Headlight restoration in Portsmouth/Chichester - reccomendations?

MaserMatt

Junior Member
Messages
47
Hi all, anyone in Portsmouth or Chichester areas had their headlights restored and can recommend someone? Is a mobile service OK or should I go to them? Will have to get it done before the nights draw in... Thanks!
 

MaserMatt

Junior Member
Messages
47
Not peeled off but they've gone dull and yellow-y over the years, hadn't really given it much thought till I had the wheels refurbished recently. Now the headlights are letting the side down! Thanks for the link, but since I managed to scratch the paint with wet gravel while washing it in the past, I prefer to get some expert craftspeople in...
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
The yellowing is in the UV lacquer over the top of the plexiglass. Use the kit above to cut through it. Wheeler dealers did it, wasn’t it the Lotus Elise?
 
Messages
1,117
The problem with the restoration is not so much can it be done, its more about the sustainability of the final result. I had a bodyshop guy restore the lights on my Mercedes - looked great for 3-6 months. But now the yellowing is coming back again - despite me applying a lacquer coat after the polish with a DA sander and fine grades of cutting paste.

I spoke to a guy that came highly recommended on another forum - but he is based in Sussex and doesn't travel up North. But he convinced me after sending him some photos that he knew what he was doing. The guy works on a range of cars including high-end prestige models. He advised against franchise local headlight restorers (he named one that I had a reply from). The secret is to re-apply and bake on the hard coat after the final polishing stage with absolutely clear lenses. The surface preparation has to be pristine prior to application of the hard coat.

Sometimes the headlights cannot be brought back from the dead - when there is contaminant that goes through the top coat and into the plastic. The most common contaminant is TFR (traffic film remover) used by the Eastern European hand-wash outfits. Another contaminant possibility is tar and glue remover.

He charges around £100 a light takes around 3-5 hours including the hard coat time. Sent me photos of examples he restored three years ago and still crystal clear today.

Hmm..... I might drive down to him to try it out.
 

MaserMatt

Junior Member
Messages
47
I spoke to a guy that came highly recommended on another forum - but he is based in Sussex and doesn't travel up North. But he convinced me after sending him some photos that he knew what he was doing. The guy works on a range of cars including high-end prestige models. He advised against franchise local headlight restorers (he named one that I had a reply from). The secret is to re-apply and bake on the hard coat after the final polishing stage with absolutely clear lenses. The surface preparation has to be pristine prior to application of the hard coat.[/QUOTE said:
Thanks - do you have any contact details you could send me?