Repairing JZA80 Headlights

[JustCallMeOrlando]

Hey all.

Pulled my headlights apart for a clean as they were all cloudy and had what looked like rust stains in them.

I got them apart no worries but what I thought was rust stains were actually chunks of missing "chrome" reflective surface.

I tried using spray chrome paint. I could get the finish I wanted in terms of reflectivity but not without runs. If you weren't as heavy with it it wasn't smooth. If you rubbed it back to make it smooth it was no longer shiny. Gave me the shits no end and after all this I wasn't confident with the durability of the coating.

I've rung around Perth and can't find anyone in Perth who does plastic chroming. I'm reluctant to send them east for cost reasons.

I could get some others but chances are they'll need work here.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Know anyone I didn't find?

cheers,
Nathan

[petergoudie]

Go to a silver plating works. I've had a number of steel base reflectors plated. It's not cheap but cheaper and better than original in fact they put enough silver on them that they said they would polish them in the future if needed. Plastic reflectors are a little harder. They plate plastic by etching the surface so it has some roughness. Next is a chemically deposited copper base onto which they silver plate. If your base is ok they can plate over what you've got. They reverse the current to take the old silver off and then plate it back using very little of their own silver salts.

[Laz]

...or you could do what alot of guy's over here in the UK have done, rubbed them down and sprayed them Satin Black, they'll look similar to the post 96 Facelift Supra Headlights then. Obviousy not identical to them due to the extra side light and the beam deflectors being part of the lens on the pre-facelift headlamps, but they do look nice.

I have a spare set for mine that I was gonna try this out on myself, haven't got round to it yet.