DIY: How to Restore Headlights (Sanding and Spraying)

[@JambiVX]

One tip, if you'd really want that showroom look, spray two coats of clear. Then use 2500 grit to sand it down evenly and use polishing compound to make it the cleanest and newest look possible!

[@roadstar499]

Jambi and wait about a month before wax

[@yvngelvis]

How long until you can wet sand it? And polish it

[@richardarsenault1893]

@@ivor7407 wet sanding takes the imperfections out of the clear coat show cars are all wet sanded so the paint is perfect same idea with headlights

[@sebastiansimon7885]

Will 2500 make small scratch marks which will be visible?

[@antoniomoya4625]

@@sebastiansimon7885 thats why your going to buff it out with heavy compound or just polish to define the scratches

[@akrocuba]

That worked perfectly!!! I'm a plumber, not a painter, so let me inform guys out there that may not know that there is a little white nozzle on the spray can. Well, that fell off while I was shaking it I guess. The first coat came out like a blob....LOL......I found the nozzle and re-sanded the lights and then reapplied the clear coat. Worked great!! Thanks for the vid!!!!

[@makeyourmarkinlifeTV]

Hey Christian After been quoted $140 to restore the headlights on my 2006 Range Rover, I watched your video about four times. My head lights were in worse than your 350Z. I was a little nervous because headlight replacement is expensive. You made it look pretty easy. I bought everything you showed except I purchased RUSTOLEUM acrylic enamel clear. That was my mistake. DON'T BUY RUSTOLEUM clear enamel. I wet sanded with the 800 grit and 1500grit (they didn't have the 600grit). All was going well. As soon as I sprayed the RUSTOLEUM clear it ran everywhere. It is quite ugly as you mentioned. Luckily, I only sprayed one headlight with the RUSTOLEUM. I went back to the auto store and purchased some paint remover and then bought the DUPLI-COLOR clear enamel acrylic. I re-sanded the bad headlight until it was smooth. Let it dry and sprayed the head lights with the DUPLI-COLOR clear enamel acrylic and presto...CLEAR HEADLIGHTS. It took me three hours only because I had to take off the RUSTOLEUM CLEAR. I had to use several coats of the DUPLI-COLOR clear but it worked in the end. The experience cost me $45 and a little bit of elbow grease. If I didn't have to buy paint remover and the RUSTOLEUM it would have been $30. I learned a lot through this experience. For those thinking of restoring your headlights, remember DON'T BUY RUSTOLEUM CLEAR FROM HOME DEPOT and you will be OK. Thanks for your video.

[@cmacia06]

makeyourmarkinlifeTV No problem! Brands definitely matter when talking about paints. Dupli-color is by far the best clear coat iv'e been able to get out of a can. I tried Krylon as well and that one wasn't very clear either. I'll add Rustoleum to the description as a do not use paint. 30$ seems like a high price but i'm guessing that it's because of the sand paper. I can't get a good price on sand paper here where I live. 5 half sheets cost me about 8 to 10 dollars. Well, i'm glad that your headlights came out looking great!

[@mlwee6796]

makeyourmarkinlifeTV What about the coffee..did you miss that?

[@RenZV-j4w]

@Christian great video mate. It would be great if you post links of the products you used from amazon....

[@uhZeny]

My first coat turned out like shit. How did you remove your first clear coat that looked bad? You used paint stripper and sanded it down? How do you know you have completely stripped the clear coat?

[@chekyoself1]

The headlights he cleaned was not bad at all. You don't have to buy and do all the stuff he did. If you're headlights are not extremely oxidized you can clean them with "Maguirres - "PlastX". It cost around $8.00 at Autozone, Harbor Freight or O'Reilly's. It restores headlights to almost new. If it doesn't work, take it back to where you bought it.

[@bos1756]

Just saved me about $500.00 bucks restoring my Audi A8 lense covers. They look great! Thanks Christian!

[@cmacia06]

+Bos17 thanks for watching!

[@TONYROCKZ818]

Whoever charges you more than $20-$40 one headlight restoration is insane, it takes about an hour max, and the products are cheap in bulk. You can do it all yourself for around $10

[@cmacia06]

+TONYROCKZ818 yea.. I think $40 per headlight is justified if you have a complex fixture.

[@datbenzdoe5157]

I also learned that if you sand one way with the 600 let's say vertically then when you go to the 1500 sand horizontally and it makes the clear come out perfect and no need to sand the clear afterwards 💯. Thanks for this amazing video keep up the great work 💪🏾

[@henryp9600]

Its 2022 and this video is still helping us out! thank Christian!

[@xdrlotusx]

600 grit will just make your job a lot harder. If you go back to your video, you can see where your finger pressure caused lines. You should only use 1000,1500, and 2000. You can then use swirl remover to finish off the light. Clean the light really good and then clear coat. Your paint strokes have gotten better from the last video Christian. Good job and great video.

[@cmacia06]

Definitly. I was trying to find a car that had must worse yellowing so that I could justify using 600. Thanks for subscribing!

[@xdrlotusx]

I promise you, 600 grit will never be used to fix headlights. 600 will put deep scratches in the lights and take away a serious layer of plastic. Then you have to progress to 800, 1000, 1500,2000 and maybe 3000 to clear up the deep wounds. The thinner the plastic housing gets, the less it is resistant to heat and moisture.

[@Iwincuzusuk2]

Great video, I really liked it. I do have a couple tips for the future, or anybody else reading though. I would use soapy water, it lubricates the paper better, and keeps it from clogging up. A few drops of dawn into a spray bottle or bowl of water works wonders. Also I would suggest using a sanding block to get a more uniform finish, and it's easier on your hands. One of my favorites is just using one of those small pink erasers, it's perfect for jobs like this. Just wrap the paper around it and keep the surface lubricated with the soapy water. Last I'd say to use isopropyl alcohol to clean the headlight off before painting to clean off any dust, fingerprints, etc. that may be on it. Anyway, I did really like the video and the car. Blue looks great on the 350z.

[@cmacia06]

Thanks for the input. I have heard of the soap but because I was skeptic about it, i never really tried it. Love the eraser idea! Sanding block was way too big for most headlights.

[@Iwincuzusuk2]

No problem. Yeah I thought the soap would leave a film or something, but I just wipe it up and it leaves the surface clean. The eraser works great, I was just using it the other day to refinish my wheels, its perfect for getting into all the little cracks while leaving a level surface.

[@MrJag83aa]

Great video Christian great video just did my 08 Jetta 2.5 at 85k, the Headlights were a little worse than yours although i followed your steps through I only added a 2000 grit finish only after reading in your comment section that it would further better finish and the result is Amazing!! Certainly beats buying a $400 headlight set, the total cost came out to $25 and some elbow grease 600,1500,2000, paint, wax, tape Once again thanks and awesome video!

[@cmacia06]

No problem! If you get the chance, upload a picture for us to see what it looks like with the 2000 grit finish. I'm glad the video was able to help you.

[@_.Dave._]

1. Don't use masking tape on your car. Use painters (low adhesion) tape. 2. Paint needs oxygen to cure. Covering with wax will not let the paint cure. Let the paint cure for two weeks before applying any wax.

[@STILLNIGHTPEARL]

Two weeks? I would go 60 days. Also, you can use masking tape, blue painters tape loses its adhesion very easy when it gets wet, I definitely would want something with more adhesion in this case.

[@cmacia06]

+Alfred Hernandez for an actual clear coat, where you have to mix in a hardener, their tech sheet says 30 days for it to cure but I don't think this would be the case for spray can clear. Im going to try and send dupli-color an email because this is a interesting argument.

[@unlimitedprogress3882]

good points but im sure christians done more headlights than youve even attempted

[@jr.rangeeel7624]

Unlimited Progress David is right anyone that has worked in a bodyshop knows this

[@nine11c2]

David is 100% right. Masking tape can take off paint. Christian may have done more headlights - but David is STILL right..

[@twinturbovolvo]

Thank you for posting this video. I always shy away from the process during early sanding of just a small area. It looks like I'm riding the polycarbonate. Your comment that it will look worse during sanding and then get better by the end is really helpful. Here I come sweet M45!!

[@cmacia06]

+twinturbovolvo That what used to scare me until I saw it done!

[@mikerieck306]

Nice work Christian. Instead of a sanding block I'd recommend wrapping the paper around a sponge to even the pressure as you press down. You can cut the sponge into whatever shape you want. Also...put the spray paint in about 4 inches of hot water ( not boiling hot) for about 5 minutes prior to spraying. It gets the propellant really active and thins the paint which helps it level nicely. Just watch out for runs.

[@cmacia06]

+Mike Rieck That is interesting, I never thought about that. Ill try it next time I get the chance!

[@mikerieck306]

+Christian Macias Your welcome Christian. Putting the can in hot water works for all spray paints. You have a nice touch with that spray can.........it will make you even better. ;)

[@A1doz]

My headlights came out perfect when I tried this. Thank you Christian. - Aldo

[@ed1371]

this was great right up until you waxed only an hour after the clear was sprayed. You need to let the clear "gas out" first before putting wax down or you can have peeling/bubbles in the future. This can take up to a week. Also it depends on the humidity of where you are at when you spay... laymans way is to smell the coat and if you can smell the paint... it isnt cured yet....higher humidity, longer time to gas out.. Good vid, but been doing DIY auto paint finishing for a long time and just trying to help.

[@cmacia06]

ed1371 Great tip. I should add that to the description. I let the paint dry for about 6 hours before waxing. I should have made it clear that the wax is to prevent peeling/burning in the future.

[@Hiphopcrusade]

Thanks to both of you because I had no confidence in my ability to do this but now I see its hard easy meaning spend the time to do it right just like the vid and the clarification now I have supreme confidence in attempting this. Thank you Men. Now all I need to do is wait for summer to do this.... thanks again

[@Hey_Jamie]

Christian Macias love a KZbinrs who understands constructive criticism is meant to help

[@warrenpollitt9581]

Great video! I followed your steps completely. Can't believe my head fog lights on my 99 TRD Solara are so much clearer. Thanks

[@cmacia06]

+Warren Pollitt your welcome! I'm happy it was of help! Thanks for watching

[@jrodpadilla22]

Just some thought. I usually use the 1st grit in one direction (e.g vertical)., the 2nd grit in the opposite direction (e.g. horizontal), the 3rd back to the first direction (e.g. vertical) and so on. Also, the best clear to use is a 2K clear coat sold by Eastwood or other companies. I use 2 pack auto clear coat and a preval sprayer. 2K or 2pack clear has the clear coat and the activator/hardener. Very cost effective if you do more than 1 set of headlights. Great video man!

[@cmacia06]

Jarrod Padilla Thank you very much. I took a look at some of the recommendations and they look very good. Ill see about buying a preval sprayer. This is right in the range of a DIY price and broadens that ability to use different kinds of paint rather than being stuck to what is sold in a can. Thank you!

[@illriley8219]

great video. only thing is that spraying clear coat on your headlights can manipulate the beam of light from the headlights. a bit like when you put a straw into a glass of water and it looks like its bent a bit. alot of people suggest using a clear coat film after machine polishing with cutting compound.

[@rayman1738]

best looking headlight restoration yet

[@StephenBrewer89]

Very good video. But I’m sure you have had to either polish or re clear these by now. If you want this to last, use a 2K clear. It’s automotive clear coat then you just treat it like your paint work. Will outlast a single stage clear in a can all day. Not knocking just giving pointers. Good video ! Also I saw mentioned, gassing out process is important. Wait a couple days before wax. Some say over a month.

[@filosoper]

Thank you! With your method, I'm glad I won't have to use a buffing machine because I don't have one.

[@josephpizzo9909]

Thank you Christian, thanks to you my headlights on my 2000 Lexus ls400 came out beautiful

[@cmacia06]

Joe Pizzo Your welcome! I'm glad i was able to help.

[@dnlmachine4287]

Keep fingers off the sanding block/pad- use palm and arch fingertips up and away from pad when you need to use fingers. Use knife edge of hand and fingers near edges. I also double tape cuz the polisher/sandpaper will grab the edges of the tape. The edges are a pain but very important for street cred quality shine.

[@ww2717]

I use depending on headlight conditions 400,600,800, 1000,1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 and finish out with 5000 grit. Then I clean off the headlight with a wax and grease remover (70% isopropyl alcohol works great). Then I use 2K clear to coat the headlight lens with. I use 2k cause it has a hardener in it. The 2k will stay on the lens alot longer than 1k clear. If you use 2k clear you will need to use a respirator cause the paint fumes are dangerous if inhaled.

[@papitosabe]

ww2717 I've seen people do something like 400 or 600, then 1000 or 1500, then 2500. Then they will do a compound, then polish. If I was to the 3 first steps, but end the final 2 steps with 3000, then 5000, would it be better than finishing with the compound and polish?

[@hostilityy]

ok 5000 grit? that's fucking retarded if it even exists. a normal sheet of paper is less than 4k grit so you'll pretty much be wasting your time. might as well lick the headlight with your tongue

[@7788tuan]

Wuoh, you are using some black magic in this video! Nice guide!

[@oxleyr11]

Used your video to do my 97 Prelude and they came out great! Thanks for posting!!

[@cmacia06]

+Ryan Oxley thanks for watching! I'm glad it came out good!

[@SuperSharpBlue]

I'd suggest using painter's tape opposed to masking tape. Masking tape tends to leave a sticky residue on the car and painter's tape is a little more resistant to water.

[@Hey_Jamie]

Also masking tape is WAY too strong. Could definitely even lift the paint

[@pit32s]

What kind of coffee?

[@13thvarebel16]

I would recommend Cafe Bustelo

[@krisiephillips]

Starbucks or McDonald's is the best.

[@sneakerknockerz702]

pit32s starbucks doubleshot white chocolate is the way to go

[@Hitman47451512]

@@13thvarebel16 u must be cuban

[@Just-Yeet]

You all need to get to a local Greggs and get a vanilla latte before doing this. You'll have both headlights done in no time with that stuff, its pure rocket fuel!

[@flightsimusman]

PRO TIP: After clearcoating you should compound and polish for an ultra-perfect finish :)

[@ryangroves3319]

+arman fdeniz why is it an unpro tip can you explain?

[@ryangroves3319]

+Uthman Yunis would compounding and polishing take the clear coat off that youve applied?

[@cmacia06]

+Ryan Groves it does sightly.

[@cmacia06]

+Ryan Groves it does sightly.

[@ryangroves3319]

+Christian Macias Ye but I wouldn't call that an unpro tip though... I mean you do this procedure for a normal paint job

[@Crob3621]

Just did this for my car.. Worked like charm, great video!

[@rehuoluos44]

wow!!! thanks for the tutorial, headlights look brand new 😃

[@Sharpshooter858]

I did this while trying to be a mad scientist and it worked without the effort. 1) I used "Fantastik" first to cleanit 2) Then wet a papertowel, add "Bom-Ami" or "Ajax" and rub it for a while 3) I used a store bought headlight cleaner 4) I wet it down with a spray bottle and rubbed with 2000 grit sandpaper 5) Spread colgate toothpaste all around and rub that in 6) Spray heavily again with "Fantastik" and paper towel off 7) Used spray bottle and heavily soaked the area until wet. 8) paper towel dry 9) Applied rubing compound and kept rubbing, not hard but keep the motion going 10) let dry to a haze and then towel it off with a soft towel. My headlights now look like new.

[@cmacia06]

Sharpshooter858 This a interesting approach.. How much did the materials cost you? Also, how long did it take you to restore each headlight? Upload some pics if you can!

[@Sharpshooter858]

Not sure of the cost, they were just household items except the 2000 grit sandpaper. That I got at an autoparts store.

[@brianstevener4835]

Just a tip for anyone trying this. It is best to wait at least a week for the clear coat to completely cure before putting a wax over it. And you really should wax the entire car (paint) every couple months. The sun and UV rays will have the same effect on the paint as the headlights causing them to yellow. The paint will oxidize without a protectant.

[@cmacia06]

@billyvesar I prefer acrylic Enamel because the lacquer left it blurrier than the enamel.

[@LOWCOUNTRYDIY]

Great video! I’m planning on doing this to my 4Runner this weekend!

[@dasmittyman]

This worked great. My car is an '06, and the headlamps look like new now. Just follow the video. Thanks for posting!

[@cmacia06]

+Jade Smith Thanks for watching!

[@kingsmencrown5763]

As others have commented you need to let the clear coat dry for about a week before applying wax or anything like that because it maybe tack free to the touch but that doesn't mean that it has completely cured just like with any kind of paint or epoxy clear coat it tells you on the can or you can even call the company for instructions if you don't believe me

[@cmacia06]

+scar face thanks for the suggestion. No need to call the company. Its in the technical data sheets. Ill try and get the link. Essentially your right but seeing how I did this and it had no affect I think its something small that can be overlooked.

[@AOT-offroad]

yours came out better then mine I think my clear coat isn't smooth enough. Either way mine are way better then they were before. Great vid on how to wet sand.

[@skippyi6969]

you could have used some GOOD high solids urethane clear with catalyst and then wet sand and buffed it out. then it would be UV resistant and look like glass. but what you did works fine.

[@stevefox3763]

do more than one coat of clear coat and even if you have only done one coat 1 hour is not long enough before you wax, leave it a minimum of 12 hours but I recommend 24, the paint needs time to dry and harden properly, 1 hour is not enough!

[@cmacia06]

+Steve Fox , You are correct. I found some information to prove your point. You must wait one week for the clear coat to fully cure because this is an enamel base paint. Here is a link to detailed information about duplicolor aerosol paint. www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=duplicolor.com/assets/documents/application-tips.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwj54P6uirDQAhUKwGMKHXeeDMUQFghZMAE&usg=AFQjCNFG4XjKHeVUho5GqS77ifX-JlN5XA&sig2=3dOkPVTHisMVShC8orNI1Q

[@javi76s]

How do the lights look a few years later?

[@titansunrun9301]

What type of clear coat did you use? I got the sanding done and now its time to paint!

[@rollingpoet]

I run a detail shop I use this same method when the clear film is damaged. That's the only time I need to sand it. Other wise, I clean the lens with soapy water, dry, apply a coat of cleaner wax, let it dry, and machine buff it off. Then I use and ultra fine wax such as 3M to smooth it all out. Turns out perfect every time. No painting and no waiting time. I can do two headlights in about 20 min at $10 a lens. Money adds up quick.

[@cmacia06]

Great suggestion! This is the perfect solution and Ill be making a video on this soon on it too because it is definitely the cheapest solution but at the same time, it's the most expensive for a one time shot because DA buffers or regular buffers aren't cheap. Although a good investment, most people just want a DIY. Hopefully my next series is more for those who want to do bigger jobs like painting a car.

[@rollingpoet]

Yea, ur right about that. Try the method I suggested n see what u think.

[@specialformula14]

use a sanding foam block.. not fingers.. the finder method makes high and low channels in the plastic..

[@ruict]

NICE !!!! I can't wait to do it on my 2005 Maxima. Thanks.

[@JesseLockeHere2Do]

A car detail guy warned me not to use any kind of acrylic spray because in about 6 months the Florida sun will cause cracking of the acrylic and it's nearly impossible to get off. He showed me how it happened to his headlights. I decided to just use a Meguiars plastic cleaning product instead. I bought but didn't use the sand paper. They look great right now. I'll add wax to protect them tomorrow. If it doesn't last long I'll repeat it. It literally took 5 minutes, less actually.

[@Ron-h4l]

HI I have question for you I only have top of my headlight the cleer coat is peeling off can just sand top leave rest alone because rest looks great.

[@ramonlgonzalez]

you are my hero---thank brother----Puerto Rico Salute you.

[@ayinxx16]

thanks for this man!, i'll try this on my 370.

[@Labeba7900]

I just found this and it really works! Thanks so much for sharing!!!!

[@memsnb5357]

Did I miss the part in the video where you buff and polish to remove the scratches?

[@willredpath9826]

If you buff the headlight paint wont stick to the surface and wouldn't take long before it pealed odd, sanding would have removed all the scratches all polishing does is polish out the sanding marks to look clear but theres no need when applying laquer as it fills in the sanding marks

[@foobar8478]

Nice video man. I'll probably do this, but buff it out with some polish before adding the clear coat to try and maximize the clearness.

[@cmacia06]

I would not polish before. you want to have a sanded surface of at least 1500grit before spraying a clear coat. when I polish after it looks amazing.

[@dcartellone2659]

Great video gonna attempt this when I get the chance. Quick question my lights aren't very bad just starting to fade on top kinda like yours, would you recommend starting with 800-1000 grid paper and finishing with 1,500 grind paper. Don't wanna pay the price in the end if it would destroy the light. Thanks

[@sarenamichaels]

I'm so glad I found your video, I can't wait to try it this weekend!!! Really great video too, most suck. :)

[@bman409]

Why you gotta use a compound/polisher after using the clear coat? I mean after you applied the clear coat, I'm pretty sure it has UV protection, it looks fine to me. Anyone wanna explain?

[@steveazusa]

Gonna do this on my 2000 sc400 fog lights.. Which are easy to remove the entire assembly! Can't wait

[@cmacia06]

+steveazusa Nice! That makes it so much easier.

[@donmichaels6401]

+steveazusa i think the fog lights are glass/ how did it work out?

[@steveazusa]

Dude It worked out awesome! Like brand new! I couldn't be happier.. It was cake.. I had ordered the real fine wet sandpaper online on Walmart, picked up at the store dude it was like 3.50 for 5 sheets! Auto part stores wanted 11$!! But they look really good especially now with my led fogs bulbs.. Super bright.. With my ddm tuning 55w HIDs!

[@Gertyutz]

I also have a 2000 grit sandpaper that I used on my car finish. Should I use that last, or is 1500 enough?

[@ricardoguzman2364]

I restored my honda tailights with toothpaste...and it worked amazingly...

[@cmacia06]

Haha. It's mostly to tag in the description without making it too obvious. You know, its small tactics to increase views. Anyways, just out of curiosity, how bad were your headlights? I normally hear negative things about Toothpastes on headlights.

[@ferdieversfeld3812]

Excellent demonstration, easy to follow

[@FedericoEManzo]

This video is calming. Very relaxing lol

[@unlimitedprogress3882]

i know right haha

[@sta8ise]

Actually, if you accomplish an even cloudy surface using only the 600 grid, then you can start spraying the clear coat. This way the clear coat will get a stronger grip on the headlight, and it wil not peal with time. Off course you will have to apply 3-4 layers of clear coat to get a more fine surface...

[@anthonysulton161]

Can UV protection be inserted somewhere in the process or does the clear coat handle that protection?

[@twinscorpins]

Could you use a water hose on a slow trickle while sanding to keep from having to rewet the sand paper? i really liked the video will have to try it out. Thanks!

[@illriley8219]

use a spray bottle

[@dReMiXeDg]

wow when usprayed it it changed color so quick. thanks a lot for the video gonna do this on my car

[@cmacia06]

+Greg Ramos (ReMiXeDg) If you take your time, it's definitely worth it! Just use Dupli-Color. I haven't found a brand that does as good of a job.

[@zeogomez7314]

Would it be okay if I do this outside and let it sit to dry? Temperature is ranging low 40s and low 15s at night. For those that don’t have a garage.

[@michaelarmstrong4962]

good video Christian , I do this with my headlights but before I clear coat them I always give the headlights a coat of plastic primer they last hell of a lot longer this way and you don't get them peeling like others do without the primer just thought I would share that tip with you

[@cmacia06]

Plastic Primer... hmm. Ill have to look that one up! Good tip. Ill look into this. This is probably much better than waxing them. Probably last longer too. Thank you!

[@michaelarmstrong4962]

definitely works just sand down headlight the way you have done it then plastic prime then two coats of clear , great job , appreciate the vids Christian keep the coming

[@michaelarmstrong4962]

keep them coming lol

[@dnlmachine4287]

If you have hot or HID lights you can use Clear Engine Enamel for top coat.

[@jja4023]

Michael Armstrong that does sound like a nice tip. How should I apply the plastic prime to the headlights? Also, what brand of plastic prime should I use?

[@hostilityy]

Had this held up till today? I want to spray clear coat with uv protection instead, but those don't seem as clear. I wonder what professional paint& body shops would use

[@TuongNguyen-mx9nu]

this might not be your area of expertise but do you know if UV Curing lamps will be able to cure the clear coat quicker?

[@cookiesnruntz]

using soap will help a lot better. And it doesn't matter what way you sand. as long as you hit it with 1000 grit at the end.

[@johncunliffe8369]

Hi really liked the video it's a good tutorial as my brother was me do his golf headlights as they are really cloudy yellow, what is the paint you used I didn't get a clear view of what it was called, would of been good see the other headlight just to get a comparison of a before and after

[@Alexkasai]

John Cunliffe use any clear coat that's uv resistance, trust me, I make money out of this lol

[@cmacia06]

uv resistant is a great choice. The only paint I do not recommend for this job is krylon. I had bad results with it and so have other KZbinr's.

[@cmacia06]

Blazn H Yes. It would work and that sounds like a great idea! Maybe that water hose attachment on mist.

[@masonparker4473]

hey man great video! do you know the name of that song in the video?

[@ericknewcomb2194]

+Mason Parker Flight of the Valkeries

[@civhonbmm3]

Christian Macias good bye forever silent

[@DigitalMediaDisplay1]

Great video and great production of video,

[@gokit.o.5422]

The best clear coat for the headlights are the ones that say that they bond to plastic and that they’re anti yellowing and UV resistant

[@maxlevkulich1971]

wet sand the clear coat as well. but instead of one coat of clear do two, 3 is pushing it for headlights but wet sanding the clear will really give it that wow factor

[@maxlevkulich1971]

also sand up and down one way then side to side again to get a really even sanding

[@midoginji]

@Christian Macias - This is very nice diy. Btw, I can only find acrylic laqcuer in my place. I tested it on some clear plastic material to see what it would look like and it dried to a frosted-like finish. Did it do this because it's a lacquer? Is this what you mean by "blurrier"? Lucky I didn't do it on my headlight yet. I was expecting to see the same thing when you sprayed it on your headlight and it immediately turned to clear.

[@cmacia06]

Yes, it makes the light blurry and it adds the frost like you said. The best you can get out of a can in my opinion is duplicolor acrylic enamel. I found one can at Walmart by luck on sale but I usually get them from o'reilly, and im sure autozone has it if o'reilly has it. When you spay it, it takes about a minute to become clear.

[@cmacia06]

Gloss looks nicer. Avoid matte.

[@MiguelRuiz-dh9ht]

Does this have to be done inside a garage or is outside fine?

[@kennylamintao4948]

thank's men. but what kind of clear coat did you used?

[@MikeyHarvey2K6]

I wasn't sure about the painting... Restored mine last week sanding first with 1500, then 2000 and finishing on 2500. I then used an orbital buffer to apply a cutting agent, followed by a polish and then to maintain the finish, used a UV protective spray. The results were incredible. I just think the clear paint is a bit of a cheat, and could result in undesired effects if done incorrectly

[@cmacia06]

+Michael Harvey which UV protective spray did you use?

[@MikeyHarvey2K6]

Christian Macias i haven't got it to hand. It was just a little 250ml bottle i picked up at the garage. I'll get back to you

[@BobbyHill71]

@@MikeyHarvey2K6 you never got back to us

[@MikeyHarvey2K6]

@@BobbyHill71 I didn’t! I’m so sorry! It was Diamondite Clear Plastic Liquid Armor! A great product. Good to put a coating on every few months to maintain your hard work 😉

[@MikeyHarvey2K6]

Scratch that… everytime you clean the car

[@kristoff.frozen]

Can it work for scratched up headlights because my passenger headlight is a bit cloudy with small scratches?

[@PrivateYouTubeE]

Thanks for this, dude! I need some work done since my Scion tC's lights are also starting to crack. Keep up the good work and editing.

[@RethanHunter]

Good job! Would this work to take tint out of a lens? Bought a truck and the headlights are tinted black. I was hoping to sand it down and get it at least close to clear without having to spend 400 for four separate headlights.

[@cmacia06]

this would definitely work. I have a video specifically doing that

[@ZukosGarden]

How long does it take to let the clear coat dry

[@andrewberinger1245]

at the end you apply the wax and take it off after it's dried? by cleaning it off somehow? Never done the last part if you don't mind explaining.

[@cmacia06]

+Andrew Beringer I applied a turtle wax a day after it was painted to allow it to fully cure. Leave the wax on for about 5 minutes and then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. This will extend the life and help prevent it from peeling in the future. You should do this every 3 months to make it last the longest.

[@brown55061]

Man that's a lot of work, but the result is great. Are head lights cleared from the factory?

[@cmacia06]

+brown55061 I think they have some sort of sealer but I don't think it's clear coat similar to this.

[@Murrayfan]

How long do you wet sand with each grade or how do you tell when to move on?

[@bubblehead7680]

Instead of masking tape you should have used painters tape. It is better for this job plus it won't affect the paint. Otherwise cool job.

[@danielmaurizzio2559]

Great Video... How much did the materials cost?

[@rexmarinus124]

For spray use rust-oleum gloss clear for plastics which is non-yellowing and protects from UV. This will help the headlights from not become yellowish again. Duplicolor is OK but will become yellow in a few months so you will have to repeat from scratch.

[@cmacia06]

By any chance, do you have a picture of what the finish looks like? I know many people have trouble finding dupli-color and rustolium is much easier to find. That would be great seeing how you say it has uv protection. I just wouldn't want it to have a dull look at the end.

[@cmacia06]

Rex Marinus I'll look into trying that one. I believe that one leave a very small haze on the light but he claims that it requires no maintenance so it might be worth it. The method I used requires waxing at least once every 3 months in harsh weather.

[@rexmarinus124]

Christian Macias The sun destroyed plastic parts of one of my cars because it's all day outside. Summers are horrible for cars here. 3 years ago we had 46C / 115F. I hope rust-oleum will solve the problem.

[@kevingonfishing6023]

awesome video man! cant wait to do this to my g37

[@ssj22vuofficial]

So lower grits aren't necessary? I just bought 240,400,600,1500,3000. My headlights are pretty bad, lots of haze and deep scratches from highway driving. What do you suggest?

[@cmacia06]

I wouldn't touch the light with the 240. 400 is only if your light is at a point where its as yellow as yellow can get. You can use 600, but I recommend 800 because its less work to remove the scratches when you you move onto the 1500. You.can use 3000 but that's over kill. The difference wouldn't be much if you just stayed with 1500.

[@andrewoliver9686]

I used an acrylic clear gloss instead of a 2x clear gloss and my headlight looks frosted smh. Gotta start over

[@STZ819]

Andrew Oliver same

[@vidademikey9790]

You should have just sanded smooth then polished. Lol

[@hhreag]

Hi, how are the headlights now? is there any change since you did the restoration? are they in the same shape? thanks

[@cmacia06]

Hector Rea They were holding up great! I sold the car recently so I can't say how long they are going to last but they were still looking new after a year. That is with waxing once a month.

[@spy-bo1du]

May I know the Name of products you used?

[@vo010192]

It really works. Highly recommend.

[@andrewestrada7430]

Will rustoleum acrylic enamel 2x work ??

[@johnferguson7235]

Dupli-Color has a spray paint for headlight lenses. Did you consider trying that product? It is supposed to restore UV protection. On their website there were a couple videos but I couldn't tell if the lenses really came out clear. They seemed a little hazy but the lighting was bad.

[@cmacia06]

+John Ferguson I haven't seen it in stores. Ill try to order it off of amazon and see if it is any better for this.

[@johnferguson7235]

Christian Macias I've never tried recoating lenses before but I want to try. My 2005 Volvo XC 70 looks like new; except the headlight lenses. I would value any feedback that you can offer. Thanks.

[@13thvarebel16]

+Christian Marcias Great video...except for the dubstep :P But I will definitely put this on with some classic rock to appease my tastes while I work. This vid will definitely come in handy again when I start restoring my car's corneas...THANKS!!!

[@hostilityy]

how good has this been holding up? I'm debating on doing this or using a sand, buff, and polish method. I have this same car. GIGITTY!.

[@cmacia06]

***** Well it has held up perfect for a year but this is because I try to wax it once a month. You will have to do the same thing if you sand and polish though. I think if its yellow you should do this method, but if it just looks like haze then a sanding and buff will do just fine.

[@hostilityy]

Christian Macias thanks dude. mine is not really yellow; it looks just like yours. now I'm debating doing it or leaving it till it's more yellowish haze.

[@cmacia06]

That's not such a bad idea. I mean you still have to sand if you were to buff it.

[@markjames7652]

Thanks man appreciate the post. Giving this try this summer

[@cmacia06]

Hey Mark! Did you end up trying it out?

[@harryhobbyist941]

Hello Chris. I went through the process as described. Though the yellow marks have gone, the headlight is still very hazy after applying clear coat and polish.Is there something that I missed? Kindly help.

[@cmacia06]

+Harry Hobbyist Hi, sorry to hear that. Did you use the correct grit sand paper? This could happen from having used a grit to rough. The minimum for paint the clear is 600 grit. Anything less will leave marks on the light. The higher the better. Also did you use duplicolor? or another brand?

[@saiyorihime]

This came out real nice! Great ob!

[@cmacia06]

Thank you!

[@sancheztorres35]

Is a clear coating spray?