Headlight restoration
Posted: 30 Apr 2004, 09:11
I am looking for advice on how to refurbish the reflectors on my SIEM headlights for a Beta Sedan. These lgihts have the one rectangular glass lens covering the two separate reflecotrs. The silver is a bit flaky especially on the low beam unit and the car failed a roadworthy inspection because of this. After cutting awy the external sealant I have removed the glass and got the reflectors out of the plastic housing, but I can't see how to uncrimp the metal bulb holder. It seems to have at least three layers of metal that are crimped together with the crimping tangs being crimped underneath other bits of metal so you can't get at them,
As a secondary question - The advice from local electroplatesr is that it will be best to silver plate the reflecotr and that chrome plating over nickel will give a very diffuse light that may not pass the roadworthy inspection. Is this true? the cost is about the same either way (discounting the firm that specialises in repairng Rolls and Bentley headlights and which wants to charge about three times as much as the others - no doubt it will be a good job).
Any thoughts would be welcome.
As a secondary question - The advice from local electroplatesr is that it will be best to silver plate the reflecotr and that chrome plating over nickel will give a very diffuse light that may not pass the roadworthy inspection. Is this true? the cost is about the same either way (discounting the firm that specialises in repairng Rolls and Bentley headlights and which wants to charge about three times as much as the others - no doubt it will be a good job).
Any thoughts would be welcome.