1st Gen headlight reflective coating burnt off

BC Mark VIII

BC Mark VIII

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White Rock,Canada
has anyone found a worthwhile coating for redoing the inside reflector surface of 1st gen headlight housings other than foil or aluminum sheet? I see videos of Rustoleum Bright Coat Metallic Finish used on other items looks like mirror finish and will even rub away if touched,,kinda like factory silver coatings..may give this a try...I am switching to led lights so heat will no longer be a problem,also removed the inner low beam cups
 
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I see Rust-oleum has a "mirror coat" as well that really does look close to being a mirror(on glass anyway..)..has anyone tried this approach?
 
You best bet is to test those products. Some carefully install aluminum tape. But nothing will be as good as the original coating. Headlights used to be $150 new per side. Now thats the price for used.

You may also want to consider a junkyard search. The headlights get so bad on these that people replace them. So a junked Mark has good odds of having good lights.
 
when I bought this car a couple years ago,it had new housings already freshly installed with the originals in the trunk..got lucky there.. I bought both paints today..the Bright Coat can is twice the size as the mirror coat and half the price..painted 1 housing with one product and the other with the other leaving the signal buckets untouched as they were still in great shape..Gotta say,the Bright Coat is damn close to factory..Mirror coat went kinda flat where as the Bright coat gives great reflective look..The metallic is a bugger to spray though without getting runs..I would suggest other people give it a try and maybe wait 48 hours before recoating..After 2 attempts with recoating at the suggested alternative 1 hour interval I still had a couple runs..will post pic if all looks good when dry tomorrow
 
I would have thought you would have tried the sprays on something else first before the lenses themselves. Post pics if you can though. I wonder how it will hold up long term.
 
it's an easy removal if it doesn't last..brake clean washes it right off as I found after having to redo due to runs..I'm wondering how long it will last myself..under the impression that all 'should' be fine using led bulbs.just remember,,you can not touch the coating once applied as it is a silver metal flake and will rub off or at minimum show dull spots where handled.will post pics later today..still looks comparatively similar to factory after 16 hours dry time..will give it the full 48 hour cure before reassembly
 
turn signal buckets were left original..good reflection of the empty bulb holes

20180901_164544.jpg


20180901_164647.jpg
 
Thats actually impressive. Not the pure almost mirror like of the factory finish, but certainly a lot better than foil tape or any other paints used. Are those pics both with the same paint? Its hard to say, but the right set almost seems a bit better.
 
remember I used mirror coat on one and Bright Coat on the other? when done comparing,I painted over the mirror finish with Bright Coat..I think it was the right(passenger) one..definitely was easier to coat with less runs..After more research on youtube,I found a video by Wayne Schmidt called Chrome Spray Paint Comparison..April 2014..He compares 16 different kinds..Some of which can be polished to near perfection..Wish I would have found it before spending $30 Canuck on the 2 paints I tried..Check out the video,,sure impressed me
 
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however,everything I've read says chrome is not a good finish to use..apparently it gives too much of a "flash spot"? and forward reflection is poor.. original coating is done with a silver finish in a vacuum from what I understand..ordered another set of leds today,once they arrive in a week or so I will put these housings together and take some pics comparing relatively new housings with my recoats
 
should have added this right side pic as well..this is the one that was first sprayed with 4 coats of mirror effect then recoated with 3 coats of the Bright Coat

20180901_164515.jpg
 
thanks for the vids..I've seen that bottom one before but the retrofit one is new to me..went to their website,too expensive,once converted to Canuck $$ for me at this point..mine seem to have turned out fine..compared lowbeam so far..so much better but that's to be expected by just removing those stupid stock tin insert cups..second set of leds will be here monday then will do vehicle install with comparison pics
 
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