Apr 5, 2011)

Polished out with supplied Autoglym polish then Scholl s30

I used the Autoglym headlight restoration kit and was all pretty decent


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## Floyd (Jan 1, 2015)

nice nice nice, came up lovely


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## jazzy2010 (Aug 4, 2010)

Fantastic job! 
Is there a need to use a clear coat of varnish on the final finish? or does this method last?


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

jazzy2010 said:


> Fantastic job!
> Is there a need to use a clear coat of varnish on the final finish? or does this method last?


You have to apply something to keep the UV from yellowing the polycarbonate again. Most sealants will protect from UV but may not last all that long. If I was doing this I'd probably invest in a bottle of one of the silica coatings and use that, since it would last for ages, protect it from the UV and make it much easier to clean off bug splatter.


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## jazzy2010 (Aug 4, 2010)

steelghost said:


> You have to apply something to keep the UV from yellowing the polycarbonate again. Most sealants will protect from UV but may not last all that long. If I was doing this I'd probably invest in a bottle of one of the silica coatings and use that, since it would last for ages, protect it from the UV and make it much easier to clean off bug splatter.


Thanks, please could you provide information on a good make/ brand of "silica coatings" type products?


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

jazzy2010 said:


> Thanks, please could you provide information on a good make/ brand of "silica coatings" type products?


Gtechniq C4
Carpro Dlux 
Gyeon Q²M Trim

Probably others I have missed, too


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