E30 headlight restore/replace - Hella.

[philwalter 30]

The headlights on my car are showing their age, they have a cloudy milky appearance and are a bit pitted. They are all Hella lights ( smileys ??)

Can you buy these new in NZ, or can you get inside them to clean them up ? I suspect they are a sealed unit, and just replacing with new ones is probably the best way to go.

How easy are they to remove and replace ?

Thanks for any advice :-)

[Guest Ari Gold]

You can polish glass, but it's a much more involved process than plastic.

you MUST keep the glass moist while doing so, to avoid cracking it with heat buildup.

You need to sand out the pits first, starting with around 400 grit, working your way up to 2500 grit.

Once that's done you bust out the Cerium Oxide/water mix and a small pad and then spend hours polishing.

Low speed and small pad size is key.

[philwalter 30]

Thanks for the advice. Would they look as good as new after all that mucking around though. And I presume getting into them involves heating them up in an oven to soften the glue ?

Could get a whole new set landed for around $500 NZD.

http://www.c3bmw.co.uk/StockItem.asp?categ...p;Item=unassign

[Guest Ari Gold]

300 degrees in an oven and be very careful pulling them apart!

They can be made better than they ever were new, example:

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

depends if there is any oxidation on the inside as well. you may have to do both sides. i did the outside and then relised this and thoiugh f'it and left it like that. its a long slow process. kinda like your wifes/moms knitting.. to be done infront of the tv one long night

edit: cool M3 btw, but why are your headlight wipers parked 90degres the wrong way? if your lookin at the left hand set (on the right looking at the picture) the outside wiper should be parked vertically and the inside should be horizontal

Edited October 17, 2011 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[BM WORLD 1283]

i have brand new old stock unit lenes and some complete ones .

if dont want to waste your time.

call me if you like

also have new fog lights and tail lights

all at good prices

021433600

Edited October 17, 2011 by Brent HARTGE535i

[philwalter 30]

Where can you buy Cerium Oxide from ?