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chino
Cruiser Buff
Posted: Apr 8, 2003, 9:59 PM
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Disassembling the PT Headlights
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Well, today was an interesting day. I finally did what I sooo much was afraid of doing in the past! (all in under 20 minutes per headlight)
I am in the process of installing EMS/Police strobes in my headlights and was disgusted with the way the headlights looked after drilling and spending a long time in cleaning them.
(cleaned for hours and still came out blurry and spotty)
So, being that I had a spare pair of headlights... I figured I give it a shot and try to disassemble them to clean them from the INSIDE!!
(or for anyone who is interested in getting rid of the turn signal reflector, this is what you'll have to do)
Here goes....
The following are the only two tools I used to do this:
heating gun and any device that will help you separate the lens from the back cover. (you can actually do just with the heat gun alone and your hands to do the separating.... but headlights get really hot and will need gloves (which I didn't have at the time, but recommend)
There are two steps in this whole process... that's it.
I actually breezed thru this when doing my second headlight!!
Probably 15 min.. or less!!
Step 1.
Heat around the headlight edges for around 10 minutes using the heat gun. (depending on what brand you use, time will vary.)
There is no need to direct any heat to the transparent lens cover whatsoever, so concentrate on the border of the back of the headlight. (black plastic) This is where all the black silicone is located that keeps the headlight sealed and you'll want to heat this area nicely. Once you think you have heated the border enough... proceed to step 2.
(you can see the headlight separating on its own in some areas once you have provided enough heat.)
Step 2.
Separate the front lens from the back of the headlight.
THAT'S IT!!
No screws, No Nothing!!
Just start at an opened, gapped area and start pulling the two pieces apart. simple as that. If you have heated enough... this shouldn't take you long at all. Have someone help you either by holding the headlight or by pulling. You'll see how incredibly easy this install really is.
P.S - I have friends who have done this to their headlights (not PT's though) and have suggested I put them in the oven for 3-5 minutes and that it's twice as fast and easier to separate....
I really didn't have the b^ll$ to do this, but just wanted to pass the thought along if anyone else did.
Good Luck! ;) [SIZE=1](no need for luck... this was a piece of cake!! You'll do FINE)
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Posts: 98 | From: Jersey city, NJ
| Registered: Jun 25, 2001, 12:00 AM
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chino
Cruiser Buff
Posted: Apr 8, 2003, 10:04 PM
Post #2 of 9
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Re: [chino] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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Here are a few pics of the headlights... (not for the weak of heart) :D
THIS section, I will paint in stone white to match my color!
(This post was edited by chino on Apr 8, 2003, 10:07 PM)
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Posts: 98 | From: Jersey city, NJ
| Registered: Jun 25, 2001, 12:00 AM
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chino
Cruiser Buff
Posted: Apr 8, 2003, 10:06 PM
Post #3 of 9
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Re: [chino] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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Forgot to mention something VERY important!!!
Do not clean the inside of the headlight with any cleaning supplies, etc...
EXCEPT water!!!!
I did, and the reflective paint blurred off a bit... not much, but you can see it in this pic on the left of the focal point.
Here are more pics of the rest of the headlights:
(This post was edited by chino on Apr 8, 2003, 10:08 PM)
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Posts: 98 | From: Jersey city, NJ
| Registered: Jun 25, 2001, 12:00 AM
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chino
Cruiser Buff
Posted: Apr 8, 2003, 10:09 PM
Post #4 of 9
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Re: [chino] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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Posts: 98 | From: Jersey city, NJ
| Registered: Jun 25, 2001, 12:00 AM
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CPT-RON
Cruiser Fan
Posted: Apr 12, 2003, 4:48 PM
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Re: [chino] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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[indent]DON"T UNDERSTAND ALL THIS STUFF YET,ANY HOW THANKS FOR PUTTING YOUR NECK OUT.... HAVE PLANS FOR THE CROME ON THE INSIDE..... HOW DID YOU PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER? WHAT DID YOU USE ON THE CLEAR PIECE TO PUT IT BACK ON. THANKS CPT-RON
[cool][/indent]
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(This post was edited by CPT-RON on Apr 12, 2003, 4:58 PM)
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Posts: 35 | From: BRANSON,MO,USA
| Registered: May 25, 2002, 12:00 AM
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chino
Cruiser Buff
Posted: May 19, 2003, 8:40 PM
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Re: [CPT-RON] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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What's up guys,
Sorry soooo long to respond on the update... been quite busy and really haven't had time for posting. :(
Well, the reassembly was EVEN easier than I thought!!
NO EXTRA SILICONE NOR ANYTHING WAS NEEDED!
Being that I never removed any silicone when separating the pieces, I just re-heated the head lights again, until the silicone (that was already there) soften-up.
Once that silicone heated up again, I just reattached the three pieces together and let them dry for a day.
That's it. (about 10 minutes per head light)
I decided on keeping the reflective part of the signal for two reasons though:
1. I "personally" didn't like the way the bulbs looked against the white paint without it. I don't know if it's just me, but it kinda looked dull and as if something was wrong/missing.. (that's that I tried an amber, white and a blue bulb) My brother like the way they looked without it... so that's why I say it just may be me.
2. It lost a lot of brightness by deleting the reflective section.
I got a little too involved in the reassembly being that I swept right thru it............. that:
I FORGOT TO TAKE PICS OF IT WITH AND WITHOUT THE REFLECTIVE PART!!
(sorry guys) I'm most likely to do the same mod again for my friend so I'll definitely won't make the same mistake twice!!
Here are some pics of the finished product.
P.S. - Almost forgot to mention this:
Being that I really rushed to put them together again....
1. I didn't use "stone white" paint - dealer would have taken tooo long and really didn't want to wait. Sooo I went down to my nearest AutoZone and bought the White Engine paint they had.
Worked just as well though....
2. Did not even use clear coat.
I love the way they look right now, but they probably would look even better if I had used some. who knows, right? lol
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Posts: 98 | From: Jersey city, NJ
| Registered: Jun 25, 2001, 12:00 AM
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chino
Cruiser Buff
Posted: May 19, 2003, 8:41 PM
Post #7 of 9
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Re: [chino] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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Posts: 98 | From: Jersey city, NJ
| Registered: Jun 25, 2001, 12:00 AM
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rcktpwrd
Cruiser Addict
Posted: May 20, 2003, 1:24 PM
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Re: [chino] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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Looks pretty trick! 
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Joel
2001 Patriot Blue Touring Edition 5 speed
1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass S [RCKTPWRD]
Click here to see--->My Cars!
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Posts: 763 | From: Raleigh, NC
| Registered: Jun 17, 2001, 12:00 AM
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chino
Cruiser Buff
Posted: Oct 19, 2003, 11:34 AM
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Re: [rcktpwrd] Disassembling the PT Headlights
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Just wondering if anyone else did this mod as well? 
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(This post was edited by chino on Oct 19, 2003, 11:34 AM)
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Posts: 98 | From: Jersey city, NJ
| Registered: Jun 25, 2001, 12:00 AM
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