Classic & Vintage - stronglight headset question

I have a mid-80s trek with a stronglight headset but it is the kind with black plastic cups at the top and bottom of the head tube. It is still smooth so I would like to keep it but the black plastic has faded and looks ratty. Does anyone know how to bring plastic back to its original color. I'm remembering those vinyl top "restorer" ads from the 70s but I'm not sure what chemical would work like that?

Armor All?

Mothers Back to Black (http://www.autogeek.net/motbactrimca.html)

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/autogeek_1946_104394379

I have a mid-80s trek with a stronglight headset but it is the kind with black plastic cups at the top and bottom of the head tube. It is still smooth so I would like to keep it but the black plastic has faded and looks ratty. Does anyone know how to bring plastic back to its original color. I'm remembering those vinyl top "restorer" ads from the 70s but I'm not sure what chemical would work like that?
if they look ratty they may be preparing to break...those Stronglights with the Delrin cups were the worst variation of the A-9/Delta headset series...the all-metal ones are very reliable, I'd say "replace".
When it comes to plastic treatments, I've had best results with Vinylex, made by the Co. that makes Lexol for leather, comes in a blue plastic bottle. It costs more, but it's way better than Armor All and all the others, IMHO.

thanks all, if i was to replace how do I know what headset will fit? Will all one inch threaded headsets work or are there issues about the height of the stack, etc?

Bumper and trim black (http://www.urethanesupply.com/store3400.html)
http://www.urethanesupply.com/3400color.jpg
Available at your local auto body shop supply store

thanks all, if i was to replace how do I know what headset will fit? Will all one inch threaded headsets work or are there issues about the height of the stack, etc?
always stack height issues. measure what you need before you buy.

Just replace it with an all metal stronglight A-9 from Velo Orange. The only issue is French or not. The stack height is the same. It's one of the best and lightest you can buy.

Just replace it with an all metal stronglight A-9 from Velo Orange. The only issue is French or not. The stack height is the same. It's one of the best and lightest you can buy.

The fork on the Trek is not French threaded.

The fork on the Trek is not French threaded.

Of course it's not. The only choice he had to make is French or not. Now he doesn't even need to make that choice.

Thanks, so I get a British threaded all-metal stronglight A9 from velo orange.
You guys are the best. I'll post some pics when it starts to look like a bike again

+1, to the metal A-9 (hate the plastic parts, love the all-metal A-9s). But if you want to simplify the job just a bit, you can probably leave the metal parts that are pressed into your Trek in place and just use the new metal pieces from the metal A-9 to replace the delrin...and use the *new* bearings and steel bearing contacts...I'm pretty sure everything is swappable between those headsets.

There's a French site thst sells the all-metal A-9's for $26 and the shipping is no higher than domestic. They have the replacement bearings and races, too. I can't find it right now, but I'll keep looking.