Hey guys, just looking for suggestions. I have a 1974 Duster and i am having a slights issue with the tail light lenses. Cant find any within a good price range. Was just wondering if anyone has experience restoring these lenses

Once they are cracked like that they are pretty much toast. Dull lenses can be brought back with polish/wax. Cracks are there for good.

Run them and keep an eye out for nicer ones as you will find some eventually. I was told the south and east are better sources for plastic parts, and the west coast is better for rust free sheet metal.

like Neil said it`s toast.......... here is a decent one on ebay. don`t know why they painted the info on the lens
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-PLYMOUTH-DU...2-/121765573291

Someone on another board had good results spray painting the outside of the lens with translucent red model paint. His results weren't perfect, but were a definite improvement.

You won't be able to get rid of the cracks, but you can polish the lens' with Mothers Wheel Polish, Semichrome or McGuiars Swirl Remover and they will look much, much better.

if all those little lines are spider cracks in the plastic, there is zero you can do. Polishing them will help a little but you'll see all those cracks. If you still want to shine them, here's what you do.

You can buff 40 year old plastic to a new shine unless the plastic is exhibiting chalking. I use a 6" or 8" buffer with a full disk loose buffing wheel and green rouge. never use a hard spiral or radial sewn wheel. Not EVER. You have to really saturate the wheel and then go light and slow so you don't melt the lens. I've done taillights and dash gauge clusters this way. they come out amazing. If you've never buffed, go to a junk yard and buy a taillight or plastic headlight housing that is dulled to practice on first. You only get one try on this stuff.

This may sound stupid but why couldn't you just clearcoat the lens to fill the cracks and then buff the lens to get a smooth surface finish?

Thank you for your answers, i will try to source out a replacement set. Wish new ones were available for that year.

I don't mean to be a jerk but looking at what is visible of the car,
I would just leave 'em and call it "Patina".