Headlight lost it's Reflection. Will Chrome Wrap Work?

[rgracin]

I have a pair of headlights on an old Audi Coupe that have lost their chrome reflectiveness over the years. The part is very hard to get hold of, and I was looking for a fix that I could do myself.

I haven't used any of these wraps before, so I'm not sure if it would work on a couple of levels. Firstly getting a wrinkle or bubble free finish on such a concaved surface, and secondly, its ability to withstabd the heat from the bulb.

I'm aware that I could try to get them re chromed, and may well resort to that if I have to, but I would like your thoughts on the above first?

Thanks

[Chicane-UK]

Not sure, but if you want a recommendation for refurbing your existing reflectors, these guys seem to come up a lot.

http://www.dual-metallising.co.uk/

Cheers.

[meemperor]

I would use the paint.

I had a few intake manifolds and valve covers done with "black chrome paint" and they turned out great. Pricey though, as it's a bit of a process.

[rgracin]

What paint did you use?

[Ozzie Osmond]

Question: If the surface is very uneven then won't any form of "shiny treatment" just cause light scatter and lead to MOT failure?

Sounds to me like either a proper repair is needed or leave well alone.

[rgracin]

The surface is not uneven, it's smooth. It's the shape of the unit that is con caved. Just needs the surface to be "shiny" or "reflective".

Leaving it isn't an option as I'm pretty sure it will fail an MOT for not being bright enough.

[Lugy]

I've known people to use tin foil in the past , it did work at MOT time however! My only question would be how well can the vinyl follow the headlamp bowl without getting messy!

[rgracin]

'Tis a good question, and one I'm hoping someone will have the answer to.

Has anyone tried the DIY kits from Custom creation paints?

Customcreationpaints.co.uk

Here is a pic of the lights...

Edited by rgracin on Monday 17th March 22:54

Edited by rgracin on Monday 17th March 23:02

[Ozzie Osmond]

rgracin said:

The surface is not uneven, it's smooth. It's the shape of the unit that is con caved. Just needs the surface to be "shiny" or "reflective".

I'd be looking to try a chrome wrap then, although care will be needed to apply it neatly on the curved surface.

[V8RX7]

I suspect foil tape would suffice - used by plumbers - available in various widths

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m57...

[996TT02]

Have in the past used chrome rattle can spray.

Personally think it's the least bodgy of all the bodges. Wrap will probably melt/burn!

[meemperor]

rgracin said:

What paint did you use?

It was done by a pro, sorry

[Troubleatmill]

Can't imagine the glue on a wrap holding up to the temperature the bulbs give out.

[droopsnoot]

I used "chrome" paint on my Vauxhall lamps when it failed an MOT on insufficient light output, but it was a temporary bodge. I wasn't worried about how long it would last as I don't use the car after dark as a rule. Once I'd found them, though, I sent them to Dual Metallising (mentioned above) to be done properly. As it happens, one of them has a little rust popping through on one corner now, but that's quite a few years later and more to do with the lamp body than the coating.

I noticed a post on the quattro owners club forum some years back where an ur-q owner had sent some to the same place and got good results. I have several sets of very similar Audi coupe reflectors in my shed, mine looked exactly like yours but at the time you could just go to Euro Car Parts and get the complete unit for around £80.

ETA: I am told, by the way, that headlamp reflectors are not chromed (well, not at that age, anyway). It's generally molten aluminium that's applied using a technique called "vapour deposition".

[C.A.R.]

Ideally you want those dismantled, cleaned up and re-plated, it's the only way to get a perfect finish.

Spraying chrome is a b*tch of a job. Needs to have a black surface / primer base and you need to be very careful with the amount of coats you apply and what lacquer you use.

Apply too much and the chrome loses its' shine. Don't apply enough and it goes patchy. Apply the wrong lacquer and it loses its' shine again. It's a very frustrating process!

The best chrome paint I have used has come from Alclad though.

[rgracin]

V8RX7 said:

I suspect foil tape would suffice - used by plumbers - available in various widths

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m57...

Hadn't thought of that, but I reckon that would be hard to apply without bubbles/crinkles, and the edges of the tape woul dbe visible.

[PhillipM]

I've used the foil tape trick before on a couple of old classics just to get them going, if you're careful you can follow even reflectors with machined in ridges for beam patterns and facets, you just have to slowly stretch the aluminium by working it. In fact, one that was a temporary fix before he was supposed to have them rechromed never bothered, as far as I know he's still driving it around like that 2 years later...

[V8RX7]

rgracin said:

V8RX7 said:

I suspect foil tape would suffice - used by plumbers - available in various widths

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m57...

Hadn't thought of that, but I reckon that would be hard to apply without bubbles/crinkles, and the edges of the tape woul dbe visible.

Surprisingly easy to use.

It's very handy stuff.

If you inspected it through the glass you'd see the lines of the joins but I don't think you'd see it otherwise.

Obviously a quick and easy bodge for the MOT rather than a long term solution.