Repainting with a glued-in headlight lens

[nickelplate759]

I'm "resurrecting" an old Life-Like BL2 (the first generation with the plastic frame).  The project involves repainting the shell.  Unfortunately, the headlight lens was glued in, quite solidly and messily with some kind of solvent cement, at the factory.   It broke trying to pull it out (I've done that on other BL2 shells where the lenses were NOT glued in).  So, I wend ahead and stripped the shell hoping that the lens would come lose afterwards - no luck.

I can see two ways forward:
1. Leave the lens alone, mask it when repainting, and use it as is afterwards.
2. Drill out the lens and replace it.

I'm not 100% confident that I will like the result either way - anyone have any experience?

[peteski]

Easiest would be to use some liquid mask to cover the lens during painting.  If you don'y have any actual hobby liquid mask fluids, a dab of Elmer's white glue should do the trick.  It will easily peel off the plastic lens after painting.

[craigolio1]

I’ve used silicon caulk for this as well. Peels off easily

[Wolf N Works]

I have used rubber cement myself for cheap alternative