Sun-Yellowed Plastics on a Car

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

I have a '94 Mercury Topaz... (not the one in the photo) - and the front grill - clear plastic element is yellowed, just like in the photo. I have two options, as follows, as I see it (please... no snide comments re what I should do with the car!);

- Paint it to the same as the body colour, 1994 FoMoCo colour "DA" - Cayman Green; or

- Use typical headlight de-glazing process to attempt to get it clear once again.

Car has about 90,000 miles and has been off the road for some 13 years.... but it is in very good condition. The redeeming features, if there any possible redeeming features for those Ford/Mercury twins, is that it is a 2 door, and that it has a Mazda-design 5MT, and that it is economical and comfortable. Except for inner tie rod ends in need of replacement - drive quality is not so bad.

Re the first option, one question: what prep work is necessary to be able to paint it with a Duplicolor spray bomb of topcoat? Which primer, presumably after giving said piece a roughening-up to give the primer purchase onto the plastic?

And re the deglazing option, do folks have a sense of whether the yellowing that occurs with these pieces typically is surficial in nature, or runs clean thru the thickness of the plastic?

TIA

 

[MParr]

If you are going to paint that piece, use the primer, paint and clear coat from the same manufacturer and product line. Doing so will give you a better finish and cause fewer issues.

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Here is the actual piece... it is upside down. Not in terrible shape.

I was also thinking to add in four light fixtures, equidistant, to come in with the parking lamps. Ala certain years of Mercury Sable. Kewl!

 

[ecotourist]

I have a '94 Mercury Topaz... (not the one in the photo) - and the front grill - clear plastic element is yellowed, just like in the photo. I have two options, as follows, as I see it (please... no snide comments re what I should do with the car!);

- Paint it to the same as the body colour, 1994 FoMoCo colour "DA" - Cayman Green; or

- Use typical headlight de-glazing process to attempt to get it clear once again.

Car has about 90,000 miles and has been off the road for some 13 years.... but it is in very good condition. The redeeming features, if there any possible redeeming features for those Ford/Mercury twins, is that it is a 2 door, and that it has a Mazda-design 5MT, and that it is economical and comfortable. Except for inner tie rod ends in need of replacement - drive quality is not so bad.

Re the first option, one question: what prep work is necessary to be able to paint it with a Duplicolor spray bomb of topcoat? Which primer, presumably after giving said piece a roughening-up to give the primer purchase onto the plastic?

And re the deglazing option, do folks have a sense of whether the yellowing that occurs with these pieces typically is surficial in nature, or runs clean thru the thickness of the plastic?

TIA

I'd try polishing it out first. Once you rough it up to paint it, it would be hard to go back.

If it doesn't polish out well, you can always paint it.

 

[samven]

If you think that you might paint it why not pick a spot and see if you can restore it. You dont need a kit just a selection of wet/dry paper in 600, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit. just keep it wet with a drop of soap in a spray bottle of water. If it looks good get a liquid plastic cleaner/restorer. If it does not look good your just on your way to paint prep.

 

[earlyre]

CAYMAN GREEN!
my fav. 90's Ford Color! the Aerostar I spent my formative driving years in was that Color.

if I would ever get around to building the Ranger in my head, it would be painted Cayman Green.

I also just happen to have....Several... (3-5 i think...) Cans of Duplicolor Spray of that color I picked up on clearance a few years back... I was considering painting a mailbox to resemble said van one of these days...

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Thank you, All, for your good suggestions . Yeah, I 'kinda was going to try the restoration route first... Little downside, as pointed-out. I'm not that fond of the look, per se, but if it were lit up at night, and if it were to look chrystal-clear in daylight, well that'd mitigate in favour of the resto.

In terms of a paint system, would scuffed-up plastic be problematic as a surface to paint for the typical Duplicolor primer/topcoat system... or is there typically a special primer used for plastics?

Earlyre, I think the car was mfr'd in Lima, OH, btw .

 

[samven]

Rustolium make a plastic primer. I have seen it in Lowes and Home Depot.

 

[earlyre]

Earlyre, I think the car was mfr'd in Lima, OH, btw .

Nope... the car was not built here.
We have a Ford Plant, but they make Engines.
both options, the 2.3l HSC I4, and the 3.0 Vulcan V6 were Lima products.
Depending on the 1st number of the Vin, it was either built in Claycomo, Missouri , or Oakville, Ontario
If it starts with a 1, it was built near a BBQ Restaurant
if it starts with a 2, it was built near a Tim Hortons

 

[earlyre]

not sure if this would apply to "clear" plastics or not...

 

[dishdude]

You could try polishing it and if that doesn't work paint it. I think it would look nice body colored.

 

[vavavroom]

If you pant that piece in the vehicle color the car will resemble a VW B5 Passat from the front. I'm surprised the part has yellowed. I would have thought it was made from acrylic which doesn't yellow with age. I guess it's made from polycarbonate?

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

not sure if this would apply to "clear" plastics or not...

'Ida know... Could try... Interesting youtube, though. Thx!

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

If you pant that piece in the vehicle color the car will resemble a VW B5 Passat from the front. I'm surprised the part has yellowed. I would have thought it was made from acrylic which doesn't yellow with age. I guess it's made from polycarbonate?

Maybe for pedestrian safety it is NOT an acrylic. Polycarb... fancy. But yes, not UV stabilized. Soft as h*ll, too. The proof is to hammer test it, lol.

I attach a couple/three photos of:

- a ratty Topaz, with a clear (not-yellowed) frt panel;

- a clean Topaz with a yellowed frt panel (relative to the headlamps, which would be polycarb, but with UV treatment); and

- a satin-black coloured (not my intention; body-coloured would possibly be my intention) frt panel

to illustrate relative yellowing of headlamps versus the frt panel (indeed it is possible that both headlamps were replaced though) and a picture of what at least a coloured front panel might look like... Indeed, Passat B5, though not as nice...

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Nope... the car was not built here.
We have a Ford Plant, but they make Engines.
both options, the 2.3l HSC I4, and the 3.0 Vulcan V6 were Lima products.
Depending on the 1st number of the Vin, it was either built in Claycomo, Missouri , or Oakville, Ontario
If it starts with a 1, it was built near a BBQ Restaurant
if it starts with a 2, it was built near a Tim Hortons

US built, therefore in Missouri. HSC engine built in Lima.

 

[vavavroom]

Maybe for pedestrian safety it is NOT an acrylic. Polycarb... fancy. But yes, not UV stabilized. Soft as h*ll, too. The proof is to hammer test it, lol.


to illustrate relative yellowing of headlamps versus the frt panel (indeed it is possible that both headlamps were replaced though) and a picture of what at least a coloured front panel might look like... Indeed, Passat B5, though not as nice...

Blinker covers used to be made from acrylic so I don't think acrylic would be a safety issue. Acrylic can be made to crumble upon impact. You say the piece on your car is soft. It could be clear ABS which yellows over time. I think I got the Passat wrong. The B5 had a grille and so did the B4. The B3 had the hood between the headlights come down all the way to the top of the bumper.

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Thank you, All, for your kind suggestions... and for NOT trashing the car. You know, all of us see different points of excellence in the range of vehicles we drive and wrench on. There are aspects of this car that I think are really cool.

I don't like the fact that the cylinder head has to come off to be able to pull-out a noisy hydraulic lifter (if, on start-up, I find that that is the case). What I DO like about the car is:

- easy peasy valve stem seal replacements, no high-cam to remove to be able to run air pressure into cylinder and remove keepers and caps and change-out stem seals (I don't expect to have to do this... but if I ever did... there you go);

- super durable Morse Hyvo cam chain, with slack-side tensioner, said to be the same tough and durable arrangement as on Ford truck engines of the day (and 'real short, much less tendency to have tons of slack as it ages);

- cast iron block and cylinder head... reasonably immune to damage from mild overheating (don't typically warp heads, lose line-bore of high-cam bearings)

- reputedly a 300,000 mile engine;

- has (apparently) big-block Ford rockers... or compatible with Ford 460 (higher-lift) rockers (could be swapped-in);

- Ford seemingly has intentionally created an intake restriction (that can be removed) - but the injectors may be of limited number of lbs / hour flow... Other complications...

- I recently had the fuel tank out... and I am in the process of cleaning it out (or nominally cleaning it out). Great plastic baffle design, anti-crudding fuel pump intake system.

- recently tested the fuel pump... against 70 psi created discharge pressure. Ran like a champ, at 90,000 miles and with 13 years of inactivity. See my test rig, two photos attached. Was attired in NOMEX, had eye protection, took great pains to attempt to ground all (though no ground stake was used). The discharge line was run in 1/4" Cu, and run to below the liquid level in the discharge receiving gasoline can. Can't be too careful with gasoline... (Scary).

- I like how the interior has aged.

I am excited to drive it again...

 

[earlyre]

- super durable Morse Hyvo cam chain, with slack-side tensioner, said to be the same tough and durable arrangement as on Ford truck engines of the day (and 'real short, much less tendency to have tons of slack as it ages);

- has (apparently) big-block Ford rockers... or compatible with Ford 460 (higher-lift) rockers (could be swapped-in);

This makes sense...from a parts perspective.... Wanna guess where the 460 was made all the way up to 1998?