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Yellowing headlight
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Topic: Yellowing headlight (Read 1389 times)
claret badger
Associate Member
Junior Level
United Kingdom, England, London
Posts: 4
Yellowing headlight
«
on:
December 21, 2021, 14:18:46 »
Hi all,
I've had to replace one headlight with a brand new MB example. The problem is now that the old one looks yellow in comparison. Can anything be done? At £1,000 a pop for a new MB unit Im looking for an alternative! Any help greatly appreciated.
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Cees Klumper
Audit Committee
Platinum
USA, CA, Marina del Rey
Posts: 5315
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #1 on:
December 21, 2021, 14:22:18 »
Remove the glass and clean it?
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Cees Klumper
1969 Mercedes 280 SL automatic cream white
1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Coupe 1600 red
1972 Lancia Fulvia Coupe 1.3 Rosso Corsa "Luigi"
1983 Porsche 944 2.5 Pasadena Yellow
1990 Ford Bronco II 2WD colonial white
David Robinson
Pagoda SL Board
Senior
Ireland, Connaught, Galway
Posts: 114
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #2 on:
December 21, 2021, 16:01:28 »
Should clean up, if it doesn't come back to me as I should have one.
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claret badger
Associate Member
Junior Level
United Kingdom, England, London
Posts: 4
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #3 on:
December 21, 2021, 17:52:44 »
It was suggested I'd need to buy another light and that it could not be 'cleaned'. Hence asking here.
I will give it a clean and report back.
Thanks :-)
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BobH
Full Member
Silver
United Kingdom, England, MALDON
Posts: 459
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #4 on:
December 21, 2021, 18:36:23 »
There are lots of different glass cleaning products and compounds available for removing scratches etc, it's well worth a try, should be able to get it looking as good as new if you're lucky
Have a Google and watch some videos on the subject
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AndrewB
Full Member
Regular
Guernsey, Forest,
Posts: 96
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #5 on:
December 28, 2021, 12:36:59 »
Is it the glass or the reflector that is showing yellow ? I have been able to buy replacement Bosch RHD headlamp glasses from Colin Ferns (stickandrudderman) - just the glass itself was less than £200 for 2. If it is the reflector, I believe one can re-silver these.
Colin is probably a good guy to call for advice on this
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1969 280SL
1970 280SL (undergoing restoration)
1971 Range Rover Suffix A Kingsley Restomod
1987 500SL
2002 Porsche 996 Targa
2011 Landrover Defender TdCi
2019 Mercedes S560 Cabriolet
claret badger
Associate Member
Junior Level
United Kingdom, England, London
Posts: 4
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #6 on:
March 12, 2022, 16:01:41 »
Well, finally removed the glass, and its not dirt sadly. The whole lens is very slightly yellow. Not sure if it was a tint from new, or just 55 years of aging, but looks like I need a new lens.
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mdsalemi
Pagoda SL Board
Platinum
USA, NC, Davidson
Posts: 6330
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #7 on:
March 12, 2022, 17:52:24 »
Assuming you are speaking of a Euro headlight, right? Isn't that a full glass cover, like real glass?
Are you saying the glass has yellowed?
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Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2019 Ford Flex SEL
2022 Ford Escape Hybrid
2021 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks
claret badger
Associate Member
Junior Level
United Kingdom, England, London
Posts: 4
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #8 on:
March 12, 2022, 18:21:42 »
Look at the photo at the start. Yellowish hue all over. The car has been in US and Australia for half its life. Maybe that is relevant!
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Garry
Audit Committee
Platinum
Australia, Victoria, Kyneton
Posts: 5098
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #9 on:
March 13, 2022, 04:27:03 »
Had a similar thing, mine had been in Australia all its life. I had to replace both the glass and the reflectors.
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Garry Marks
Melbourne/ Kyneton, Australia.
1969 MB 280SL 5 speed RHD SOLD.
1965 MB 230SL Auto RHD Lt Blue 334G, Top 350H, 213 Leather, Tourist Delivery.
1972 MB 280CE Auto RHD 906G Blue Grey
2005 MB A200.
2006 MB B200
2019 Izuzu DMax 4x4 with Vantage Slide-on camper.
2022 Volvo XC40 Twin Electric
mdsalemi
Pagoda SL Board
Platinum
USA, NC, Davidson
Posts: 6330
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #10 on:
March 13, 2022, 13:39:15 »
You may never make the old match the new; different clarity or color in the glass from the start. But, try this:
https://www.hunker.com/13423434/how-to-clean-yellowing-glassware
Also, you may seek out a mild cleanser that contains oxalic acid; in the USA this would be “Bar Keepers Friend” which is available everywhere.
But a perfect match may require two new, or two old lenses.
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Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2019 Ford Flex SEL
2022 Ford Escape Hybrid
2021 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks
Pinder
Full Member
Gold
USA, NJ, Edison
Posts: 881
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #11 on:
March 15, 2022, 01:38:23 »
try soaking it in bleach overnight
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1970 280 SL Light Ivory DB 670. 4 Speed manual shift no AC Limited Slip Diff.
Desertpagoda
Associate Member
Silver
USA, AZ, Tucson
Posts: 343
Re: Yellowing headlight
«
Reply #12 on:
July 26, 2022, 00:58:41 »
Just buy a new lense, it will be MUCH closer in color
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Yellowing headlight