87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #45 – January 02, 2013, 10:44:27 AM I have an '88 TC which still has the original plastic headlight lenses. Awhile back I polished mine up, and then clearcoated them. They are still looking good over a year later, and actually won't haze up again until the clear starts to wear away in 5-10 years. It's a cheap and easy fix for anyone with plastic headlamp lenses. No need to buy expensive NOS or quality re-pop pieces! Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #46 – January 02, 2013, 05:45:06 PM Quote from: Big B;406031I have an '88 TC which still has the original plastic headlight lenses. Awhile back I polished mine up, and then clearcoated them. They are still looking good over a year later, and actually won't haze up again until the clear starts to wear away in 5-10 years. It's a cheap and easy fix for anyone with plastic headlamp lenses. No need to buy expensive NOS or quality re-pop pieces!That's the right way to do it. Keep the lights sealed and your reflectors will hold up very good, and just sand/buff/clearcoat (with UV resistance built in) to keep the lenses clear. People never clear afterward, and the spray/compounds in a bottle don't really work unless you apply them every couple weeks (with every week to 2 week car wash). Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #47 – January 03, 2013, 09:42:53 AM Quote from: vinnietbird;405849Here's a brand new pair....There are more, a little cheaper, and as I stated, some lincoln headlights interchange, and can still be found at salvage yards for cheap.http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-PAIR-Mercury-Cougar-87-88-Headlight-Lens-OEM-/230899904504?fits=Model:Cougar&hash=item35c2b4eff8&item=230899904504&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtrThat's actually not a bad price for NOS parts. I paid at least that much, maybe more, from the Ford dealer 10+ years ago. Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #48 – January 04, 2013, 10:02:09 PM Quote from: mcb82gt;406028I still didnt see the 88 outer marker lights. It could just be me though. I don't see them either. I contacted this same guy (micas_y_mas) about a year ago looking for them, but nothing came of it. Seems like quite a few guys are looking for those outer lenses, so you would think it would be worth his while to get some in stock or make some or whatever it is he actually does. Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #49 – January 23, 2013, 12:40:08 AM Quote from: ZondaC12;405871Go on ebay, be sure you do separate searches for "continental headlight" and "continental headlamp". DON'T put a year in. Sort each search price high to low, change the setting at the end of the list to show "200 items per page" and then of course look through the pages until the prices drop out of the 200-400 dollar range. Highest are HID kits etc for the late 90's jellybean Conti 4-doors. You'll be surprised how many salvage listings there are. Some sellers know they exchange with the 87/88 cat, most don't. And again, "light/lamp". No guaranteed "standard naming convention". on a slightly related note, I've found that most of the time the same "naming convention" logic applies to birds and bird parts as well as some people list Thunderbird as Tbird or T-Bird Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #50 – January 23, 2013, 10:53:06 AM Quote from: vinnietbird;405900HERE HE IS !!!!!! Less than $40 shipped, and he also sells the outer lights as well for a bit more. These are re-pops, but nice looking parts, and for the price, you can't beat it. I will say, these are not Ford parts. They are aftermarket lights. Now, shipping takes a while. He said 30 days, took less time for me. When I got them, the outer lights looked awesome (I still have them packed away), and the inner lights were really nice. Especially for what I paid since I can't find affordable new lights for my car anywhere else.http://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-1988-Mercury-Cougar-Inner-Turn-Signal-Lights-New-Reproductions-55F-/370621972931?hash=item564aca81c3&item=370621972931&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtrGreat info on this thread, thanks to everyone.Vinnie:I sent this guy an e-mail as I'm looking for the passenger side corner light. Do you know if he makes these? Thanks: Charlie Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #51 – January 23, 2013, 10:59:47 AM Quote from: Big B;406031I have an '88 TC which still has the original plastic headlight lenses. Awhile back I polished mine up, and then clearcoated them. They are still looking good over a year later, and actually won't haze up again until the clear starts to wear away in 5-10 years. It's a cheap and easy fix for anyone with plastic headlamp lenses. No need to buy expensive NOS or quality re-pop pieces!I'm curious when people polish are they doing the inside or just the outside? If you clean or polish the inside, what are you using to get inside to do this without taking the lens apart? Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #52 – January 23, 2013, 07:27:50 PM What yellows the headlamps is the deterioration of the clearcoat from the factory on the outside of the light. Just buffing them makes them look better for a while, but to get the best results sand off the factory clear, polish the light, and reapply clearcloat. Most of the time the inside does not need cleaned or polished, unless they have had the bulb removed and been in the elements for a long period of time, even then just a good shake with soap and water does wonders on the inside. At the shop we use a 3" dual action sander and start with 400 grit and work up to 1500 grit, buff the lens with compound, and polish with plastic cleaner (all 3M products), some customers choose to add the clearcoat, most don't. Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #53 – January 24, 2013, 07:54:35 AM Quote from: Pacerized;407807I'm curious when people polish are they doing the inside or just the outside? If you clean or polish the inside, what are you using to get inside to do this without taking the lens apart? Just the outside. Very few people realize that they need to clearcoat the lights afterward though. Otherwise they are wasting their time. I usually just wash out the insides of the light lense with soapy water. Just be careful doing it though, and don't spray out the inside with high pressure water. There is a thin clear coating on the inside of the lense that keeps it from stress cracking during the extreme temperature changes of the summer. I've accidentally removed this coating on the inside of the lense before doing this, and it only took a few weeks of summer heat to stress crack the lenses to hell. If you wash it back out gingerly under a sink faucet, they are usually fine. Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #54 – January 25, 2013, 10:08:47 AM What are you guys clear coating them with? Quote Selected
87 Cougar head light kits ? Reply #55 – January 25, 2013, 11:52:22 PM We use dupont 74500S at the shop, but any automotive clearcoat should do. There are some aerosol clears out there, but not sure how long those will hold up. Quote Selected
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