Hardtop Rear Window

[tigereater]

We placed our SII hardtops on our current SI driver this weekend. The rear window needs a bit of attention. It's not to shabby, but it is cloudy. We are wondering if anyone has tried using the 3M lens polishing kit or similar product on a Sunbeam rear window?
Thanks,
Gina

 

[junkman]

Lemon Pledge believe it or not does a pretty good job.

 

[alpine_64]

Start by testing anything in the corners of the window incasebit reacts with the perspex.

Cloudimg can be removed.. Crazing is harder to deal with.

You can wet sand with 1000 or 2000 grit sandpaper and then spray a clear coat on as well.

I belive bill blue may have done a write-up on his experiments on his HT.

 

[Bill Blue]

Start by testing anything in the corners of the window incasebit reacts with the perspex.

Cloudimg can be removed.. Crazing is harder to deal with.

You can wet sand with 1000 or 2000 grit sandpaper and then spray a clear coat on as well.

I belive bill blue may have done a write-up on his experiments on his HT.

I painted my rear window with clear topcoat. Sand the surface to remove any haze, then paint, the paint will "remove" cloudiness, deep scratches, cracks and the fine scratches from sanding. Did a great job, but of course can do nothing about internal haze or crazing. A major benefit is the paint is not prone to micro scratching from cleaning.

Bill

 

[Alpine 1789]

I wonder if the kits made to remove cloudiness in modern headlight covers would work well?

 

[Barry]

I wonder if the kits made to remove cloudiness in modern headlight covers would work well?

That is a good question.

Modern headlights / covers are typically made from polycarbonate resin (Lexan is a common trade name). Polycarbonates are very strong, but are not very abrasion resistant and a "scratch resistant" coating is usually applied to the exposed surfaces. Once the coating is gone, poly-carbonate headlights quickly become "fogged."

The hardtop rear window in question is almost certainly "Perspex" or "Plexiglass" which are trade names for poly methyl methacrylate or PMMA.

It seems reasonable to assume that the DIY headlight polishing kits are designed to work on polycarbonate resin. I would expect the "cut and buff" process to be about the same for both materials, but there is a good chance that any "protective coatings" would be different.

All of that is a fancy way of saying "maybe."

 

[tigereater]

Thanks all. I think I have a good idea of what to try with those tips. I'll pass them on to my husband. Makes sense that modern headlight polishing kits might not work on plexiglass. Who'd have thought he'd be driving our Alpine to work with the window down in mid November in Colorado. lol
Gina

 

[Bill Blue]

Paint buffing products should do a fantastic job of cleaning it up.
Bill