I'm working on a 77 chevy truck, and the clear plastic gauge cover is hazy. I'd like to clean or polish it out instead of buying a new one. Anybody know anything that would work?

 

Use toothpaste and a soft rag. Rub a lot, but not hard.

 

Thanks for the tip. Any specific brand?

 

meguires makes a clear plastic polish ....... it works awsome , my dad used it on his helmet visor


http://www.meguiars.com/store_meguia...&subcatagory=1

 

On a vehicle that old I would guess that the haze is probably on the inside of the plastic, specially if the previous owner was a smoker. To clean it properly would probably entail removing the cover and polishing both sides.
When you finished polishing the plastic go over it with Pledge furniture polish.

 

If the lens is acrylic DO NOT use a paper towel. You can buy plastic polish at your local small airport, it is used to clean aircraft windshields, it comes in an aresol can. You spray it on then wait for it to dry before buffing it off. Terrycloth works well, paper towels make the problem worse.

 

I use Meguires #10 to start and Meguires 17 to finish these are polishes for plexi-glass and plastic and lexon. I use them on my motorcyle windshield and my helmet visor.
Jim O

 

Meguiar's Scratch X works great also.

 

some motorcycle motorcross stores carry plastic cleaners too
good luck

 

The owner was a smoker, and the haze appears to be on both sides. I tried toothpaste without much result, but I suspect that the older kinds would work better, all I had was a gel type. I'll try the parts store today, not many choices here. (no motorcycle stores and airport doesn't even have a store) Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Try using the paste toothpaste. Not the gel.

 

Novis plastic polish works great. Available at any commerical plastic distributor

 

I got some 3M cleaner and polish from the parts store. It should work good, the counter guy says they mostly sale it to clean the plastic gauge covers and tail lights and it's supposed to work good. I won't be able to use it till this evening. I'l let you all know the results.

 

No specific brand.....but if you use one of the "cavity control" kind it will work all of the little cavities in the plastic out. Just be sure you do NOT use the "whitening" kind....as it will turn the plastic white. "Tarter control" works good for getting that nasty film off too.