Red92Bird

alright, im not actually talking about the tail lights themselves, but the black plastic piece between the tail lights on my 92 bird where the license plate would go on a camaro. my problem is that it gets all chalky and isnt shiny anymore. is this something that can be buffed out so its shiny like the tail lights again? what products should i use?? btw, would have searched but i wasnt sure what to call this piece. thanks guys.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

if the chalking is caused by something on the center section, then yes it can be buffed. but the tail lights, especially TA tail lights are notorious for seperating, wheich causes a cloudy, light grey on black apperence. if so its junk and you need to get a new one.

pics would help

Red92Bird

the tail lights themselves look brand new, but the piece between them with the bird emblem on it is what is getting chalky. i think its just from age or something. ill look through my pics and see if i have a good pic of it. (snowing outside and cars covered)

Red92Bird

kind of bringing this back from the dead but im still curious. finally took some pics. what can i do to make this thing shiny like the tail lights again, (im assuming it was shiny to begin with correct me if im wrong)

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

I believe others have sanded them with a very fine grit paper, like 1,000 grit. And then they finish it off by buffing them out with a Mother's Power Ball and some polishing compound.

Stuart S

A mild polishing compound, (like 3M) followed by some Imperial Hand Glaze should take care of that... keep it waxed, afterwards and it should hold up OK...

Poject '86

Yours is still in pretty good shape. Other center pieces, like mine, look like it's marble if you know what I mean. If that was the case, you'd be pretty screwed.

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

Its just faded paint. Not much you can do about it if you want to keep it stock looking, meaning keep the firebird symbol. It helps a little bit to sand the outside with 400 grit, then 800, then 1000, then 1500/2000 then buff. The black will still be dull.

The black paint can be sanded off from the inside (along with the firebird symbol). But then its difficult to get the inside plastic sanded/polished perfectly. Any little scratch thats not removed from sanding the inside will show up when you repaint it as white streaks in the black paint.

I have a custom decal on my middle tailight section. I'm going to have it illuminated(using the red paint from the camaro red taillight mod). Since I can't get it perfect, I'm going to use VHT niteshade on the outside. It will appear all black.

So, VHT niteshade paint is an option, if you want it all black.

Of course do the VHT niteshade thing right. Sand it down to like 1000 grit, clearcoat it, then buff or do something similar. Could just use black paint too.

TAdan

I have used that technique to clean up the center section on friends cars.

Red92Bird

Hey thanks for the input everyone. i think ill try the polishing compound and glaze first and see how that helps. if that doesnt work i guess ill have to break out the sandpaper. nice idea with the vht niteshade paint should look pretty cool when done.

deadbird

Some Meguiars body scrub and a little 'elbow grease' with a terrycloth towel will do wonders.

thirdgenbird

i painted mine body color. i think it looks alot cleaner and it prevents having to polish it often.

Stuart S

The dullness is in the plastic on the outside.. those are not painted.

The procedure I mentioned above will most likely cure the problem.

Firebat

iTrader: (7)

Its just painted on the base model 86-92 firebird and 87-92 formula center taillight. 85-90 trans am center taillight is a different story.

How do I know the base model center taillight is just painted on the inside?


That pic was taken when I sanded only the inside where the paint was. Once I sanded down the outside, all the yellowish stuff disappeared and it became the same color as new plexiglass.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...taillight+bird

Stuart S

This is why reading comprehension is a good thing. The inside is painted, the outside is just plastic. Just like I stated above. The "chalky" look is on the outside. You even re-stated that here:

Your pic proves nothing related to his problem... and his problem is not, as you put it, "faded paint".


Red92Bird... the procedure I outlined initially, will cure your problem.
Please let us know how it works out for you...

Red92Bird

i just happen to have some polishing compounds and glaze here so im going to try that first, but im wondering how to remove it? does it just unbolt after removing the tail lights?

thirdgenbird, have any pics of the back of your car with the painted center piece?

Stuart S

With the taillights off, the center piece has 2 bolts on either side...

If you are just going to polish it, there is no need to remove it, though...

thirdgenbird

i hope this works for ya,

http://www.f150online.com/galleries/...778&anum=11632

my car is dark green so its alot less noticable than red would be, but i have seen it done on fourth gens as well and i really like it.

Z.ROC28

I just started buffing myself... I went to autozone, bought some Premium Grade Turtle wax rubbing compound (becoming obsessed with using it on EVERYTHING). I had an old nasty dull looking set of 91' maro tail lights and started practicing on them. They look almost like new now. If this cell phone pic shows up well look how shiny and glossy the inside black peice on the grid looks.

Red92Bird

Ok well i tried polishing it today and im extremely happy with the results. i used 3m perfect it III rubbing compound on a rag and followed it with 3m perfect it III machine glaze. this stuff is probably more designed to be used with an electric buffer but it worked great!

here are some pics and thanks for the tips everyone. i could have gotten it a little better i think especially if i had taken the piece off the car but these are my results after about 15-20 mins of work.

btw the little white specs in the pics are just lint

Red92Bird

Also, i noticed the paint on the door handles get chalky and gross looking. gave them the same treatment and heres what i came up with. before and after.

rwdtech

right on!!! that made a pretty big difference!

Stuart S

See, I told you

Looks great... glad it worked out for you