Re-Chroming or Re-Silvering Headlight Reflectors

[David Nicholls]

Dear Members

I have a 1974 Citroen DSpecial with SEV Marchall headlights.
These pictures are of the reflectors, as you can see they need re-plating.
Would anyone be able to tell me where I can send them to get them re-plated, Sydney would be most convenient, but any where else would do.
They are made of a die cast material.

Any help is most appreciated.
Regards
David

 

[Dano]

David,

Talk to Mario at Hyqual. They are based on the Sunshine Coast, but will accept mail supplied work. I have had two sets done, plus some plastic trims recovered in the same manner. I am very happy with the finished product and service.

Mario is very helpful.

07) 5492 7122

https://hyqual.com/services/vacuum-metallising/

The machine they use, is ex Hella Australia equipment.

Cheers.

Dano

 

[Ken W]

Hi David,

I second Mario at Hyqual. They do Vacuum Aluminium Deposition. You end up with the lights silver all over but it gives the best reflectivity of any of the re-coating technologies. I had my 6 x SM lights done there.

Cheers, Ken

 

[CarNut]

I third Hyqual. I had the reflectors on my CX and on my 1958 Rover 105R done there.....absolutely BEAUTIFUL results. Don't touch the surface when you get them back though as the material is very soft and will mark easily.

 

[David Nicholls]

Dear Dano and Ken
Many thanks for your help and advice.
I spoke to Mario today, and will send my headlights to him, with confidence.
Best Regards
David

 

[Caisson]

Ron Winkler electroplating at Lismore nsw did an excellent job on D Special reflectors for me.
Most of their work seems to via post from all over Aus.

Sent from my LG-K520 using aussiefrogs mobile app

 

[bleudanube]

Dano,

how did you separate the glass from the reflector? Mine have a pretty tough white sealant holding the two sections together and I am concerned I will break the glass if I push and prod too hard...

Sven

 

[Ken W]

Sven,

Paint Stripper worked for me. You apply some, wait until it softens the white sealant, scrape off the softened adhesive and reapply a new coating of paint stripper to the still form sealant. You get there in the end.

I go that hint from the SM Wiki.

Cheers, Ken

 

[Dano]

Sven,

Similar to Ken, but I used thinners to soften the white sealant. When soft, I carefully scratched around with a sharp point scribe.
Not sure what car your lights are out of, but on the 404 and 203 lights, I gently prised the lip back with a small set of side-cutters first. When out, use a round dolly/mandrel and smooth faced dressing hammer and rework the lip back into shape, prior to re-coating.

Another tip, put your lenses into a dishwasher on a hot cycle. They come out a treat, better than any hand polishing I tried.

Cheers,

Dano

 

[bleudanube]

Thank you gents! Will try that as I already cracked one glass...luckily I played around with an already cracked one, so nothing really lost!

 

[badabec]

Hello, or if SWIMBO is out, put them in the oven from cold and warm them up. I used about 180 C. and kept checking until they came apart.

 

[citroenthusiast]

Remember do NOT pry on the edge of the lens to get it loose. Instead use a soft blunt tool (like a wooden broomstick) inserted through the bulb opening to hold the glass down as you lift the reflector off.

 

[JohnW]

Hello, or if SWIMBO is out, put them in the oven from cold and warm them up. I used about 180 C. and kept checking until they came apart.

Did it smell? If so, there is no escape later...…

There's a great parallel with gearbox housings in the dishwasher!

 

[JohnW]

Sven, Paint Stripper worked for me. You apply some, wait until it softens the white sealant, scrape off the softened adhesive and reapply a new coating of paint stripper to the still form sealant. You get there in the end. I go that hint from the SM Wiki. Cheers, Ken

All good. Exactly what glue did you use to reglue the glass on out of interest?

 

[Mitchell]

All good. Exactly what glue did you use to reglue the glass on out of interest?

I've used a neutral cure silicone in the past john.

 

[Stuey]

I'd read this white stuff dissolves by sticking them lens down in a few cm of petrol and leaving it for a while.

 

[David S]

Did it smell? If so, there is no escape later...…

There's a great parallel with gearbox housings in the dishwasher!

Have a look at Hyqual's other product lines and services, some of which might come in handy if caught out using the oven or dishwasher for those 'foreign orders'. Contract embalming anyone?

Any idea on costs for the different jobs mentioned here?

I have a couple of lamps with creeping corrosion on the reflectors under the original Al finish, mostly at the bottom where moisture has accumulated in a lamp that is not a sealed unit. Did any of you start with that problem?

 

[badabec]

Did it smell? If so, there is no escape later...…

There's a great parallel with gearbox housings in the dishwasher!

It did smell a bit, but with windows open I got away with it. I once put a mini 1275cc head in the dishwasher, what a mess...

I used Sikaflex to glue mine back together. I was however fitting modern H4 lamps into cut down reflectors so I could keep the four mounting points and some money in my pocket.

Peter

 

[Dano]

I used, Sikaflex 252 automotive & class sealant to reseal the lenses. It is available at any Bunnings Hardware.

 

[faulksy]

Even quite badly damaged reflectors can be brought back but it is a huge amount of work. Mine looked like they had spent time at the bottom of the ocean. Any corrosion has to be polished out before the silvering can be done.