The reflective surface on my euro headlights was rusty and
pitted when I got them so I painted the area with silver
paint and they don't look bad. However, they suck at night.

Is there anyway to reline them with some type of reflective
material?

Thoughts and ideas wanted.

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81 Mercedes 300SD 289k.......SOLD
82 Mercedes 300CD 252k......slow ride

82 mercedes 300 SD...mi Unknown
83 Mercedes 300D ????ksniff..gone too
84 Mercedes 300D 148k........SOLD
85 Mercedes 300TD 386k and holding some one elses project

There were originally silver-coated, no? like a mirror? I took mine to a mirror shop and they said they couldn't help. The best they could come up with was to have them chromed. It would be an improvement over the silver paint, but....

So the lights I want to put on my wagon are sitting in a box. Have been for quite some time now, actually.

Jay.

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On the road, currently:
'83 300D (German spec.) 168k mi. - - Wolfgang (tucked snugly away for the winter!)
'87 300D 375k mi. - finally went over to "The Dark Side"
'87 300TD 225k mi.
Cannondale 66cm CAAD5 w/Campy/Jamis Aurora
Hujsak Custom Fixie/Landshark Track Shark Custom/Ahearne Custom 29'er

Bring the reflectors to a plating shop and they can replate them to look like new. I had one done about 30 years ago when no parts could be bought in the USA. Cost was not too bad either. Look in the yellow pages for a place that does it and give them a call.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

Good question, I was just noticing that one of my euros is a little rusty inside while the other is pristine, and it makes my 240D look oddball when the sun is bright. I had thought of using chrome paint but was concerned about the heat the lightbulb might put off. Plating shop sounds like a neat idea.

Are the reflectors easy to remove from the assembly? I have Hella H4s.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Try another mirror shop, others on the forum have reported that they can do them

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I saw a how to here (on an R107) where someone used the silver tape used to seal duct work. They stuck the tape on the lens, then polished it to a mirror finish.

-Jason

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

I think you mean they stuck the tape on the reflector. If they stuck it on the lens, no light would get through.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

You have a better chance with reflectivity using the silver tape over chrome. True chrome does not reflect light well.

Of course it would be better than oxidation though. You really want the reflectors bright silver plated. There are a few firms far and between that do this service.

A mirror shop that does this service if you can find one is usually the most reasonable option. A mirror surface is bright aluminium after all.

Heat from the bulb even if high intensity is not much of a factor as the surface reflects the majority of the heat rather than absorbing it.

What about just gutting some new Depo lamps? I'm sure if your reflectors are toast so are your glass exteriors.......

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

If it's not heat, then what make the original plating go bad?

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

You may can do this yourself.... ( if you are adventurous ) although it may involve caustic agents...
check with the astronomy crowd..... some of the make their own mirrors.... something about ' spattering' and caustic agents comes to mind... it may be aluminum ..but good enough for telescope mirrors is going to be good enough for auto reflectors...

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=156207&highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

Basically just exposure to the enviroment. Sun fades them somewhat as well.

Since they are not truly hermetically sealed the moisture present from changing humidity etc does not help either. Mind the continious resupply of atmospheric oxygen also encourages or aids the oxidation process. The immunity of hermetically sealed beams to most of these effects is unquestionable.

you can buy replacement mirrors in Germany

That's why I have a spare set of Euro lights, brand new, but ever so slightly different, but with matching reflectors, for this reason.

After you get them refinished, get new seals from the dealer. They're $12 each for the front seal between the glass and frame. There is another seal at the back between the cover and the frame. Also don't forget the six pin plug seals if there are any.

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

Yes, I bought Bosch fog reflectors set for my euro 190D through Bekkers.