JDM headlight restoration and chrome trim fix

[keepinitclean]

okay so I had a foggy driver headlight and I wet sanded it and used a solution....Now it looks brand new on the outside! And I was also missing chrome trim so I used that tail light stuff from autozone to make it look OEM, it's looking sexy!!!

[tommi]

matches pretty good with the old trim

[keepinitclean]

definitely! Looks brand new

[93SM4_CB7]

Did the kit come with the sand paper?

And not what grit did you use, i need to touch mynes up. The clear on they lenses is beging to peal.

Thanks in advance, and Dam bro those lights look freaking clean and nice job on the solution for the trim. My old 90-91 JDM lights would of gotten the same trim as passenger aude was chipping.

[keepinitclean]

Kit???? Lol I pieced it together head to autozone soon the solution is buy one get the other half off, the grit is 2000, and the trim is like 12 bucks, i will post pics of what I did with the spare chrome

[Joshy]

Good to see attention to detail and restoration to JDM headlights.

It's unfortunate that the corner pieces are so delicate. It seems as if neglected packaging often cause these trims to break during transit.

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Since this is a DIY, I'd like to add some info here from my own experience...

If your chrome trim is broken without missing pieces, you can repair it with a little JB Weld, small piece of ABS plastic, and a rotary tool w/ cutting discs.

• First remove the trim and carefully cut into the BACK of the trim, on both sides of the break. The point is to make a small indentation for JB Weld to cure and secure the two parts together.
  
• Next, fill both sides of your indentation with JB Weld. Reinforce the joint with a small piece of ABS plastic, or a stiff piece of wire. Cover the reinforced joint with a little more JB Weld. The joint and reinforcement should be covered with adequate epoxy - be as generous as you want here, because you're trying to fix the trim!
  
• Finally, cast the joint with some masking tape. You don't want the JB Weld to drip and cure to other surfaces, so the masking tape will act as a cast to contain and secure your repair. You can ensure proper shape curing by putting the trim back on the headlight. Once 24 hours pass (JB Weld) or 12 hours (JB Quik), the newly secured joint should be cured. Remove the masking tape and admire your handywork!

Remember, when working with JB Weld, you can mix the epoxy and wait up to an hour or two before the mixture stiffens beyond playability. If you work with it as soon as you mix it, it will be very runny and difficult to manage. You're best off to mix it, wait an hour, and then go to work.

I would also like to add that the chrome trim can be REMOVED, if one chooses to do so, with a bleach bath. This makes repairs easier to mask, since the trim can be painted over in any color.

[keepinitclean]

0.o woaaaah thats so detailed! The lights weren't shipped, I picked them up locally, thats how they were when I bought them for $135 These have been opened before and they need to be restored on the inside as well, a projector retrofit will make the lights look brand new! And Where do I get JB weld???


Ohh and total time spent on this was like 10 minutes lol

[Joshy]

0.o woaaaah thats so detailed! The lights weren't shipped, I picked them up locally, thats how they were when I bought them for $135 These have been opened before and they need to be restored on the inside as well, a projector retrofit will make the lights look brand new! And Where do I get JB weld???


Ohh and total time spent on this was like 10 minutes lol

Ah! Good luck with your projector retrofit!

You can find JB Weld at most home improvement stores. You can also get it at automotive stores and even Wal-Mart.

[keepinitclean]

Thanks! Im looking at some cadi or BMW projectors at the moment

[cp[mike]]

cutting the ends of the chrome trim into a 45° angle so they meet up at the corner might be an easy "finishing touch" but i agree, the universal trimming was a nice way to fix that, it really seems to match pretty well.

[keepinitclean]

Thanks

[408cb7]

Oh wow that chrome trim looks great bro.

Im going to try this on my jdm headlights since mine are starting to look foggie.

[keepinitclean]

Sweet! post some pics!