Tail light clean-up

trekcarbonboy · Postby **trekcarbonboy** » 09 Apr 2011 23:50

Just cleaned and painted the inside of my tail lights and WOW! what a difference. [:D] I had seen someone else did this (probably in Beans' blog) and it looked like a good idea so I did it too. Painted them with "chrome" spray paint to enhance the reflection. I knew they would be a bit brighter but the difference was AMAZING! If you haven't done this yet I would highly recommend it.
Never would have crossed my mind if it weren't for this forum. Keep all the great stuff coming. [;)] Cheers!
Cleaned and painted the rear black panel while I was at it too.

Craig

silverseven · Postby **silverseven** » 10 Apr 2011 00:59

what did you do to split them for access, did you reuse the original gaskets , and how did you seal the lens??

One of those jobs I have to get done this year too....

Ron.

trekcarbonboy · Postby **trekcarbonboy** » 10 Apr 2011 01:29

They came apart pretty easy (36yo foam gaskets). One of the posts was broken so I just used some super-glue gel to fix it. Got new gaskets from Vic-Brit. The old ones fell apart, as I expected them to. Theres 2 gaskets per tail light. Lens to housing and housing to body panel. You need small o-rigs for the posts too. I just got a pack from Home Depot.

Craig

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 10 Apr 2011 06:49

If you put the coloured lens into the dishwasher it comes out like new [;)]

But remember to do it when the wife is out [:D]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If it's not broke don't fix it.

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Laird Scooby · Postby **Laird Scooby** » 10 Apr 2011 08:08

Works with other car parts too :

Cheers,
Dave

john 215 · Postby **john 215** » 10 Apr 2011 08:28

Hi Dave,

Like the way you work sir [8D]

Cheers John

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 10 Apr 2011 08:52

I'd never put plastic parts in the dish washer, especially clear plastic items like rear lights.

A good soaking in a mild lukewarm detergent and small medium hard brush will do the trick.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

john 215 · Postby **john 215** » 10 Apr 2011 09:16

Hi,

I cleaned my washer bottle using baby bottle steralising fluid of all things !!!, came up a treat [:D]

Cheers John

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

Wayne S · Postby **Wayne S** » 10 Apr 2011 10:16

CIF formally JIF cream bath cleaner is as useful of WD40 for cleaning plastics lol works a treat on misty rear windows on convertibles as well.

Red 4.0 Litre V8 DHC Grinnall (with huuuuuge arches...!)

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 10 Apr 2011 11:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by john 215

... using baby bottle steralising fluid ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The joys of being a house<s>wife</s>man [:D]

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 10 Apr 2011 14:40

I soak my washer bottle in bleach/water mixture over the winter. Came out like new. It wasn't as yellow as some but that would be a time factor.

I would use new gaskets in tail lights as they keep water out of the trunk and old compressed gaskets would not likely.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spitfire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

DNK · Postby **DNK** » 10 Apr 2011 16:19

Craig, you didn't photo the whole procedure?

Don
"No More Cars For You"
71 TR6- Perpetual remodel
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

silverseven · Postby **silverseven** » 11 Apr 2011 00:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DNK

Craig, you didn't photo the whole procedure?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

perhaps because the one who thinks she should be obeyed came home ????

Ron.

Bendder · Postby **Bendder** » 11 Apr 2011 01:11

FI Spyder

You know, I look at that engine bay and think... I have some work to do. Gives me the hankerin to pull the engine out this week and clean from top to bottom.

That is clean !!

Mark
1977 TR7 FHC
1978 TR7 FHC
1980 TR7 DHC
1980 Rover SD1 4.0L

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 11 Apr 2011 02:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Bendder
[br Gives me the hankerin to pull the engine out this week and clean from top to bottom.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The engine or tranny have never been out. You can take the stuff off the left hand side, clean parts up and paint them if paint is chipped off. By taping off areas with newspapers you can paint (POR-15 or spray) the engine block. Put it together then do the same thing on other side.

This is what it looks like with stuff out before paint. A lot easier than taking out engine.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spitfire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

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Tail light clean-up

Tail light clean-up

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