[Amazing1]

Hello to Everyone. My "new" 2007 White Solstice arrived via truck today from Florida where CarFax said she had lived its entire life. The wife and I plan to utilize the Solstice as our "Fun in the Sun" Car being that we also have other cars that we love to drive.

We actually bought the car 6 weeks ago and then had to wait until we returned from a previously planned 4 week trip to Europe. So today's arrival was a much anticipated event. I've been kind of lurking and learning things about the Solstice and have enjoyed all the advice and good information I have read.

Now that my car is actually in the driveway I have a few "newby" questions:

1) Why does it seem that many refer to the Solstice as a Kappa?

2) Is it possible to remove the plastic lenses' that cover the headlights in order to polish the inside of them? I am very familiar with how to clean the yellowing off of the outside, since I have much experience with this with my Jeep Grand Cherokee, but on my car there appears to be brown blotches on the inside of the top of the lenses. Any instructions would be appreciated.

3) Would like to hear from "today's" Solstice owners whether or not they still use their windscreens. We plan on using the car 95% with the top down so I am looking for the very best, basic model (Kappascreen?) that can be left in
the car while sitting in the driveway with the top up, waiting for its next outing.

Thanks for all your advice and kind comments. I look forward to being a good member of the Solstice family. :thumbs:

 

[jeffgtx]

Welcome. A quick response to some if your questions. You'll get more detail from others over time.

Kappa is the code name for the Gm platform that the solstice is built on.

Look for posts from cartman32 and others on headlight mods to see how they are assembled. You can do what you are asking but you will need to unseal and reveal the unit.

Jeff

 

[Ozone2552]

Beat me to it Jeff. Concerning the wind screen, I as well as a great deal of owners would recommend Windrestictor. They produce a high-quality, customizable product which may be left installed with the top up. Also, ditto on the thread searches. The lenses may be removed via heating in an oven for a couple of minutes and using a flat-head screwdriver or putty knife to, as gently as possible, pry the lenses off.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy the ride!

 

[chickenwire]

Welcome AM! As jeff stated, "kappa" was GM's designation for the Solstice/Sky/Opel car. All car makers have a coded designation for platforms they develop.

As for the headlights, it would be rare but not impossible that you have something inside. To search as Jeff suggested to to the top of any page on the site, there will be a "search" pull down in a dark gray banner stripe about 2/3 of the way to the right of the screen. Select "google search" (it will search this site first) and type in what you're looking for. You'll find a wealth of knowledge about how to soften the glue to open the lenses, polish, etc.

As for the "windscreen" question, I'm assuming you're talking about the wind restrictor or screen behind the cockpit? (Windscreen in the U.K. is what we in the U.S. call a windshield, so I'm assuming you're not planning on driving without that!) Sponsor vendor windrestrictor.com has a great product - the version 2 (V2) is designed to stay in place top up or down. Several members have the GM wind "screen" (which is indeed a screen) and love them also. Search a bit, read a bit, and decide which works best for you!

 

[boboborino]

To search as Jeff suggested to to the top of any page on the site, there will be a "search" pull down in a dark gray banner stripe about 2/3 of the way to the right of the screen. Select "google search" (it will search this site first) and type in what you're looking for.

First and foremost welcome to the site! Great color choice of course, let's see some Pics of your Sol.

Secondly, as far as chicken's explanation on where the google search box is, I never knew that one was there, the one I use is at the top left of the page, under the solstice forum banner(to the left of the vert') does the same thing, but a little easier to get to, in my opinion.

Again, WELCOME

Bert

 

[rob the elder]

Welcome

The headlights are not totally sealed. There is a vent hole in the bottom at the rear. Since the car came from Florida I suppose it is possible that there is mold inside but I have not seen it reported previously. Remove one of the light assemblies and inspect the vent to see if the vent cover is intact. You can get the glue to release using a heat gun and warming up the seam and prying the tabs lose with a screwdriver. There are several threads with instructions.

I agree on windrestrictor. Get a type two and leave it installed all the time.

 

[Amazing1]

Greetings and thanks to everyone who has responded. I would have NEVER figured out why the Solstice is so often spoken as Kappa. That piece of trivia is certainly interesting to know.

As far as the windscreen, being that its cold outside now, and we purchased the Solstice almost exclusively to be a convertible, I'm gonna have time to research each of the vendors suggested to choose the simplest, easiest to install and remove.

Lastly, to Rob the Elder, I definitely hear what you have said about there being mildew or mold on the inside of the headlight lenses. I thought that I had done a good "first" cleaning of the lenses yesterday using 3M Plastic cleaner that I have used a number of times on my very yellowed Jeep headlights, but after I was done there remains some very randomly shaped light brown blotches that unless my eyes are getting worse, seem to be on the inside of the lenses. I'm not the one to heat anything with a heat gun, knowing me I'll end up breaking one, so I'm gonna take the car to my favorite, long-time mechanic friend and ask him to remove them for me. I'll do the heavy work to clean the inside and will report back my results.

Pictures, oh my gosh. Right now the car is so, so dirty as a result of its piggy back ride home on the bottom rear of a transport truck. What seems like sand has filled all the honey comb spaces on the rear cowl. Oh gosh. If it gets above 60 degrees anytime soon I'll take a few pictures of the Solstice with me and my wife with huge smiles on our faces.

Happy Holidays to everyone.

 

[TX08manualGXP]

WELCOME aboard. Enjoy the fun.

 

[ChopTop]

Welcome to the insanity. I also suggest purchasing the Solstice book by Gary Witzenburg, side rail lifting pucks, installing a supercharge if it's a 2.4, or a tune if its the 2.0 turbo, and whatever it is lowering it.

 

[wine_lover]

As you can see from my Avatar, I have a Wind Restrictor windscreen. I have never taken it off and use my '09 Sol as my daily drive. I drive with the top up and down depending on the weather. So, don't worry about it, it will last and do wonders for your driving around with the top down. It even helps keep the rain off you if caught in a sudden downpour (don't stop unless under cover), but do get under cover as soon as possible, and do not put the top down when it is wet (mildew).

 

[LiquidPT]

You said the car came FROM Florida, but you never said where you are at...

 

[Amazing1]

You said the car came FROM Florida, but you never said where you are at...

My apologies. I thought that my posting would contain information about where I am from taken from my registration. Anyway, the car came from Clearwater, FL and now will have an everlasting good home in Hiram, GA, a sleepy little town that is located West of Atlanta.

Actually took a few buckets of warm water and was able to wash off the sand and debris that accumulated on the car from the ride home on the transport. She's a beautifully clean and shinny white, but I have to say that there is something definitely going on with the front headlight lenses, mostly on the top. I'm gonna keep investigating and may just go the route that some of you guys have with an eyelid or something like that.

Again, thanks to everyone for the welcome. Can't wait to meet another Solstice owner on the road this coming Spring...

 

[BellaVerde]

Welcome to the forum! Gotten good advice so far, so I just say to you and the Mrs. "enjoy the permagrin"!

 

[jedrojam]

Welcome, welcome, welcome!!!

 

[warrenhotrod1]

Welcome and have fiun with it. Hope to see you at the Nationals in June.

 

[redcoats1976]

welcome...i live only 60 miles from clearwater.so far no headlight spots to report,not sure what it is.