Back in '88, when I first joined this forum, I asked basically the
same question Jim Muller asks. Here is the response I received from
that grizzled Brit-vet, Scott Fisher:
tj> Is there any way to keep the plastic rear window on a convertible
tj> top from becoming clouded as it ages?
sf> I usually run my windows down with Black Chrome when I do the
sf> top. It helps a lot.
tj> Once a window has become clouded, is there any way to remove
tj> clouding and restore the plastic to its original clarity?
sf> A product called Happich's Simichrome does the trick somewhat.
sf> It's a jeweler's paste, and it's also incredible on aluminum.
sf> Does your Alpine have SU carbs? (I think they don't, but I
sf> can't remember.) Anyway, you rub it on and it takes much of
sf> the yellow clouding away. There's also Meguiar's Plastic
sf> Polish; I got three bottles in a Bugeye Sprite that I bought
sf> a couple years ago, but I never tried it. I can recommend
sf> the Simichrome, though. Just watch out--rubbing it off the
sf> plastic creates the most amazing static charges! Don't hold
sf> any magnetic recording media while you're cleaning your
sf> convertible top (I *always* hold unbacked-up system files
sf> when I clean *my* car...:-)
I also saved something from Sept '90 from Jerry Kaidor:
jk> The aviation folks have a kit called "Micro-Mesh" for restoring
jk> scratched plastic. It consists of abrasive-empregnated cloths of
jk> various grits, all the way up to 24,000 grit! ( Or so ). Anyway, you
jk> use it by taking off your scratch es with regular 600 grit paper
jk> first, then sanding down the area with finer and finer micro-mesh
jk> cloths. It's very labor intensive, but plastic can be returned to
jk> virgin smoothness. The kit costs about $20, and is sold at aviation
jk> supply houses ( down at your local small-plane airport ). I used it
jk> on the rear window of my TR2 hardtop, which is made of solid
jk> unobtainium.
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T.J. Higgins 205-730-7922 | higgins@ingr.com (Internet)
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