Lens Cleaning/Polishing

[RagTopMan]

Anyone care to share some advice on cleaning/polishing Lucas lenses (signal, marker, etc.). I'm pairing a recently found NOS rear lens on my TR250 with another that is not perfect but is in pretty good shape. Obviously I'd like them to appear as similar as possible.

I guess my biggest fear is creating more scratches during any cleaning/polishing efforts or, worse yet, fading the red color of the lens. I have all the NOVUS plastic cleaning/polishing products that I use on my acrylic aquarium and thought they would work well on the lenses.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help with advice as to product(s) to use and, probably more importantly, technique.

 

[hondo402000]

well on my front headlight lenses on my new car when they get hazie, I wet sand with 2000 grit paper and then buff them out and it gets rid of the haze and leaves no scratches

I think it would work find for colored lenses too

Hondo

 

[Andrew Mace]

I've had good luck with Meguiar's "PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish" for lenses and for the convertible top windows, but I've also had pretty good results on both lenses and windows with their "Ultimate Compound" -- more of a polishing compound that is surprisingly effective on dull paint (and plastic).

Of course, the first thing I do with the lens is to take it in the house and soap it up with Dawn dishwashing detergent, using an old toothbrush to get the usually 45 years' worth of grime off the inside! :wink:

 

[Darrell_Walker]

I've heard that you can spray them with a clear acrylic spray.

I haven't yet done this myself, but I plan to test on an old lens first.

 

[PeterK]

I start with a product called Gel Gloss. It's sold in the plumbing section of HD, Lowe's and is used to polish out fiberglass so it's gentle. After a buff and wash off, next I use an automotive plastic polish kit made by Novus. It's a 3-grit polish but only use the fine after first using GelGloss.

Carnauba wax tops it off.

I used the same method on a vintage Thorens turntable dust cover. The cover was in friend's cellar under a cinder block. Almost all of the scratchs are completely gone.

 

[RagTopMan]

Thanks everyone. Any of the above sound good to me except for the tootbrush idea!

I tried that on a pair of amber colored lenses. Well I should say just one of them as I never got to the second one. The amber color of the first one wore off so quickly I had not even noticed until I rinsed the soap off!

Which reminds me... anyone got a real nice L771 (triangle shaped turn indicator lens - fits TR4-250) they might care to part with? My left side is like new beautiful. Right side is sporting something of a two toned light amber/clear look.