I know i’ve written about this before, and I’m sure I will again, but it’s a part of each project I adore, it gives me a huge amount of joy to see the front of these amazing Saabs literally light up again.
After the wonderfully robust headlights with glass lenses on the first generation 9-5, Saab moved to headlights plastic lenses, the light technology might have improved, but the longevity of the lenses didn't. After years of facing all kinds of weather head on, they often become cloudy and tainted yellow which besides restricting optimal performance, also isn't a great look for any car.
Fortunately, with a bit of effort and patience, they can be given a new lease of life and restore the personality of these amazing cars. I tend to use Autoglym headlight restorer as it has worked on many sets of lights for me in the past. The kit contains a range of sanding and polishing discs a drill fittings and polishing compound, I use this with my regular DIY drill as it's smooth and allows for delicate speed adjustments.
The first P800 sand is possibly the scariest, as it removes the surface of the lens and leaves you with a completely opaque finish, but work carefully through each stage and this will slowly become finer and finer until the last, final wet and dry stages. Being meticulous about checking for sanding swirls is important, and I tend to repeat stages when I'm not happy with the finish. Once all of the sanding stages are complete, I use a micro cloth to wipe any reside off and then apply the compound with the soft sponge pad provided, the lenses are left with an as new finish, a crystal clear surface that allows 100% of light to shine through again.
I can't help but love this process, after a few hours work, you've transformed the front of your Saab, it's a simple pleasure I almost look forward to doing on each project. I might not get them quite as good as the professional detailer, but the result always makes me smile, and that's what rescuing these Saabs is all about for me - the pleasure in bringing these amazing cars back to life, one stage at a time.
