Sore Eyes.............1998 Porsche 996 w/failed headlight lenses

[Innovative Detailing]

Last week I paid a visit to one of my monthly maintenance accounts. As I approached his front door I noticed an older white Porsche 996 parked with the other vehicles. As I walked around it, I was in awe on how nasty the front headlight lenses looked. I picked up the keys to my customers A8 and proceeded to ask him who owned the Porsche. It was an associates vehicle and I was introduced to him. He was the original owner, who basically had lost interest in the overall appearance since the lights started to fail. I showed him with my power point what I could do to improve his vehicles appearance and safety, he booked an appointment for the next day.

Here are some before shots of the light.....What an eye sore on such a nice vehicle..........

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/IMG00335-20101002-1015.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/IMG00336-20101002-1015.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1122-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1123-1.jpg

During my Headlight Lens Restoral process, here is the drivers side closeup of the failed coating...

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1129-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1128-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1126-1.jpg

Passenger side all resurfaced and ready for UV coating

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1127-1.jpg

UV coating applied

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1130-1.jpg

UV coating gets cured by a special UV curing lamp

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1131-1.jpg

Final shots after my service was finished.....

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1133-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1135-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1137-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1138-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1141-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1142-1.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Resotral%20-%201998%20Porsche%20996/DSC_1143-1.jpg

Thank you for viewing my work........

[Murr1525]

Nice touch with the coating.

[aris]

very ncie work

[SVT Lightning]

Nice process and results! I was recently in Tucson and restored my brothers and Moms Lexuss with Ultimate Compound and a 8207 polishing pad and DA polisher. Lens came out crystal clear. What is the difference in your process vs. UC and a DA polisher?

[Shawn T.]

Great work. Lights look good as new.

[J. A. Michaels]

Great work. It appears that new lenses were installed. They look great.

[Sean Conrad]

Great work. It's amazing how something like that can make such a difference.

[Marc08EX]

Great work! Looks brand new!

What's the UV coating that you used and where can I get them?

[davey g-force]

Nice!

So what's your general process? Wetsand / polish / protect?

[the_mighty_bucket]

beautiful job done! and IMO that's one of the best looking headlight designs in the era.

[DetailFreak517]

Great work! Looks brand new!

What's the UV coating that you used and where can I get them?

x2 I want to know what the coating is also. Looks great!

[Innovative Detailing]

Nice touch with the coating.

Thank you, and a long lasting one it will be...:xyxthumbs


very ncie work

Thank you


Nice process and results! I was recently in Tucson and restored my brothers and Moms Lexuss with Ultimate Compound and a 8207 polishing pad and DA polisher. Lens came out crystal clear. What is the difference in your process vs. UC and a DA polisher?

Thank you for the good words....Both of the processes will leave the lenses clear, although the conventional method of scuffing and buffing is not a long term solution. Once you have resurfaced the lens and removed the sacrificial coating, you have now exposed the polycarbonate to the direct elements. Sure waxes and sealant will protect your polished lens, but after awhile this protection wears away. This exposes your bare unsealed polycarbonate lenses to all the elements which are then susceptible to turning yellow again, brittle and cracking. With this system, you resurface the lens, removing the failed coating, wipe clean of grease or wax (no polishing required) and then reapply the sacrificial coating. Once you have given the lights 2 wet coats, you then follow up with a special UV curing lamp for amazing results.


Great work. Lights look good as new.

Thank you very much, customer thought so and saved a small fortune vs replacing.


Great work. It appears that new lenses were installed. They look great.

Thanks J.A. as always for your kind words


Great work. It's amazing how something like that can make such a difference.

Thanks, kinda like Lasik for your cars eyes!


Great work! Looks brand new!

What's the UV coating that you used and where can I get them?

Much appreciated! This is not one of those DIY products, its more intended for the professional trade. It retails for about $40.00 per can, and you MUST use the UV curing lamp, those run about $249.00.


Nice!

So what's your general process? Wetsand / polish / protect?

Thank you, this is my process......

resurface using pneumatic tools and 3" Unigrit discs and interface pad for contouring.

* PREP ALL AREAS THOROUGHLY TO INCLUDE PLENTY OF BLUE TAPE TO PROTECT ANY SURFACES AROUND THE HEADLIGHT LENS FROM DAMAGE FROM RESURFACING!! COVER UP ALL EXPOSED PAINTWORK AROUND THE LIGHTS WITH PAINTERS PAPER TO PROTECT FROM COATING OVERSPRAY!!
* Resurfacing grit stages - 320>500>800>1000>3000 (320 required on Porsche lenses, coating is tough as nails)
* Wipe with wax and grease remover
* Spray SEM coating, 2 coats allowing 2 minutes between passes
* UV Curing lamp 5 minutes after UV coating has set, then heat with UV curing lamp for 4 minutes
* Lightly touch headlight lens to confirm that is has cured, remove paper and blue tape. Wipe adjacent areas off with Quick Detailer and MF for the best final results.....


beautiful job done! and IMO that's one of the best looking headlight designs in the era.

Thank you,I couldn't agree with you more!


x2 I want to know what the coating is also. Looks great!

Hopefully the info I posted above helps you out...if anyone has further questions on the product or procedures, drop me an email....

Here is a photo I took against my customer garage door, showing the difference in overall lighting quality on his Dodge Durango with the drivers side lens restored and the passengers in a state of failure....

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k448/Havasulvr/Headlight%20Lens%20Restoral%20Dodge%20Durango/DSC_1060-3-1.jpg


Thanks all for the comments, and feel free to visit my Headlight Lens Restoration blog located below my signature...feel free to leave some comments

[DetailFreak517]

Awesome... thanks David. I found some product information and training materials based on what you posted. For anyone interested:

http://semproducts.com/Catalog.asp?prod=321

[cnfowler]

David, another top-notch job. Very well done, Sir.

Colin

[Innovative Detailing]

David, another top-notch job. Very well done, Sir.

Colin

Thank you cnfowler......kind words as always....

Here is a little video I put together showing the 50/50 (drivers side corrected, passenger side left untouched) of this Dodge Durango's headlight lens transformation....this video really shows the difference between one side that has been restored properly and the other side that is failed under daytime and nighttime conditions...

<object width="480" height="385">


<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cHLNhhgc2kU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></object>