Taillight resto....py pic included

Topic: Taillight resto....py pic included (Read 4405 times) previous topic - next topic

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #30 – January 18, 2008, 01:47:54 PM

vinnie, just wondering what kind of glue/silicone/epoxy did you get? i usually use the black m3 window shield glue, but now that i think about it after reading erics post, i think it'd be pretty hard to get it out. i mean it wouldnt be hard to get the assembly apart, just cleanup would be a nightmare.

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #31 – January 18, 2008, 02:07:37 PM

I'm going to go ahead and use 3M sealant adhesive.I've used it before with good results.I just make sure that after I put the light assemblies together,I let them sit in the back room and cure for about 24 to 36 hours.I may not need to wait that long,but,I feel more comfortable that way.I ran out of time today to do that,so,I'll probably assemble the lights Sunday afternoon after work and install the Monday evening.

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #32 – January 18, 2008, 06:55:04 PM

Fiberglass is only permanent if you don't have a dremel. I've "readjusted" one of my headlights two or three times now to fix the angle and reglassing it back together.

It really isn't much to seal around the tail light to make the inner and outer lenses air proof. If anything, fiberglass, jb weld, whatever the 4 corners and lay down 3 tubes of silicone around the perimeter to make sure it holds. I try to do things once and never have to touch them again.

So far so good on my pair of used lights I cleaned up. Clean the dust off the outside and it looks like new again inside and out. I'm afraid of the brittle plastic though, as the used ones are pretty aged (they replaced ones that had cracks on both sides where they wrapped around the quarter panel).

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #33 – January 19, 2008, 06:57:06 AM

Well,as I said,tomorrow right after work,I'm pulling the lights from the Sport and taking them apart.I'll clean up the housings really nice,then install these "restored" lenses.They do look great.Now all I need is my sequential light kit that's in route to me and I'll be all set.I'm getting a little excited about that.

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #34 – January 19, 2008, 09:03:41 AM

Speaking of that kit, does it light all 6 bulbs when braking or the factory 4?

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #35 – January 19, 2008, 12:51:46 PM

Quote from: vinnietbird;198699

Well,as I said,tomorrow right after work,I'm pulling the lights from the Sport and taking them apart.I'll clean up the housings really nice,then install these "restored" lenses.They do look great.Now all I need is my sequential light kit that's in route to me and I'll be all set.I'm getting a little excited about that.

Easy way to keep the lenses from falling out is to put a couple of screws in the lense frame and lense where they meet. I guarente that the lenses won't fall out :D When the trunk is closed you can't see the top of the lense any way so why not make sure it stays together :D

Quote from: Seek;198708

Speaking of that kit, does it light all 6 bulbs when braking or the factory 4?

All 6 bulbs light up. They come on in sequence from the inner to outer bulbs on both sides when you step on the brakes :D

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #36 – January 19, 2008, 05:12:27 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;198721

All 6 bulbs light up. They come on in sequence from the inner to outer bulbs on both sides when you step on the brakes :D

Here ya go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkLPbIbuKE0

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #37 – January 19, 2008, 07:15:35 PM

I thought it only did it with the turn signal

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #38 – January 20, 2008, 06:57:59 AM

I think it does only do it with the signal.

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #39 – January 21, 2008, 02:10:46 AM

Quote from: EricCoolCats;198299

Vinnie, great job man. Yeah, the finned inner reflector is a bear...that takes up most of your time.

Last summer I restored a pair of 1985-86 Cougar taillights for the convertible; those taillights have the same kind of finned inner reflector as the 1987-88 Thunderbird taillights. It took awhile but I got them looking to almost NOS condition. You just have to take your time.
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/86tl_af_01.jpg
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/86tl_af_02.jpg
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/86tl_af_03.jpg

The REAL trick is restoring 1983-84 Cougar taillights though. Talk about an exercise in patience. I've got it perfected except for the chrome accents; those are going to be very tough to correct. Here is a link to my test section on the taillight:
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/84tl_v2_04.jpg

This is a half/half s '84 lens that I had laying around...it had some extremely deep scratches that I worked out:
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/84tl_02.jpg
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/84tl_04.jpg

It's fun work for me, I enjoy doing stuff like this. And really, it doesn't cost a whole ton of money to restore these taillights. Just takes time, that's all.

What did you use to redo the chrome accent? I would love to redo my 84 lights, I would really like to buy a second set and polish/paint those and install those with the sequential kit and keep my Factory lights stored.

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #40 – January 21, 2008, 09:30:00 AM

Quote

What did you use to redo the chrome accent? I would love to redo my 84 lights, I would really like to buy a second set and polish/paint those and install those with the sequential kit and keep my Factory lights stored.

Well...after much digging I discovered that the process by which the chrome was applied to sections of the 1983-84 taillights is called vacuum metalizing. It's the only kind of real chroming that's done on plastic with any degree of success. So far I have not found a source that can do these taillights cheaply.

What I tried was the Alsa spray paint. They claim it's like putting real chrome on...in reality it's just a heavy metal-flake silver spray paint. Their tech support was a little cryptic with how the final result is supposed to look. Their examples of finished products, and my photos, were two very different things. I'm a little unhappy with the end result, especially after all the hours of meticulous taping. It's not up to show-quality standards, although for a lot of people it may be a good solution.

Anyhow...you do have other options. The 1984 XR7 had black paint on the taillights where the chrome would normally be. That is a very evil look. Also, you could simply remove all the chrome with lacquer thinner and just leave it red...it looks very nice. Of course, the cat head should probably be left chrome if that's in good shape, or maybe painted black. Either way it's a custom look, very subtle but personalized nonetheless.

You're going to have a very difficult time getting sequentials to work in a taillight that has only two spots for bulbs...

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #41 – January 21, 2008, 09:32:51 AM

The light looked like trash,but the chrome birds on each lense was in great shape,just really dirty.I wentover mine with windex and they cleaned right up.The "bath" probably loosened and removed a lot.I was afraid to use anything too harsh.A little Crest tooth paste may work as well.The past has very very mild abrasives.I've used toothpaste to polish the plastic windows on model cars with great results.I washed the entire lenses and reflectors with warm water and Dawn dish sopa and let them soak a little in the bathtub.Then,a good rinsing followed by a LOT of polishing with some very soft polishing clothes I got at Autozone for 3 bucks.I used an old T-shirt to apply the polish really good,then the soft clothes to remove it.Seems to work well.They look like new.Update pics soon.

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #42 – January 21, 2008, 09:40:20 AM

I painted over my chrome birds, and reflectors, with Niteshades. I like it, they match the rest of the taillight better, and I've never been a big fan of the birds on the taillights anyway (and now they're black)