Going for a 10 on the rear bumper

New chromed bumper & bumperettes (triple plate), reproduction bezels, new gaskets. Bulb housings just need a scuff and fresh silver paint. Now just need to polish the best pair of lenses I have without wrecking them. Anyone been down this road please share your success and the those infamous Do Nots.

Clams

Toothpaste is a pretty soft abrasive. If you've replaced everything else, why didn't you replace the lenses?

Toothpaste is a pretty soft abrasive. If you've replaced everything else, why didn't you replace the lenses?

Toothpaste will work but what really works is a dab of Simichrome on a Q-tip. I just did my original '63 lenses and they look brand new! Ed, not to highjack this thread - please start another one if the answer is in the affirmative: any pix of your ongoing restoration since the rear backlight lower panel thread? Or did I miss something?

Toothpaste will work but what really works is a dab of Simichrome on a Q-tip. I just did my original '63 lenses and they look brand new! Ed, not to highjack this thread - please start another one if the answer is in the affirmative: any pix of your ongoing restoration since the rear backlight lower panel thread? Or did I miss something?

My wife is still teaching so for the summer I kind of took off a couple of months. The shop owner was also really busy with a couple of other jobs that had to "be out the door" for a couple of shows. Linda starts back to school in a few days so I'll go back to work on the Riv. All of the metal work is completed and now it's up to me to start some block sanding and looking for the highs and lows. From there I've got to get into doing the detail work on the chassis and engine compartment. There are some mechanicals that I can get out of the way while it's in the shop as well. We'll then have to step back, check the wallet, and decide on exterior color and what interior I want to go with. Plus we bought a '90 Riv that needs some TLC so one of us can drive it as a daily driver.

Now, back to the original thread.

Great information on the Simichrome. I'll have to get some and give it a try. I disassembled a '65 instrument cluster the other day and I'll try the Simichrome on the gauge faces, etc. The other day I was cleaning a copper bottomed pot Linda picked up at a flea market with some RevereWare copper cleaner. I'm anxious to give it a try on some other metals to see how well it works.

Ed

What works great on any smooth plastic surface is a Turtlewax headlight lens clarifying kit with the 3 numbered abrasive pads. Made my taillight, trunk tri-shield & instrument lenses look like new! Drew

Ill be going down this road too pretty soon. My bezels are on backorder so that will determine when this comes to be. Ive used any old polish on lenses before and it worked very well. Obviously not an abrasive one. I think mguires actually sells a polish for lenses and plastics. If you have an orbital, and are able to go over the lens with a foam pad and some light polish..it will come out as new. If there are deep scratches in there, start with a more abrasive polish, and step down. Did this on a pair of 90's mustang LX tail lenses that were terrible and they came out perfect.

You can get really aggressive if you want and depending on what you're working on. The headlight lenses on my '97 Chrysler convertible were terrible, almost brown from too much UV light. I tried the polishes as described but finally had to resort to the big guns. I started with 400 grit wet sandpaper, went to 1000 grit then to 2000 grit. I finished it off with polishing compound designed for automotive paint. They came out clear as a bell and had a nice sparkle to them. I wasn't afraid to drive after dark any more after that. I've also used the same technique for taking scratches out of the center caps on wheel covers.

Ed

Toothpaste is a pretty soft abrasive. If you've replaced everything else, why didn't you replace the lenses?

Reproductions? Where?

What works great on any smooth plastic surface is a Turtlewax headlight lens clarifying kit with the 3 numbered abrasive pads. Made my taillight, trunk tri-shield & instrument lenses look like new! Drew

Ill be going down this road too pretty soon. My bezels are on backorder so that will determine when this comes to be. Ive used any old polish on lenses before and it worked very well. Obviously not an abrasive one. I think mguires actually sells a polish for lenses and plastics. If you have an orbital, and are able to go over the lens with a foam pad and some light polish..it will come out as new. If there are deep scratches in there, start with a more abrasive polish, and step down. Did this on a pair of 90's mustang LX tail lenses that were terrible and they came out perfect.

You can get really aggressive if you want and depending on what you're working on. The headlight lenses on my '97 Chrysler convertible were terrible, almost brown from too much UV light. I tried the polishes as described but finally had to resort to the big guns. I started with 400 grit wet sandpaper, went to 1000 grit then to 2000 grit. I finished it off with polishing compound designed for automotive paint. They came out clear as a bell and had a nice sparkle to them. I wasn't afraid to drive after dark any more after that. I've also used the same technique for taking scratches out of the center caps on wheel covers.

Ed

Thanks guys.

Reproductions? Where?

X2

A simple Google function.

https://www.gmobsolete.com/parts.php

Just type in your year, make, model, then search the lenses category

Tried & the only thing coming up for the 65 Rivi is an interior done light lens

I don't think anyone has repo taillight lenses for us

Post #12 is the first time any reference has been made to a '65. Sorry but I don't usually look at signature for car information. But for all of you 63 and 64 guys, that's where the repos are.

Ed

Started with 3 tail light assemblies, disassembled, soaked components overnight in soapy water, gave a quick scrub and picked the best housings and lenses to start a restoration. I focused on sanding the insides of the housings, primed and oven baked to speed curing. Here are the housings painted with Rustoleum Gloss Black ready to top coat with Dupli-Color Chrome.

I baked the Rustoleum at 170, 200 and 250 cooling them in between to accelerate curing and finished them with the chrome paint inside and Plasikote Builders Cast outside, they look great and I am satisfied with the reflective quality of the Dulpi-Color Chrome over Gloss Black.

Next came polishing the lenses. I used a head light Restoration Kit by Mcguiares. Note the cut down sanding block worked great.

Once cut and polished the dull scratched plastic looks fantastic. The reproduction Bezels from OPGI make for a stunning finish.

Unacceptable...better luck next time...you'll just have to sell those to me & start from scratch on another set...

lol just kidding, those look AMAZING! I want some...I nominate Mike as our taillight restoration "Go To Guy"...all in favor say "eye" lol

I'll be the first to send you my set so you can work your magic on them too...lol

GREAT WORK! thx for sharing

On a scale of one to ten those tail lights look like a twelve to me.....nice job!

Unacceptable...better luck next time...you'll just have to sell those to me & start from scratch on another set...

lol just kidding, those look AMAZING! I want some...I nominate Mike as our taillight restoration "Go To Guy"...all in favor say "eye" lol

I'll be the first to send you my set so you can work your magic on them too...lol

GREAT WORK! thx for sharing

On a scale of one to ten those tail lights look like a twelve to me.....nice job!

One detail left out: make sure the paint is stripped from the light socket hole to insure a solid ground.

Thank you for the compliments guys.

I baked the Rustoleum at 170, 200 and 250 cooling them in between to accelerate curing.

My wife loves the smell of paint curing in the oven.

Nice job Mike.

Steve

Incredible job Mike. My opgi bezels were on back order and just showed up last week. I will be following your exact path soon.

Looks great, Mike - I just did the same job on my '63 using Simichrome as the lens polish. Fortunately my housings were still well-silvered but that's a great idea to refinish them, wife allowing, of course.

If you really want your tail lights / turn signals / brake lamp to be seen, consider using an LED bulb rather than the stock 1157. The thing that will really make the guy behind you pay attention to you is using an LED bulb the same color as your lens. You might have to install a compatible flasher or load resistor for everything to work correctly.

I convoyed to Colorado Springs this summer following two '65 Rivieras. One with an LED conversion and one with the regular 1157 bulbs. WOW what a difference. Especially with that '65 lamp setting so low in the bumper.

Ed