Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Re-mirror headlamp interior (Read 18657 times) previous topic - next topic

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #30 –
Im doing it this coming weekend.

The lamp lenses themselves are  clear as a bell after my work i described.

I purchased 4 reditions of metal tape and compared them all, one inparticular was more mirror than the other three.....

However, being a perfectionist, and always wanting the best, i finally found the Mirror poly tape.
I will watch a movie and fiddle with these in my lap chillin out by the fireplace with a cold beer.

I have not even done the headlamp relay mod yet to my car and I am BRIGHT WHITE light.
I did complement it with some new sylvanya bulbs that seemed to cost like 40bux for the pair.

will post pics when done

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #31 –
Cool, I followed your described method and posted a thread with pics just in case any one else was going this path.
88 Turbocoupe: Coast High Performance 331 kit 28oz balance, Comp XE264HR14 cam, 58cc 185 afr heads, 1.7 roller rockers, Mass-Flo EFI (was POS to setup and their techline is a joke at best)
Full 1 5/8 primary equal length headers, 2 1/2 exhaust, Full manual reverse VB c4 and baked off clear coat "BECAUSE RACECAR"

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #32 –
Quote from: Soul;399565
Did you get a chance to pull the lights back apart and try this tape? Curious if it was better or worse light output. I just got mine back together and left the mirroring alone for now.

since i am caught up on things in general, i started back on the mirror repairs on the interior of the headlamp.
the product linked on post 27 is working perfectly.
will post pics.

word of advise,,,,,,**DO NOT Seal the lense back on with slicone in a liberal manner***
i had a hell of a time getting the lense cover off.
I think i will only add just what is needed on the outter edge of the seal only when i seal up this time.
that clear silicone proved to be very challenging to say the least to let the cover go **EVEN using a heat gun**.


i have been through some pretty agressive car washes since the polyerethane add to the lenses and its flaking off in tiny areas,, this is apparently a trade off,,not sure just yet.
either way the lense covers still very crystal clear.

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #33 –
Pics of light pattern?
88 Turbocoupe: Coast High Performance 331 kit 28oz balance, Comp XE264HR14 cam, 58cc 185 afr heads, 1.7 roller rockers, Mass-Flo EFI (was POS to setup and their techline is a joke at best)
Full 1 5/8 primary equal length headers, 2 1/2 exhaust, Full manual reverse VB c4 and baked off clear coat "BECAUSE RACECAR"

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #34 –
One picture of the poly tape that I got to Granger
It's hard to work with but I did my best see the picture of the card off to the side
Not that it's hard but it's just straight and the darn lense housing is curved

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #35 –
Here is the second headlamp with the finished mirrored interior using the new  Polly tape I got from Granger

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #36 –
James, I am quite sceptical about this. Are you sure, that the reflective film will survive such heat that the bulb produces? The other thing is, that it's not very reflective. I'd rather take it to the company for proper chrome plating. Well, this is much cheaper, but the result is equal to price...

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #37 –
You're right about chroming.
It's very difficult to get a good photograph of them reflectivity of the film but it's rated for temperature I believe which is 140°

In person it looks really good and I tried to use a playing card to show the reflection

I'm very happy with the end results but yes chroming would be better.
See the below next set of lamps I'm doing.  This is a before picture and I'll post an after

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #38 –
And here it is complete

I hope this one shows the reflection of the laminate tape that I have on a lot better

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #39 –
I did this a few years back, and polished it all up. It was better than not having any reflector material left (pearlescent white plastic was all that was left), but not that much of an improvement. New lights made the biggest difference.

It's too bad that this will be getting more difficult to do though. NOS parts are becoming hard to find.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #40 –
word of advice,
put the lense cover back on the light housing then ~leaving a tiny gap~ add silicone ~then finish seating the lense on the housing.

if you goop up the cavity along the lense cover with silicone (especially clear), not even a heat gun will safe you.
i gooped up my lense covers so much that i spent an hour per main headlamp taking the lense off.

if you dont remember this, when you take off the covers again, you ***will *** risk cracking them.

with stock headlamps, a heat gun works perfectly to loosen them up.

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #41 –
word of advice,
put the lense cover back on the light housing then ~leaving a tiny gap~ add silicone ~then finish seating the lense on the housing.

if you goop up the cavity along the lense cover with silicone (especially clear), not even a heat gun will save you.
i gooped up my lense covers so much that i spent an hour per main headlamp taking the lense off.

if you dont remember this, when you take off the covers again, you ***will *** risk cracking them.

with stock headlamps, a heat gun works perfectly to loosen them up.

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #42 –
Quote from: Seek;401850
I did this a few years back, and polished it all up. It was better than not having any reflector material left (pearlescent white plastic was all that was left), but not that much of an improvement. New lights made the biggest difference.

It's too bad that this will be getting more difficult to do though. NOS parts are becoming hard to find.

 
this is why i am just training myself to do it the hard way now, i figure lamps are not gonna be around in 5 more years tops.
lamp assemblies in any condition will be valuable.

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #43 –
Quote from: jcassity;401934
this is why i am just training myself to do it the hard way now, i figure lamps are not gonna be around in 5 more years tops.
lamp assemblies in any condition will be valuable.

Vacuum chroming will be the only real solution. I have a set of new lights that I used for about a year, tucked away in a box. The same for a pair I got out of a yard earlier this year - boxed up. I prefer to not modify or use stock parts in good condition, due to the coming rarity of them.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Re-mirror headlamp interior

Reply #44 –
one last thing i am doing,,,,,,,,
gonna go back to auto zone an buy more of those plastic mirrors.
on all areas of the headlamps where there is a flat surface (typically on the sides), i am going to add mirror to that area.

granted my reflective polymer i am using now is great!, and my headlamps are showing me a nice bright WHITE light on the road, i am reaching for yet even more.

so this will also give me the opportunity to discover if my advice for sealing the covers is valid.

next up is to resurect the headlamp relay mod i did to masons's bird and add continue that thread with the 20th but....... to include a new isolated thread called "ignition switch relay mod".

I will only be able to do the ign sw mod thanks to the pieces parts Tom R shipped over, should be an interesting venture to cram 20lbs of  in a 7'' area.