I am neither a "chemist" nor a "cave man", so, how did Brite Lamps get started?

The Brite Lamps story...
I had three cars with clouded, foggy and dirty headlights at the same time. I thought like most people, "They cannot be fixed and replacement is expensive". I checked into replacements... for all three cars. That would have cost me over $900.00 in parts alone! There had to be a better answer.

I looked on line for information on headlight restoration but found many contradictory opinions. It was obvious that not everyone was satisfied with every method or product, no single universal answer.

I did the wet finger test and realized that the damage on my cars (and most cars) was exterior and superficial . The cleaning method didn't seem to be too critical but the restoration coating mattered a lot. Automotive clear coats provided much better protection from the elements than any polishes, it seemed the best way to go.

Quality of different clear coat products and longevity were issues. Epoxy clear coats had the best protective qualities. However, these were always sprayed and spraying finishes has some downsides. To spray a clear coat would require a huge amount of masking or removing the head light housings from the car. That is very labor intensive just to work in a very small area. There had to be a better way. It didn't take long to consider two alternative clear coat application methods: 1) the air brush and 2) the foam brush.

<----   The air brush sprays a very fine mist and disperses a very small pattern, easy to control overspray. I still have to mask off a small area around the head lights but that is nothing compared to removing the head lamps or extensive masking to protect the whole car.

The foam brush works well too but the coating is heavier than spraying which extends cure time. Extra skill and care must be applied to get an even coat and avoid runs, sags and air bubbles.   ---->

BUT with either method, I don't have to remove the housings from the car to apply the clear coat!

Now, if I could remove the oxidation without risking the paint surrounding the headlamps, then both restoration steps could be done without removing the head lamp housing from the car, greatly reducing labor time and risk to the car. My choices were either mechanical or chemical cleaning.

Sanding with power tools is fast and thorough but requires removing the head lamp housing from the car, grinds off an excessive amount plastic and is hard to avoid flat spots on curved surfaces. Sanding with good 'ole elbow grease allows me to leave the head lamp housings in the car and avoid some of the machine problems but it increases the labor, extends the restoration time and wears out the arms. Off the shelf products and restoration kits don't always work well and are often expensive to restore more than one car and are always labor intensive.

Hummm, more research...
Some people swear by various products such a nail polish remover, lacquer thinner, dish soap, plastic polish, tooth paste, car wax and so fourth. All these were followed by discussions of rubbing "till your arms fall off." Wasn't interested!

I finally found a chemical engineering white paper on plastic recycling, describing the properties of polycarbonate (plastic) and its resistance to various solvents. The engineers understood the facts that I was missing and I also learned why some methods work sometimes but not all the time. I learned how different chemicals could be used sequentially, to safely and easily remove the oxidation layer, without harming the plastic or risking the paint. Better still, these methods were environmentally friendly!

The result of the research and trials became the "Brite Lamps Restoration Service." We have several methods to remove the oxidation layer and prepare the surface for clear coat. We will use the best method, for each situation, to cause minimum stress to the plastic head lamp housing and protect it for the maximum length of time.

We can restore your vehicle's long distance night vision, “We have the cure for your myopic car”

Most head lamp housings can be restored to bright and clean again for less than $70.00 per car.

Schedule an appointment: Call John, Home: 727-585-8464  or  Cell: 727-465-6841