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Screwed up my headlight from smoking it...need HELP

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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 10:50 PM
  #1  
vndr09's Avatar
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bamf
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From: San Antonio
Screwed up my headlight from smoking it...need HELP

I was using VHT Nightshades on both my headlights.

Turns out the driver's side is perfect! ...but the passenger side is beyond my own repair.

I recently Nightshaded my taillights, and screwed up on one, and used acetone to take off all the spray tint on it and start over. The acetone worked like magic and it looks great now. So later that day, I decided to just tint my headlights with 2-3 coats. I did my driver's side, without screwing up (so no acetone used) and it looks sick. But when I did the passenger side, I sprayed too much in one section cuz my finger slipped and so I had to get it off. I used acetone again (like I did on the taillights), thinking it would just come off. Well, it did come right off, but it also permanently screwed up the headlight. It's all like foggy and scratched and stuff. I tried getting a headlight lense repair kit from AutoZone and that didn't do anything.

So, before I buy a whole other headlight assembly for like $200, I was seeing if anyone had just a lense that could replace mine (if they even sell just lenses by themselves)...

OR, if anyone had another idea that I could fix my headlight with. I've read in places about baking it, and if someone is going to respond by saying that, that's fine, but I'd prefer not to do that. I'm just not comfortable baking my headlights yet...so any other tips/advice on how to fix my headlight that doesn't involve baking it or buying a new one?????

LMK ASAP!

thnx
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 11:49 PM
  #2  
Razz1's Avatar
Mu ha.. ha...
 
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Cali
Mazmart or the for sale section
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Old Feb 6, 2009 | 01:31 AM
  #3  
Nubo's Avatar
Lubricious
 
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: SF Bay Area, California
I guess it depends on how deeply the acetone penetrated. If it's reasonably shallow you might be able to sand down to clear plastic, and then progressively finer sandpaper until you get back to the polishing stage. Of course then you need to check that your headlight pattern isn't screwed up.

Use this for inspiration:

http://www.miata.net/hakuna/polished%20lenses.html
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Old Feb 6, 2009 | 01:47 AM
  #4  
Jon316G's Avatar
Grasshopper
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From: Streetsboro, OH
I agree with Nubo.
Acetone is something you don't want to let sit for too long.
Maybe you let it sit longer this time, so that's why it didn't work like your tail light.
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Old Feb 6, 2009 | 11:25 AM
  #5  
EDZRIDE's Avatar
2005 White GT
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From: Spokane Valley, Washington
Try a good paste wax (Simonize); it acts like a fine rubbing compound and will remove small scratches and "the haze".
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