Dull clusters!

MCGSR · Post by **MCGSR** » Fri Feb 21, 2003 12:04 pm

Me again! <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /happy.gif ALT=":D"> Dunno if this has ben covered before (apologies if it has), but can the rear clusters and clear front lenses be polished up to shine? I thought about trying T-Cut and an electric buffer to do the job...any suggestions?

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Fri Feb 21, 2003 1:20 pm

Hi, would't know about real glass( there cannot be a polish fine enough to polish glass, it will always go more dull), but a thing that works for the rear lights is clear laquer, as put on right (no "orange" skin after sprayed or so) I tried that, and it worked acceptable. But there is nothing like the later rearlights with the better plastic. I think overall that the plastic engineers from the 480 did't do a good job (DSM?) they worked with new kinds of plastic, and sometimes it isn't chosen well. examples: -the black rim around the dashboard, fractures like hell around the screws. (mortal in accidents?) -the grey knob from the normal(no airco)sliding options wears and fades like ice over the years -the dash it selves is out of to weak material : the dash around the fuse box is fractured and bulped out due to the weight -The "leather" which is wrapped around the Light grey of the most of the dashboard lets loose on corners and "pits" -The soft inner lining of the trunk gets to easyly scratched - the poor plastic sealants around the rear lights, and extra front lights (moist inside) -of course the (first) rearlights which were not UV resistant - What was the designer thinking when he designed the hood so close over (in) the frontscreen wipers arms ? The "trabant" plastic of the hood is ok though. Well lets keep in mind that my car is 14 years old, and actual should get a pension so all in all..... I think thus that what people think that plastic is indistructable is a ferytale. Why did't they make hinges on the dash, so It could safely be opened 200 times ? (sorry, again some frustration lost) <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... rassed.gif ALT=":o"> Luck, JPF

MCGSR · Post by **MCGSR** » Fri Feb 21, 2003 2:34 pm

Clear lacquer? Excellent idea! <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /happy.gif ALT=":D"> You're right about all the other plastics too - the wobbly black dashboard surround - i thought Volvo's were better built than that! Cheers Again!

CHESH740R · Post by **CHESH740R** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 2:11 pm

********** DONT USE T-CUT ON THEN ************** My dad thought that it would bring back the dull clusters on my 480. In Fact it left the one that he tried it on looking even worse!!! Thankfully i only let him loose on the worse one of the pair.

V480TI · Post by **V480TI** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 4:57 pm

If they are too bad to fix or repair, trt buying a new pair, it will cost you around 300 Euro's, but then you have new ones. If I will buy them (and I will) I am going to get a UV blocking paint, even if they are the new better ones.

Spacemonkey · Post by **Spacemonkey** » Sat Feb 22, 2003 7:43 pm

I remember at school (sometime in the late Jurrassic...) that we polished Perspex (acrylic) plastic with a solid polish and a buffing wheel. So what was it and would it work? I like my dull rear lights!! What year did they 'change'?

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Sun Feb 23, 2003 12:46 am

Hi For my late boss I used to polish up stainless steel with some equivalent round brush.(they are expensive!) If you brush like that the already thin material gets even thinner, and gets even sooner cracked as it is. As you brush or polish, you make very small scratches in the material. This works on hard surfaces like steel, even better if all the scratches run the same way, like with a high rpm soft rotary brush. But on plastic like ours, or like on glass, the surface is so smooth, you would see every "scratch" and the surface gets dull. I hated the dull rear lights too, and even got cracked. I have better ones now. (first they got dull and thin, I sprayed them with clear laquer with a nice result, but then they got cracked) But still my principle is: An old car may look old, an old car that looks better than new is for my oppinion like a "warmed up dead body" For the happy few amongst us, with some extra to spend: 300 euro's is this a piece ? and does it include the middle screen ? I donot have info from what year, or serial the rear lights improved, I must ask my old friend who worked in a volvo workshop. Spraying on UV blocking clear laquer is the best idea. So do'nt polish anything, spray clear laquer but only if you have to. Luck JPF Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub32.ezboard.com/bvolvo480.show ... olvofox</A> at: 2/23/03 12:55:09 am

V480TI · Post by **V480TI** » Sun Feb 23, 2003 2:22 pm

300 Euro's is for left and right side, however, middlescreen not included, thought that little piece costs about 50 Euro...... And so lucky I am not, every penny I earn goes into my 480 and for now cigarettes ( not long anymore) The advantage if you still live with your parents is that you can spend more to your beloved car.....<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... tongue.gif ALT=":b">

lee · Post by **lee** » Sun Feb 23, 2003 5:40 pm

Looking through some old topics i've found this. EzCode Parsing Error:=<a href="http://pub32.ezboard.com/fvolvo480frm4. ...  neww

chris1roll · Post by **chris1roll** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 8:41 pm

Try Simoniz back to black. it works, not for long but its quite cheap and then you can use it on other trim etc.

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Dull clusters!

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