Headlight Covers - 829$ a cover? Need a set

mosthated

mosthated

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Ok, for months i've been searching for headlight covers for my 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC. I've done everything i needed to do for my car before getting it painted and customized, but one stupid thing. HEAD LIGHT COVERS that are all dingy and yellow. I refuse to get my car painted and finished with nasty head light covers. I have actually seen some after market or something type of head light covers on car pictures, where the whole headlight front and side were crystal clear, but i can't find any head light covers after market for the mark viii anywhere. I"ve emailed probably over 100 companies, sites, people, whatever. I"m fed up, i can't afford 1800$ to simply replace my headlight covers when the headlights themselves and ballast is another 650 a light. I'm not sure what i'd do if i could find some headlight covers, but i gurrantee i'd probably kiss your on your lips. Literally months and months for some type of head light covers and nothing, someone please help me.
thanks a lot.
 
Sometimes if the yellow is on the outside people wetsand the lenses with fine grit sand paper and rub them out with a buffing wheel and some rubbing compound.
 
Yeah, i've heard it works ok, but really doesn't bring them back to the full clear life, once the plastic is dingy its pretty much deep into the plastic and i'm fixing to do a really nice paint job on my car and would hate for the dingy stuff to come back in 6 months. I"ve done it all, sanded, amonia, taken them out, heated them, you n ame it, they are ok, but just not crystal clear like brand new. I think it is dumb that all these crystal clear lights exist but you can't get anything for the mark viii. Its been 10yrs now, its time for a lot of owners of these cars to replace some things and ford is really hurting my feelings. Even my grill i want replaced, its plastic and they want almost a grand for a plastic grill, its just insane and figured eventually the market would build for these types of cars. Guess not, if someone finds something please let me know.
 
You won't find any aftermarket, these cars weren't really mass produced and with their age along with the fact that hardly any are left on the road it's very unlikely anyone will make any. We're happy with the aftermarket that is available.

Wetsanding and buffing should bring them to new, even if pitts or scratches are deep. Start course and finish fine after the deep crap's gone. If they're ugly on the inside you can heat them and pull the lense off and clean up the inside also. But it is alot of work.

Either that, or search eBay until you find a set, and pay out the ass for them.

You could change over to an aftermarket ballast/bulb setup and sell your current ballasts and bulbs to cover the cost of new housings if you can find them.

I don't know what other information anybody can give you. There's not alot of options on headlights and I think I just listed/agreed with all of them.

Good luck!
 
648 and 635 are a lot cheaper than 830 and 830, so i guess thats a great start and close finish. The idea of selling the existing setup is nice to cover the new ones, plus i seen some really nice HID setups for i think 200. Thanks
 
You don't have to spend that much money on lights. There are plenty of salvage yards around Houston and Pasadena to pick these parts from. There is a treasure trove of Mark parts here, if you know where to look. I spend most of my Saturday mornings searching for parts like light covers and others. You would be real surprised what you find. :cool:
 
GMAN said:
You don't have to spend that much money on lights. There are plenty of salvage yards around Houston and Pasadena to pick these parts from. There is a treasure trove of Mark parts here, if you know where to look. I spend most of my Saturday mornings searching for parts like light covers and others. You would be real surprised what you find. :cool:
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Yeah, my lights are fine, old looking but fine, i want the crystal clear look again, i really doubt i'll find that at a salvage yard and i've been to plenty. I've literally searched and searched for lights, because it is like the last minor thing before the paint and stuff. I don't know really...
 
mosthated said:
Yeah, my lights are fine, old looking but fine, i want the crystal clear look again, i really doubt i'll find that at a salvage yard and i've been to plenty. I've literally searched and searched for lights, because it is like the last minor thing before the paint and stuff. I don't know really...
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Take them to a plastic fabrication shop.

They have the buffing wheels and compounds for acrylic. After they table saw cut acrylic, they have to either flame treat the edge or buff it to make it clear.

I would that place a shot first and see what they say.

I use a high speed wheel and some silver/copper polish. Works wonders.
 
MonsterMark said:
Take them to a plastic fabrication shop.

They have the buffing wheels and compounds for acrylic. After they table saw cut acrylic, they have to either flame treat the edge or buff it to make it clear.

I would that place a shot first and see what they say.

I use a high speed wheel and some silver/copper polish. Works wonders.
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Yeah, i thought someone from this forum had a website that reconditioned headlamps, send them in and they send them back but i couldn't find the post anymore. I think i'll get them reconditioned first and see what i can get done and if anything, sell them and buy new ones. Its just hard to imagine a new paintjob and everything with old lights ya know.
 
Team Ford will not have them, call first. They still show up in the catalogs for those places, but they dont have them. Fast Parts had the same problem, I ordered them and they have not had them and will not. :(
 
I've got couple sets left. But they will go for retail price.

And to think I was selling bulbs for $199 and nobody wanted them.
 
poniesviii said:
:shifty: I see you're a Houston member. .. :)
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Oh yeah, i guess thats why my car has the houston flavor. Long story, long project, a lot of changes, just trying to be different. Originally the mark viii is a beautiful car, i just tried to add more shine to the already lincoln luxury. I"m at most local events, but i've kept my car low key for awhile because i didn't want anyone you know, duplicating my ideas and styles. It took me so long, money problems and part problems and all that great stuff, so i'm tired of having it and not showing it now. I drive it a bit now, but it still needs work. Its come a long way but i'm trying. I love the whole houston car scene because so many styles exist down here and they all get respect.
 
GMAN said:
You don't have to spend that much money on lights. There are plenty of salvage yards around Houston and Pasadena to pick these parts from. There is a treasure trove of Mark parts here, if you know where to look. I spend most of my Saturday mornings searching for parts like light covers and others. You would be real surprised what you find. :cool:
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Gman...I just bought my 96 MarkVIII please tell me where to look around Houston. I live on the north side and really need a pass.side door molding.
Thanks!
 
billy65 said:
Gman...I just bought my 96 MarkVIII please tell me where to look around Houston. I live on the north side and really need a pass.side door molding.
Thanks!
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Thats what i'm talking about, because i've looked plenty of places and most of the marks are gutted or overpriced.
 
mosthated said:
Yeah, my lights are fine, old looking but fine, i want the crystal clear look again, i really doubt i'll find that at a salvage yard and i've been to plenty. I've literally searched and searched for lights, because it is like the last minor thing before the paint and stuff. I don't know really...
Click to expand...

If they still cast plenty of light but look dingy and rough on the outside, this is what I did... they look much better now.

1. wet sand w/1000 grit,then 2000, then 2500
2. polish with 3M plastic polish (9-10 bucks @ O'Reilly auto parts)

Mine look good now, but I think the reflective stuff on the inside is bad.
 
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