BUILD THREAD 87 Cutlass EFI build: 9/13/23..NEW STUFF!

[Injectedcutty]

It never ends I don't think there ever really finished. I also treat lenses like painted parts at work insurance companies won't always pay for new lights and I treat them like I'm doing body work if there really bad I grab a da with 220 or even 180 nock out the bad spots and drop to a finer grit until I'm wet sanding with 3000 then I buff them out just like a bad paint job. It's only a taillight don't be scared

Agreed, regardless once i get it on the road, there will always be something that needs attention. Hell, I've had it for 16 years now and was always upgrading or changing along the way. The body off resto started out as a suspension upgrade, next the vinyl top was stripped, before i knew it, we(brother n law and myself) were knee deep in cutlass parts lol!

In regards to the lights, for the most part they are in pretty good shape...i might try next time starting with 320, then work my way up to 2k or 3k wet, then polish, buff, and a coat of wax, or the vinylex stuff Jack suggested.

My concern is getting too deep into the plastic surface and opening up the cracks that are within the layer of the plastic. I think they would be fine, but don't wanna sacrifice them when they are decent for 30 year old lights....I'd rather spend the $200+ on engine/trans parts.

 

[Rktpwrd]

It's only a taillight don't be scared

Easy to say when they're not yours, and $300+ to replace...

 

[Clutch]

Easy to say when they're not yours, and $300+ to replace...

No I just don't let car parts scare me and if he takes my advice and dose screw it up I'll send him a taillight don't think about the cost of a part when your fixing it if you make yourself nervous you will screw things up when I'm doing body work on a rolls Royce or Mercedes I treat them no different than I do a Honda or Kia it's all just metal and plastic

 

[Injectedcutty]

After much contemplating, i decided to make a pitstop at pull a part on the way home to see if there were any LS vehicles still sitting. I found the suburban I'd previously picked some stuff from still sitting there....and the heads still on it.

I found out i had about an hour before closing, so i hammered down with just hand tools and was able to get the heads pulled just in time!

They will need a good bath, then new valve seals and a spring upgrade to match the cam, but at $105 out the door i couldn't pass them up!!!! Better yet, they are the 862 castings which use MLS gaskets...more boost friendly...and the gaskets were not leaking until i got the bolts loose!

The only issue is a couple exhaust bolts broken off, so those need to be extracted and hopefully not screw up the threads. I worked some OT last week so these heads were basically free!

 

[Injectedcutty]

After not being totally satisfied with the quick polish job on my taillights, i went back to square one as that's kinda par for the course for me.
Donovan had a good idea of sanding off the lettering on the lens, so i taped off those areas and very carefully hit them with 180 just to knock it down...I then followed up with 220, 320 and 400 dry...

After talking to Donovan and Clutch, i acquired some finer material and got back to it this morning. Next was 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and finally 2000 grit all wet sanding. I'm happy with how this one looks, but i have a mod to do before polishing the lens out again and putting a protectant coat on it...

Once this light is done....i have to repeat the process on 7 more lights which is super tedious, but elbow grease and some material is cheaper than all new lights!

Thanks for checking in guys, any advice or comments are always welcome!

 

[Clutch]

After not being totally satisfied with the quick polish job on my taillights, i went back to square one as that's kinda par for the course for me.
Donovan had a good idea of sanding off the lettering on the lens, so i taped off those areas and very carefully hit them with 180 just to knock it down...I then followed up with 220, 320 and 400 dry... View attachment 69122 View attachment 69123
After talking to Donovan and Clutch, i acquired some finer material and got back to it this morning. Next was 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and finally 2000 grit all wet sanding. I'm happy with how this one looks, but i have a mod to do before polishing the lens out again and putting a protectant coat on it... View attachment 69124

Once this light is done....i have to repeat the process on 7 more lights which is super tedious, but elbow grease and some material is cheaper than all new lights!

Thanks for checking in guys, any advice or comments are always welcome!

Just a suggestion but I never clear coat them just buff them up and put wax on them when you wax the car if you clear them and something happens to it you have to start all over if you don't and something happens you just fix that spot

 

[Injectedcutty]

Just a suggestion but I never clear coat them just buff them up and put wax on them when you wax the car if you clear them and something happens to it you have to start all over if you don't and something happens you just fix that spot

Thanks for the heads up buddy! I definitely won't be clearing them for that reason. I plan on just buffing them out, and getting some of that coating stuff Jack mentioned to put on to keep them looking nice.
I've got my work cut out for me as i don't usually have time through the week to mess with cutlass stuff. My painter said the cutlass should be going back into the shop in a couple weeks to fix the primer, prep it, and spray that beautiful charcoal metallic on it!!!

I'm gonna try to have all the lights done in the next few weeks so that when reassembly commences I'm not the one holding up the progress! That's the goal, gonna be tough, but I'm gonna give it a heluva shot!

 

[Clutch]

Thanks for the heads up buddy! I definitely won't be clearing them for that reason. I plan on just buffing them out, and getting some of that coating stuff Jack mentioned to put on to keep them looking nice.
I've got my work cut out for me as i don't usually have time through the week to mess with cutlass stuff. My painter said the cutlass should be going back into the shop in a couple weeks to fix the primer, prep it, and spray that beautiful charcoal metallic on it!!!

I'm gonna try to have all the lights done in the next few weeks so that when reassembly commences I'm not the one holding up the progress! That's the goal, gonna be tough, but I'm gonna give it a heluva shot!

I think I would like to be my hold up at least then I could do something about it waiting for other people sucks

 

[liquidh8]

Clutch, I use 3M trizact sanding discs on my mini buff before final polish. I have 3000 grit and 5000 Grit.

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[Injectedcutty]

Clutch, I use 3M trizact sanding discs on my mini buff before final polish. I have 3000 grit and 5000 Grit.

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Jim, are you referring to sanding paint before buffing, or for the lights as well?