anyone ever see those clear bullet headlight covers from the 60s?

Just when you think you'e seen it all the HAMB is just getting warmed up.

Frank

 

I have a set of originals that came with my all-original '66 Ford F100. They have been on the truck, I presume, since the truck was new. I know they've been there for the last 10 years that I've owned it. I just took them off the other day to try to clean them up. Didn't realize how yellowed and hazy they were until I removed them. I always assumed they were glass but they are plastic.

I've tried a couple of things to clean them up including tooth paste, and a couple types of rubbing compound. Neither did much. I've read online to try McGuiar's Plastic Cleaner/Polish or wet sanding with progressively finer sandpaper. Haven't tried either yet. Does anyone have any experience with yellowed plastic? Would love to get these cleaned up better because they look super cool on the truck.

Can't seem to attach pic. See here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/70351494@N00/6330471014/in/photostream and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/70351494@N00/6330478180/in/photostream

Thanks.

 

never did find a set of these,,,,,,,just bumping this old thread in the hopes that i can still possibly find a pair...........

 

You might want to check your DMV rules. Between '68 and '82, it was federally illegal to have any cover on your headlights. Reason being, if you hit a pedestrian, you would fatally slice and dice them. It was related to banning eared knock-offs that would reach out and pull unsuspecting pedestrians and pets off sidewalks and proceed to fatally slice and dice them.

 

Should have bumped sooner. Not sure if it was here or evilbay but I saw a NOS set sell recently, last couple weeks or so. They were more than I wanted to pay and one was yellowed so I passed on them.

 

what happened to SEAN?

was he not able to get you hooked up?

 

I would think it would be like restoring the plastic headlight covers on a late model car. Start with 1000 wet or dry, gently wet sand until the yellow is off, sand with 1500 then 2000 then buff. Do not use a power buffer it is too easy to overheat and melt or burn the plastic.

 

he said he'd make me a pair,,,but i never heard back from him...

 

that sucks.

well if you find a good source pm me as I would love to have a set

 

That pertained and still does to the visors that guy put on over the headlights. Some of them were pretty well knife edge back in the day and were quite popular with the dingle ball add every piece of chrome crap to "customize it" crowd back in the 50's and early 60's. Pretty much like the guys who go to Autozone for their car customizing pieces today except then they went to Western Auto.

 

Kool pics Rick! I was wondering how kool they would look at night. Very Kool!!

Happy Trails, Mick

 

Mr. 48 is right. The headlight cover ban had to do with US lighting laws, not about killing pedestrians. we had archaic laws and beliefs that only round headlights with no covers were adequate lighting. That's why all the European cars with really cool headlights, like Jag XKE's, Fiat 850 Spiders, even Datsun Z cars had just plain headlights here, unlike the cool streamlined version in other countries. Not to mention all the big rectangular ones on Euro Fords among others.
Our laws first changed to the little rectangular lights in the 80's, but was limited to two sizes, than finally the feds gave in to the manufacturers when they started pushing that smaller, more aerodynamic lights would help with the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy)

 

Thanks Mick!

 

Did anyone find a source for these?