Smoked plastic panels on Mk 1 'C' pillars.

Baldbazza · Post by **Baldbazza** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:48 pm

Anyone got any tips how to get rid of the crazing, scratches, cracking, whatever it is, that affects these? An old problem - my first BX of many summers ago had this when it was only 4 or 5 years old.

I once saw some that had been painted black. Looked awful!

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:48 am

Replace with new ones.

Now, getting hold of them might not be that easy. I sold my last pair on ebay a short while ago for £44

I still have some left but they are all for the same side, not sure which side though.

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:43 am

Ive been trying to track these down for ages. I dont think we'll ever come accross unused ones now. The best option is to find an old scrapyard TRS with good ones (and you do see them), and then use heated welding wire to slice through the bond (apparently thats the only way to get them off without cracking them). Basically get some thin welding wire, hold a lenght between two long sticks and connect the excess length to a large car battery. Then get the wire behind the window and slowly pull accross the underside of the plastic to cut the bond.

Just a tip in the meantime. If yours have a horrible mix of coloured crazing , try a driveway pressure washer on them (without getting any direct jet on the rest of the car). This worked wonders for mine, but they still could do with replacing.

edit- also, these windows also exist on the TRS MK2 BX's, and are the same part.

Baldbazza · Post by **Baldbazza** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:06 pm

ken newbold wrote:Replace with new ones.

Ah, but the point is that my first BX, a 1984 16 TRS that I bought in 1989, was affected when I bought it. So, even if I can find new ones (and I'll probably try), I guess they'll also be affected in a short time.

As I plan to keep hold of the GT long-term I'm keen to find out how to prevent this happening (and, by definition I suppose, to find out what causes it) or, preferably, how to treat it.

Is a body shop likely to be able to polish this out?

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:41 pm

Doubtfull as its plasttic I sold my TZD not long ago and gave away a brand new set in there packaging as part of the deal bought from Ken,

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:52 pm

Just a thought

As these are relatively small items that would fit in a domestic oven, could you not make your own out of a sheet of plexiglass (ICI Perspex)?

Make moulds by pouring non-toxic thermosetting mixture of some sort into the inside of your originals.(release agent on original first!)
Or make with Wood and Spokeshaves by trial and error for the more talented.

Place mould with plexiglass blank above in oven and heat until perspex droops over mould. Remove, cool, trim & fit

Colour with spray on tint.

Note: If this is tried you must pay attention to ventilation and fumes.

Baldbazza · Post by **Baldbazza** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:56 pm

Way2go wrote:Just a thought

As these are relatively small items that would fit in a domestic oven, could you not make your own out of a sheet of plexiglass (ICI Perspex)?

My wife's just padlocked the oven.....

Interesting idea, but probably beyond my scope at the moment. There's also a pattern etched/printed in/on the plastic that would be tricky to replicate.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:46 pm

Baldbazza wrote:There's also a pattern etched/printed in/on the plastic that would be tricky to replicate.

Sorry, art has never been my subject but if your car is white, you can get white perspex or loads of other colours from the suppliers to the sign industry.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:47 pm

Self-Censored due to duplication

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:41 pm

Hope this helps but here are the part numbers and price for the ones for my 1990 1,9TZS Left 96008918 £64.86 inc Right 96008917 £64.86 Inc this is Since RP 04131 althought the earlier one until RP 04130 having part numbers 95635189 95635190 I have been told is the same as the later ones but i dont know if this is true.

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:54 pm

Another thought. Could we try using paint laquer to bring back a smooth shiny surface?

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:56 pm

adamskibx wrote:Another thought. Could we try using paint laquer to bring back a smooth shiny surface?

You'd still have the grazed surface underneath though?

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:58 pm

Or try some of this I used a military equivelant when i was serving on my watch when it got its glass scratched it removed vurtually all of the scratches.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aircraft-Plastic- ... dZViewItem

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:25 pm

The early ones up to about D reg were slightly different in having a coating around the edge and horizontal lines if memory serves. The later ones on DTR and TRS are smooth and don't suffer the same problems.

roscoe · Post by **roscoe** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:37 pm

The aircraft plexiglass scratch remover that Sleepy mentioned should work - I used it on my plane when I was flying back in Canada and it worked a treat to remove crazing and scratches from the windscreen. Can be picked up from most aviation supply shops and with some elbow grease will make old plexiglass and clear plastic look like new.