Some Light Cleanup

My front turn indicator lenses are not in the best of shape.  One is dirty (easily fixed) but the other is seriously cracked, like its owner.

These lenses are not easy to find, though I could get reproduction units from Moss for about $35.  Not the same, though.

After some searching and wheeler-dealing, I scored a lot of four lenses and some chrome frames on eBay.  They were accurately depicted, and at first glance the lenses look really bad.  The frames are pretty much junk, for certain.  But there's gold in them thar hills.

I picked through them and found what I think are the best two...

And got busy with some Comet scrubbing powder and a soft brush.  After the first round of cleaning, they don't look bad at all.

I took the other two and gave them a going over.  One is missing a piece on the edge, but it actually doesn't show with the frame in place (so it's salvageable in my opinion).  That black stuff is hardened rubber, believe it or not.

So I pondered how to take that hardened rubber gunk off without damaging the plastic (they are plastic, not glass).  It would be so easy if they were glass.  Finally, I decided to give mineral spirits a go.  Mineral spirits aren't very harsh, and if I screwed one up, so be it.

But, it worked great!  It softened the gunk to the point I could pick it off with a pick and an Exacto blade.  The lenses all need polishing with polishing compound, but I think they look pretty darned good.

I'll dig the non-broken lens I have out and clean it up too.  The ones I don't use go back on eBay (well, two of them... I'll keep one spare, just in case).  Profit!

EDIT: Here's the (mostly) finished product after polishing.  I need new rubber gaskets, but the lights work.