Old lights
12-20-07 | 06:22 PM
#1
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Old lights
Ive fallen for the classic lights (Cibie,Soubitez,Luxor....) I was wondering if people had experience with cleaning the lenses.... One light I am looking at is fairly opaque yellow for a see through lens. How easily do these clean and polish up? Or is the color more ingrained into the plastic and is irreversible? Thanks for the help!
12-20-07 | 06:26 PM
#2
Elitest Murray Owner
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Bikes: 1972 Columbia Tourist Expert III, Columbia Roadster
If it's clouded, you can forget about making it clear again.
If it is simply yellowed, or roughed up on the outside, there's a way to make it pretty much like new again. It involves lots soaking and some polishing, I'll have to look it up again.
If it is simply yellowed, or roughed up on the outside, there's a way to make it pretty much like new again. It involves lots soaking and some polishing, I'll have to look it up again.
12-20-07 | 06:36 PM
#3
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I used a product called "bluemagic" from kragen auto. It did a great job of removing yellow but still has a slight haze. Good luck...
12-20-07 | 06:40 PM
#4
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12-20-07 | 08:40 PM
#6
Old Skeptic
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Yes, automitive finish rubbing compound often works on plastic which gets scratched. Remember the headlight covers on an early Jaguar XKE ?... or, more commonly, when the US decided to suddenly get aerodynamic looking by adding plastic lens covers across front lights during the 1980s. What a great idea that was... for the replacement lens manufacturers. 
Nice lights! By the way.
Nice lights! By the way.
12-20-07 | 09:54 PM
#7
Chrome Freak
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Try the rubbing compound, but after try some toothpaste. It will be finer and give a better polish.
Years ago I had a Seiko automatic watch. When the crystal (acrylic) got scuffed I would use toothpaste and it would look like new again.
If the plastic has yellowed, it is likely styrene, not acrylic.
Years ago I had a Seiko automatic watch. When the crystal (acrylic) got scuffed I would use toothpaste and it would look like new again.
If the plastic has yellowed, it is likely styrene, not acrylic.
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1971 Paramount P-13 Chrome
1973 Paramount P-15 Opaque Blue
1974 Raleigh Professional Blue Mink
1991 Waterford Paramount
Holland Titanium Dura Ace Group
Holland Titanium Ultegra Triple Group
12-20-07 | 10:07 PM
#8
My bikes became Vintage
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From: Ontario, Canada
Rubbing compound is a bit coarse for this and will leave a dull finish. Toothpaste is too fine and will take forever. There are a couple of automotive products, Scratch Doctor and Meguiar's ScratchX™ that are just the ticket. They still take a lot of time and elbow grease, though, not like on the TV commercials where they just wipe it on and wipe it off and the scratch is gone.
12-21-07 | 12:00 AM
#9
Old Skeptic
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DUH!, I should have been more specific. I've used the old Simonize Polishing Compound - which is (was?) a paste which came in a short cylindrical tin. Worked very nicely on the old plastic hinged dust covers on stereo turntables [remember those!]. Removed scratches and left a nice shine.
12-21-07 | 01:52 AM
#10
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If you do not mind the risk of losing the plastic part try a solvent like Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and simply remove the bad plastic.
12-21-07 | 04:35 AM
#11
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Hit up the marine section of an auto parts store (if you live near a boating area) they make plexiglass polish for boat windshields that works well. Also some auto parts stores are carrying polishing kits for the plastic head light lenses.
Aaron
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
12-21-07 | 08:55 AM
#12
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Yes, automitive finish rubbing compound often works on plastic which gets scratched. Remember the headlight covers on an early Jaguar XKE ?... or, more commonly, when the US decided to suddenly get aerodynamic looking by adding plastic lens covers across front lights during the 1980s. What a great idea that was... for the replacement lens manufacturers.
Nice lights! By the way.
Nice lights! By the way.
It worked for me once on a 1995 Toyota Corolla. And a 1997.
Still plastic lenses!
12-21-07 | 09:09 AM
#13
My bikes became Vintage
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From: Ontario, Canada
(And, yes, stronglight, the rubbing compound I use is Simoniz. It cuts through clearcoat faster than scratch remover and does not leave quite as shiny a finish. It probably would be better to start with rubbing compound first.)
12-21-07 | 08:44 PM
#15
Tap Plastics sells plastic cleaner and polish that keeps the rear plastic window on my Miata (not Miyata )
looking like new. It comes in a deep scratch and light scratch formula and a final polishing compound. And it has done nice work on turntable dust covers and Casio watch crystals.
)looking like new. It comes in a deep scratch and light scratch formula and a final polishing compound. And it has done nice work on turntable dust covers and Casio watch crystals.
12-21-07 | 09:36 PM
#16
Super Course fan
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From: Lost on the windswept plains of the Great Black Swamp
If the lens is clouded, try painting them with Future floor wax... Don't laugh too hard, it works great on clouded model airplane canopys.
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12-21-07 | 10:17 PM
#17
"Purgatory Central"
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You can try using white jewelers rouge on a 6-in soft buffing wheel. All of it can be had from Home Depot. I polished out scratches and haze from the clear lens of mag-lite flashlights and worked out great. I also polished the hazed taillights on my Jeep Grand Wagoneer with 'Blue Magic' metal polish and it turned out good too.
Worth a try
Worth a try
12-22-07 | 06:46 AM
#18
Non Tribuo Anus Rodentum and off to the next adventure (RIP)
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