windshield pits

buggeezer · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 9:37 am Post subject: windshield pits

I have a 1965 sedan with the original Hella lens. These lens are slightly "sand pitted" and I would like to make them look better just temporarily, for car shows. Any ideas, like a clear wax or other product?

KTPhil · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 9:58 am Post subject:

Anything that dries (like wax) will make it worse looking as it turns white and stands out more. Something oily/greasy like Vaseline might work if you wipe it down and then lightly buff off the excess. But leave too much and it will run down and make a mess!

smkn_vw · Samba Member Joined: August 22, 2004 Posts: 809

You mentioned a clear wax and sounds like you have a show car. There's a product called Renaissance Wax (hard wax not cream) that may be the ticket for accessories on your car, you can find it on amazon.

The only way I can describe it is that it leaves kind of a glass coating reminds me of powder coating finishes. Many museums use it because it's effective but delicate on precious items.
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noah2burchell · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 11:42 am Post subject:

I use turtle wax ice on my show car and it makes rubber and glass on the headlights and chrome look good. This is good stuff and I hope this helped.
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KTPhil · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 11:42 am Post subject:

By the way, your subject says "windshield" but your post says "lens." My answer was for headlight lenses. Vaseline on a windshield would be asking for trouble!

buggeezer · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:01 pm Post subject:

I mentioned windshield by mistake because my one-owner 1978 Corvette show car is pitted in the same way. I did try using a thin coat of new motor oil and that did no good. As you know, anything that fills in the pits makes it look better. Water, for instance if it would only stay wet! Maybe Armor All. But I will try all suggested and yes, it is a show car and hopefully, if completed, will make it's first appearance at the Fall Farmington, N.C. show.

KTPhil · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:14 pm Post subject:

Very temporary, but what about smearing it with something to fill (vaseline or a clear oil) and then stretching a clear plastic film over it to hold in the moisture and still provide a smooth glossy surface? Lots of work since you'd have to do it to the bare glass, then reassemble your lamp assembly.

Or buy new glass...

Northof49 · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:20 pm Post subject:

Isn't there some crap they sold on TV for scratched glasses? You just brush it on and it covers the scratches. Or so the TV ad goes.
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rcooled · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:13 pm Post subject:

You can buy brand new Hella lenses from Wolfburg West. Not cheap, but if you want show-car quality, this is it.

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111941115HGR
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buggeezer · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:44 pm Post subject:

yes, I have looked at the Wolfsberg lens but mine is good enough to use and holding the lens at the correct installed angle, from a little distance, the slight pitting is really not noticeable. Used ones on Ebay are selling for more that Wolfsburg new.

vdubmyk · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:03 pm Post subject:

Try a glass polishing kit. They normally work with a dual action orbital polisher. Here's one for example. http://www.autogeek.net/lc-pro-glass-kit.html

It works for anything glass. It'll get the imperfections out, polish and seal it.
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buggeezer · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 3:02 am Post subject:

I ordered a highly rated (and expensive) glass polishing compound from Amazon some time ago to try to restore my door windows. Believe me...I did intensive research before buying this product, reading all the reviews. I can tell you this, if you can feel it with your fingernail, you won't be able to polish it out unless you want to spend the rest of your life doing so. Bon Ami cleanser worked better. I replace the side windows with better, used glass. Maybe this suggested kit would do better but I really doubt it. Like so many things out there, doesn't really do what is promised. An older friend who owned Lenoir Mirror Company recommended Bon Ami years ago and it does real well for improving and cleaning glass.

c21darrel · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 3:46 pm Post subject:

@buggeezer,
Did you use Cerium Oxide?
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buggeezer · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:47 pm Post subject:

Yes. I had forgotten the ingredients and I had to look. "Liquid Diamond" from Glass Technologies is what I bought from Amazon after researching all afternoon. Cerium Oxide is what everyone recommended and I used a foam pad and polished for about an hour and could see no difference. You cannot concentrate on a single scratch, because, like paint, you would create a low spot. I am not saying this product would not eventually work , but it would take far more time than anyone would be willing to spend. I do feel like I wasted my money.

buggeezer · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 11:06 am Post subject:

I tried mixing a little clear (PPG) to fill in some bad chips, let it harden a couple of hours and cut level with a new, razor blade lubed with water. Greatly improved and I have not polished it yet to see if it will be completely invisible. I have not tried this process on the headlight lens yet.


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