NOS Headlight Reflectors

[grantsauder]

I have a set of 1930-31 NOS two light headlight reflectors that have been in my cupboard for 30 years. They have some hazing on the silver reflector and I would like to know how to polish them before I can install them in my refurbished stainless steel headlamp buckets. I am hoping to get my 1930 Tudor on the road this fall. Thanks. Grant

[Dollar Bill]

Any silver polish will suffice. Being silver, they will soon tarnish again. That is reason for the newer reflectors that don't.

[Kevin in NJ]

The easy way:

Removing silver tarnish

You need to be careful which gasket you use. A cork gasket is what you want. The rubber type will off gas and cause tarnish rapidly.

[700rpm]

For some reason my original silver reflectors haven't tarnished in over 50 years on my Tudor, 10 years on my truck, or 5 years on my coupe. Just lucky?

[Steve Wastler]

The original reflectors on my fordor haven't tarnished much since new. Remember if you must polish, using silver polish always rub in a straight line edge to center.....

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

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Since the Silver plating is so THIN, I only wipe them gently, with a damp Chamois, use the smoother side.
A SHAMOIS is great for filtering GAS & it collects the water, also. Just wring it out, to remove the water. RECOMEMBER, OLD gas is a common problem for poor running & hard starting!!!!
Bill Bright

[TinCup]

I tried to polish some " Made In Argentina" reflectors that were still wrapped in paper but were tarnished. I used a silver polish and the silver came off with the polish. Test an edge and make sure the polish won't damage the plating.

[rocket1]

lamp black,what ever that is

[Jeff/Illinois]

Magic Wadding Polish and go lightly. Has worked well for me.

[Dollar Bill]

Lamp Black is a black carbon pigment made from soot. It forms the basis of the best traditional black inks and has been used to many other ends from shoe polish to blackening gun sights. Not anything that I think would help with polishing silver.

[grantsauder]

Thanks to all you guys . I'll take the info and let you all know how they turned
out. I also found a set of South American reflectors and they will need a polish also . Thanks again. Grant

[rocket1]

Henry states in the service bulletins wipe the reflector with dry lampblack,I knew that I read it somewhere!

[Charlie Stephens]

How about a few close ups of the reflectors just to make sure they are NOS and not NORS from Argentina. If you need reflectors Bratton's has the best ones (and I don't think anyone else handles them).

Charlie Stephens

[RonC]

The Brattons reflectors are better than the originals if your driving at night