headlight reflectors

[MCHUDD]

Hi All.
Not a 300 thing but could be.
A mate of mine has a lovely late volvo 240 that has failed its MOT because of the headlights.
He is not on the computer and has asked me to help.
I have herd you can get them re-silverd. Is this true? and how much would you pay?
Any help would be great.
Cheers Mark.

[Chris_C]

Richard Dodd was chasing this a while back from memory... (about 3 years ago in the FOTV3 magazine...)

Someone may have a phone number for him to give him an ask (I'm thinking Foggy here)? It was a re chroming place in Brum from memory...

[Hell Driver]

Last autumn I contacted a number of these re-silvering places. I got the answer back that is was not possible as they are steel with and aluminium plate and unless they are copper reflectors then silver is out of the question. Not sure why they can't be re-plated with aluminium if thats what they are, maybe no one does this, I couldn't find anyone. Ultimately all the places said these 'modern' units are made to be replaced by new off the shelf items, not much help when the shelf is now empty

Not sure what 240 lights are but expect they are similar to 300's. Silvering is for old vintage cars was the answer I got.

So I've bought up all A1 condition lights from local scrapyards etc and also 2 sets of new old stock lights I saw on ebay. My plan for world domination of V300 headlamps is now complete

ebay/scrapyardsVOC may the only answers?

[macplaxton]

Steel is fine to re-plate, but it needs plating with something else first. I'll look it up.

Plastic can be re-silvered too, can't remember who does it it, but when I was a courier you used to see composite skid-lids that where "chromed".

I'll be back.

[Chris_C]

Having done the first bit of lanes work in Fake for 6months, I'd forgotten how poor my lights are. Will be interested to find a good solution!

[macplaxton]

Back.

Plating:

1) Steel gets plated first with nickel then plated with silver.
2) Plastic reflectors get vacuum metallized.

I'll look more into it and find a couple of reflectors. Won't be cheap.

[jtbo]

You don't believe how I'm kicking myself into arse for not buying bunch of full headlight assemblys for 32€ each when they still were available

Mine are ok(ish) condition, but surely they are bit dark.

Not that I would really need lights in my 360, will probably drive only in bright dry day when I get all repairs finished, but it would be nice to have pretty shiny reflectors just for that perfect look.