FAQ |
Members List |
Social Groups |
Calendar |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
||||
|
||||
'72 LeMans park lights
Has any body attempted a repair of the front amber park/turn signal lights. I haven't been able to find any repos, so my only choice is to try to repair the cracked/scratched 50 year old original lenses. I'm still trying to figure out a methodology.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Ogre
__________________
“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” -- Benjamin Franklin - (1706-1790) US Founding Father |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
If the scratches are light, minimal sand pitting, the parking lamp lens can be carefully cut n polished. Worse condition than that, & you're looking for a really nice presentation out of the lens, going to have to source nicer used parking lamps.
Keep in mind, if your '72 LeMans is an early build (Fall of '71) like mine, the parking lamps should be clear faced, with amber bulbs/ same '71 parking lamos as '71 T-37/'71 LeMans. As i further correlate & organize old parts inventory will keep my eyes open, know i have some amber parking lamps from later built '72's. Years ago, bought up NOS parking lamps for show use for my '71 233's & set aside nice used for minimal driving (track use), it doesn't take much much being kicked up to damage the faces of these.
__________________
Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks, OPH. I've got the originals from my lucy blue vert, and a second set from my coupe (to be restored later with T41 front). Below are the best pair and the cracks may not show up real well, but they are BAD! Including the small hole!
I have been playing with the idea of buying some Chevelle lenses (very large), and trying to carve out a fresh lens and gluing new lenses on. The back where the light sockets fasten in are not great, but are useable. I was wondering if anybody else had tried to modify new lenses. Ogre
__________________
“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” -- Benjamin Franklin - (1706-1790) US Founding Father |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
The T-41 will take the round lens.
|
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Yes, thanks TJ.
That is why I am going to use the worst set of LeMans rectangle shaped lights to try and modify. If it works fine ... if not I will still have a set of nasty looking turn signals that are no longer reproduced. I'll try to update on my efforts. I just ordered a set of Chevelle front park lights for about $75. I have most of the T-41 stuff, and it looks like lots of places still carry the repo valance panels, round receptacles, and lenses. To OPH: Both of my LeMans have the amber lens and use the 1157 clear bulb. Ogre
__________________
“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” -- Benjamin Franklin - (1706-1790) US Founding Father |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Ogre, will be interesting on the Malibu/Chevelle parking lamp deal. Have a feeling those have a curve to them. Typ abstained from dragging in '70 & 71-72 Malibus, have had several ElCo's from those years.
__________________
Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
[QUOTE='ol Pinion head;6334868
Keep in mind, if your '72 LeMans is an early build (Fall of '71) like mine, the parking lamps should be clear faced, with amber bulbs/ same '71 parking lamos as '71 T-37/'71 LeMans. As i further correlate & organize old parts inventory will keep my eyes open, know i have some amber parking lamps from later built '72's. Years ago, bought up NOS parking lamps for show use for my '71 233's & set aside nice used for minimal driving (track use), it doesn't take much much being kicked up to damage the faces of these.[/QUOTE] Do you have an approximate date when they switched to the amber lenses? My 72 is a 3rd week of Dec 71 build and it has clear lenses still. Not 100% they're original though Disregard my question. My 72 is a T41 and apparently 71 AND 72 T41's used the clear round lenses Last edited by 69gtocv; 04-21-2022 at 10:53 PM. |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Wow! The bidding on these 72 lenses has really taken off. $405 with four days left to go.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/32515258392...UAAOSwcY9iXZrI
__________________
Ed 1968 GTO (Thanks Mom) 2006 Silverado 2007 Cadillac SRX 2015 Chevy Express |
#9
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
I'll try to add to my effort to "overhaul" the pair I have later today. Up front I will admit that it is tedious, and in the end may not be worth the effort, but it's something to do in between the other necessary work on my "project" cars. I've got pics and pics, but I'll try to keep those to a minimum. I also need to answer oph: I have been searching for any large amber lenses, that I can cut and graft on to the white plastic casing. Nothing is big enough, but the '72 Chevell lenses have a large front face, then bend around to the marker light location. They are BIG. But the front (flat) face is large enough to cut out and shape with some minor differences. It'll show in the pics. Ogre
__________________
“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” -- Benjamin Franklin - (1706-1790) US Founding Father |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
__________________
Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
If you are interested I have a LH amber lens I am going to put in the for sale section. It has a crack where the lens meets the housing that can be glued and would not be visible. $50 + shipping. Let me know, I will wait to post it. |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Just to be clear, I am a bare basic level novice, so concourse is OUT of the question.
I have been reading several posts about the limited visibility due to our car design. Low brake/turn signals in the back. low situated turn signal in the front. Rather than go high intensity (halogen, HEi, LED) @ $$$, I am trying to increase my intentions visibility (turn/stop) by modifying. Ogre
__________________
“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” -- Benjamin Franklin - (1706-1790) US Founding Father |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Ok, here goes guys. I apologize if i get too far in the weeds. I posted my qualifications and reasons in my previous post.
First, I heated the assembly (carefully) to just soften enough to take some of the brittleness away (pic 1). VERY CAREFULLY!! Then used a twist/torque motion until I heard a small "crack", breaking loose some of the glue. Continue, continue ... you get the idea. Eventually most of the lens is ready to be removed with some more heat and small screwdriver prying. (pic 2). I tried two different techniques with the large cut out lens for a Chevelle. First, I used my dremel to try to save the outer mounting area of the original lens, and cut a piece to fit in the cut out area (pic 3). Next I tried to just cut out the lens I wanted to glue to the white housing (pic 4). The Chevelle lenses have a vertical bar structure on the front (looked bad) so I just reversed them, put the bars inside and used the "ruffled" face to the front (pic 5). None of them are finished. These are just the rough prototypes, and will require much more work. As I stated, it may not be worth the effort, but for some improvement for parts not reproduced, it may be our only hope. I'll let y'all digest those and critique my efforts (be gentle, lol). I've got more. I even tried it with the side markers, but now I see they are being repro'ed, so I don't need to do the same thing there. FWIW, Ogre
__________________
“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” -- Benjamin Franklin - (1706-1790) US Founding Father |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
I’m down here in Carlisle show looking for a set of the 71 clear ones. Nothing but some crack smoking individual that thinks a pair of them with one caved in with a ball peen hammer crack in it and he wanted $150. Thinks they go for “200 all day long”. Anyways I found a pair of amber lenses…….but surprised the lens shows a 71 date codes on them. Can’t say I ever saw a 71 with amber lenses. Did they forget to change the mold date or was it a late model year changeover?
Not sure I trust these molded dates on lenses anymore. I know I’ve got 69 and 70 date coded 69 and 70 gto front turn lenses that are identical so they changed the mold dates for those even though the lenses didn’t change, yet, I just bought a pair of original finned tail light lenses that were 71 only and these have 70 dates on them too so I don’t know what to think now |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
The face of mid to late '72 production LeMans parking lamps (Amber) indeed have 71 on them, same molded script as '71's.
Really nice used 69 GTO parking lamp lens, ones that can be polished up, have always been a tough one. Have had several pair. Darn shame Ames didn't have them molded in '69, as well as '70. Same repro "70" lenses for last 30 years... Ribbed "71 GTO" tailights also were used in '72 Lux LeMans, have hauled in and parted way too many '72 Lux LeMans over the last 35 years including a red 2 door hardtop with 4082 miles. Some ribbed "71 GTO" taillight lenses were also factory installed in '72 LeMans including a few GTO's. Began pulling nice '70-72 Pontiac A-body taillight lenses in the early 80's. Personally, I prefer the "smoothie" style used from '70-72, they also hold up much better. Quote:
__________________
Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
On the '71-72 endura front end Pontiac A-bodies, there are 3 different dated lense "capsules" that will fit. Ones dated "71", "72", then the '73 GrandAm pieces which have a clear front lense without the slight "grid work" design in the molding of the lense. The reproduction parking lamps offered today say "72" on them.
__________________
Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
#17
|
||||
|
||||
have you looked into doing something like this?
https://youtu.be/Pu1RTkWHA3o |
#18
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks for that link, Craig. That would probably be the "perfect" solution, except for the cost (materials and a pressure vessel) and time required to complete it.
If I had a perfect specimen, I might be enticed to try it. Since the four lenses I have are cracked and deeply scratched, it seems that I could reproduce some more "cracked and deeply scratched" lenses. lol I've even considered trying to find a 3D printing company to get an estimate for printing two versions (R on one and L on the other, with the DOT and P/N). I haven't really done enough research to see if that is cost effective enough to try, but I always thought that might be an option. The parts manufacturer for the Chevelle lenses I bought is Trim Parts in Lebanon Ohio. Some of their lenses are advertised as "Made in USA", so they probably have some capabilities. Bottom line, I am not sure there is a good solution, so I'll just slap on the old ugly lenses and not worry about it. Thanks, Ogre
__________________
“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” -- Benjamin Franklin - (1706-1790) US Founding Father |
Reply |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|