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Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find
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raygreenwood
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 7:25 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Just to better explain what the headlight restoration kits are and do.....

Modern headlights are generally....but not always....Made of polycarbonate. You might know it as Lexan. Same material that laminated bullet resistant window panels are made from.

Lexan is very poor in UV resistance. So from the factory it has a sprayed on optically clear "hard coat". This is the same type of optically clear hard coat put on modern eyeglasses. It has a UV blocker and is also a scratch protectant.

It yellows and gets crazed with age.
So the object in the headlight restoration kit......is to start at about 400-500 grit wet dry paper....go to 800 - 1000 grit and finish with 2500 -3000 grit abrasives.

You are removing the hard coat varnish.....and imparting a uniform super fine haze. By the t8me you finish with 3000 grit....it should look almost usable....but be slightly hazing like it has a coat of paste wax on it.

The new UV blocking hard coat is applied with a sponge or squeegee in a fast series of overlapping strokes. You cannot go over it twice. It simply fills in the fine 3000 grit scratches and flows out to a perfectly clear film.

Our turn signal lenses and tail lights do not have a hard coat so they do not need to be sanded. But they should be polished as much as possible and cleaned very well. Then they have a primer liquid that goes on first.

Our lenses are not polycarbonate. They are either acrylic, styrene or SAN. I need to check if this hard coat product has enough solvent in it to exploit the crazing or micro-cracks in our lenses.
In pure acrylic products.....any edge cracks from cutting or crazing...whenever you even get it near high ketone vapors of solvents.....will causes immediate rapid expansion of the cracks and the part will literally start coming apart.

I will test this. This kot from Sylvania is about $25-30 and can do every lens on our cars. You can buy it at most FLAPS or on line. Ray
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KTPhil Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 9:15 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

I have had good success using a similar method for late model lenses/covers.

I use wet/dry foam sanding pads and work my way up to 3-5000 grit. Let it dry thoroughly (a couple of hours in the sun, so it's totally dry even in the micro cracks and pores).

https://www.amazon.com/Tockrop-400-3000-Sanding-Sp...amp;sr=8-5

Then I apply those 3M paper wipes that have a "varnish" like liquid you wipe on and let dry to a gloss.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Quick-Headlight-Clear-39173/dp/B079QL8BYK

This seems to last a year or more, then I have to repeat for cars that sit in the sun all day. Garaged it might last 3-4 years.
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raygreenwood
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 11:06 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

KTPhil wrote:
I have had good success using a similar method for late model lenses/covers.

I use wet/dry foam sanding pads and work my way up to 3-5000 grit. Let it dry thoroughly (a couple of hours in the sun, so it's totally dry even in the micro cracks and pores).

https://www.amazon.com/Tockrop-400-3000-Sanding-Sp...amp;sr=8-5

Then I apply those 3M paper wipes that have a "varnish" like liquid you wipe on and let dry to a gloss.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Quick-Headlight-Clear-39173/dp/B079QL8BYK

This seems to last a year or more, then I have to repeat for cars that sit in the sun all day. Garaged it might last 3-4 years.


Thats because....oddly....as good as eM products ard....their protection tant varnish which comes in their kits and works excellent....does not have a UV blocker in it.

I will post part #s to the Sylvania product. The sylvania top coat has UV blocker. But it also has no sanding products in its kit. Ray
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KTPhil Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 11:35 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

For newer cars I haven't had to sand yet, I apply 303 Aerospace regularly, which has a UV blocker in it. However, I noticed the website says, "DO NOT use on unfinished leathers (such as suede), fabrics (canvas), floorings, clear plastics, gauge panels, or headlights." Strange! I guess I had better stop.
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NurseryWalt
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:53 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

My donor car is getting smaller and lighter these days. Needed a door real quick just for the trim and the Allen bolts didn't budge, so we cut it off. My restorer at work:
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The tail lights all cleaned up:
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The trim custom made from ISP West (thanks Bill) now in place. Other chrome nicely straightened out by my restorer.
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Slowly moving forward...
Walter
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raygreenwood
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:56 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Very nice!

Ray
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Pepperbilly
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 4:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Oh yes! Looking good! Those taillight lenses absolutely sparkle. What is your secret for making them look like that? My rears could look better…they are a bit hazy.

Bill
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Lars S
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 9:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Supernice Walter!! Love every inch of what I see!

///Lars S
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NurseryWalt
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:43 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

I'm just guessing about the taillights, but I believe Gary clear coated them.

Walter
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NurseryWalt
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 12:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

After what seems like too much of an interlude, here are a few more pictures. Finally got the wheels back on.

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Hoping for some upholstery real soon.

Walter
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ubercrap
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 1:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Looks incredible, this will be like new when complete! Shocked
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raygreenwood
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 1:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Nice! What shocks do you have in the back?

Ray
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NurseryWalt
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 2:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Hi Ray,
I'm embarrassed to say, "I don't know!" I sent all the specs to my restorer Gary and he bought some. I'll ask the next time I see him.

Walter
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 3:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Hi Ray,
I wasn't sure which shocks my restorer installed, so I just asked him. All he said was, "The wrong ones!" I think we will be looking a bit more...


Walter
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

NurseryWalt wrote:
Hi Ray,
I wasn't sure which shocks my restorer installed, so I just asked him. All he said was, "The wrong ones!" I think we will be looking a bit more...


Walter


It's not a huge issue or might not be. I am always interested because if someone uses something different.....and they fit and work ....cool! We have a new part # we can use.

The "right" or "correct" shocks will be REALLY hard to find. If you do find them....unless you get really lucky and they were stored impeccably (and even then).....they may not work or may die quickly.

The semi-good thing....is that if ou are trying to find the factory correct rear shock for a two door or four door sedan......and you find them well cared for.....the chances are much higher that they will work very well.

This is because the sedans came with an oil shock from the factory. Some of the stiffest oil shocks I have ever seen. As long as they have not leaked or are not leaking.....they can work great.

It's the wagons that are the issue. They came factory in the US with a gas shock. And by the way...using that gas shock on the sedans is a MAJOR excellent upgrade. More on this in a minute.

With age, gas shocks do not do well.

So....aftermarket wise.....Monroe or Gabriel when you could find them in the correct part # and worked as good as stock....which were Sachs. After about the late 80s or early 90s....all bit KYB were out of production and it was just NOS.

Now on to KYB.....the only ones available were the KYB gas-a-just high pressure gas. Thosse were dead on perfect matches for the gas shocks on the wagons....and worked just as well on the sedans.

The KYB gas adjusts for our car....last production date was 1999. The ford Econoline shock is identical except for the width of the lower bushing but that is a simple fix.

The problem happening lately is that the Econoline is so old that I "think", KYB has phased out production and too much of what is out there is OLD. Old gas sh9cks are not good.

So....looking for who might have tried other brands of l oil or gas shocks from 1/2 ton econolines and had good luck. Ray
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 9:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Holy Smokes! That underside looks mighty clean…museum quality Applause. Can’t wait to see it done.

Bill
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2022 4:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

The other day we were stealing the rear window seal from the parts 412. But later that day I ordered some brand new window seals from West Coast Metric. Will see how long it takes for them to ship it.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


In the meantime, it was a beautiful day on Thursday, so I thought the parts car deserved an outing. It will now be located at my restorer's house so he can check things as needed.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Anybody made a dune buggy out of a 412? This could be awesome.

Best dialogue of the day:
Restorer Gary to a neighbour walking by, "Look at my new project!"
Neighbour to Gary, "It's going to take 20 years!"
Me, laughing all the way home.

Walter
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PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2023 7:38 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

After a bit of a break, my restorer is back at it again. The yellow donor car is well worth the money we spent on it, as we are able to check the wires, borrow, and mix & match to get one beautiful 412 specimen!

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Next on the agenda is to install the dashboard and the bumpers. I'll keep you updated...
Walter
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PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2023 9:43 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Welcome back Walter!

It all takes longer than you think, doesn’t it? I see you have side windows installed. Do you have new riubber and trim for the front and rear? That blue is really nice. Someday we will get our 412s side by side.

I have been driving mine on nice days and enjoy it so much. Engine is broken in now and have driven about 800 miles. I drive it with confidence Very Happy .

Keep up the good fight.

Bill
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PostPosted: Thu May 25, 2023 8:12 am    Post subject: Re: Walt's 1973 412 Barn Find Reply with quote

Making some more progress. My restorer is moving next month, so full steam ahead!

The side pockets cleaned up with new chrome trim.
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The original window winders cleaned up.
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A field trip from the paint booth to my restorer's home.
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The ultimate prize, a pristine dashboard from Germany installed.
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Hopefully my new windshield from the UK will arrive in June. It takes 10-12 weeks from Pilkington.

Walter
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