GAGE LENS RESTORE FINISHED

[HueyCrew]

I used the remains of a Meguiars Headlight Restore kit, but same results can be achieved wet sanding with very high grit ( I would NOT recommend anything below 2500 grit) sandpaper. One grit, ONE direction and changing that direction 90 degrees from previous. Took the gages apart (gentle prying and medium pressure from the back to separate the gage from the square face. That releases the lens. sanded in the sink with constant cool water flowing over the surface. finished with the creams in the kit but fine cut liquid compound and polish yield the same results. I used the latter on my clear smoked center sliding hatch, bi-fold cabin door, triangle shaped drink holder and they look almost new! Also replaced the gage backlighting with red LED's to greatly reduce glare at night.

[joe440]

Looks brand new. Some of my gauges looked like your before pic. I hand polished them and they looked a lot better but not even close to what you accomplished. I’m have to do your technique in the spring.

[Centerline2]

looks good...
I would like to find an old gauge or two of that style, working or not... I have a broken lens on a perfectly good working gauge and would like to replace it.

[Diamond_Boat]

This is awesome. Any idea if it'll hold up long term? I've never tried the headlight restoration kits, but I've heard from a few friends that the headlights don't stay looking great too long. Hopefully since the gauges won't see as much sunshine as car headlights would it won't be an issue.

[HueyCrew]

This is awesome. Any idea if it'll hold up long term? I've never tried the headlight restoration kits, but I've heard from a few friends that the headlights don't stay looking great too long. Hopefully since the gauges won't see as much sunshine as car headlights would it won't be an issue.

Not sure Diamond Boat. They won't go back in until I complete the electrical resto/ upgrade. I would think though they should be good long term with occasional plastic cleaner/ polish treatments. The 2655 has long sloping windshields that are like ovens in direct sun. The old compass lens gave way when I poked a finger on it.... I've ordered auto windshield shade material off eBay from China. There they sell it as sleeping mats for camping and large enough to cut and have my canvas guy serge the edges and any time I'm going to be stopped for any length of time they'll be in place. Should help keep the cabin cooler too for overnights. Hopefully help the A/C not work so hard when used. The biggest problem with headlights I think, more than the UV's is the erosion from wind and the microscopic particles from which there is no escape. It's evident on auto windshields when the sun hits from certain angles. Thousands of tiny little dots that normally go unnoticed. The plastic being softer is more susceptible. I bought the kit in Mar 2015 and did the Subaru I bought after moving to the mountains and treated it then. When I wax it pre winter and in spring I also wax the headlights and they look just as good today as they did the afternoon I did them and the clarity hasn't degraded to the point that I can see it yet. I used the alternate method of increasingly higher grits and wet sanding followed by machine compounding and polishing on the sliding hatch overhead cabin hatch and soon as the stain and varnish dries and I re-assemble. I'll post it in COMPLETED PROJECTS. Radar wing's close to completion too. Had it posted but lost all the photos in the website reformat. It'll be coming soon as well.

[HueyCrew]

looks good...
I would like to find an old gauge or two of that style, working or not... I have a broken lens on a perfectly good working gauge and would like to replace it.

Centerline, I've seen them. I've been looking for certain items on eBay (with no luck) but as lf late have started going to the seller's own sites (from their link on their eBay page and happened across items I'd given up on finding. Google Images contain links that are good leads sometimes as well. I live alone so I can sit quite a while and search..... just takes time.....and a beer or some.

[Centerline2]

Centerline, I've seen them. I've been looking for certain items on eBay (with no luck) but as lf late have started going to the seller's own sites (from their link on their eBay page and happened across items I'd given up on finding. Google Images contain links that are good leads sometimes as well. I live alone so I can sit quite a while and search..... just takes time.....and a beer or some.

do you (or anyone else reading this) happen to know what model of gauge that is... I know its US Marine brand, but I dont know what model to type in and search for....

there is one listed in the "used boat parts" of this site, but the ad is 2 years old and I got no response back....(and the same with another older ad that I answered)..... Im not sure why old ads (postings on that page) cant just expire and disappear from the page after 2 or 3 months, rather than keeping things cluttered for life as they do.... its nearly a worthless effort to even look for something on the used gear ads of this site due to the old out of date clutter..... its much more productive to immediately turn to ebay to find a part rather than to see if one of our own members has the item we are looking for, and buy it from THEM... it shouldnt be that way.

[HueyCrew]

do you (or anyone else reading this) happen to know what model of gauge that is... I know its US Marine brand, but I dont know what model to type in and search for....

there is one listed in the "used boat parts" of this site, but the ad is 2 years old and I got no response back....(and the same with another older ad that I answered)..... Im not sure why old ads (postings on that page) cant just expire and disappear from the page after 2 or 3 months, rather than keeping things cluttered for life as they do.... its nearly a worthless effort to even look for something on the used gear ads of this site due to the old out of date clutter..... its much more productive to immediately turn to ebay to find a part rather than to see if one of our own members has the item we are looking for, and buy it from THEM... it shouldnt be that way.

I usually post on the Facebook B.O.C page too C/L2, and someone commented that they are/were made by Faria. Hope that helps
Dave