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Old 04-15-2022, 09:21 AM
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Default '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

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Old 04-15-2022, 10:19 AM
'ol Pinion head 'ol Pinion head is offline
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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.

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Old 04-15-2022, 12:28 PM
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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
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Old 04-16-2022, 05:10 PM
tjs72lemans tjs72lemans is offline
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The T-41 will take the round lens.

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Old 04-17-2022, 09:52 AM
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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

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Old 04-17-2022, 11:09 AM
'ol Pinion head 'ol Pinion head is offline
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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.

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Old 04-21-2022, 10:20 PM
69gtocv 69gtocv is offline
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[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.
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Old 04-21-2022, 10:56 PM
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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

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Old 04-22-2022, 08:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OG68 View Post
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
Which might not be a bad thing. I don't know how our "repro" businesses (Ames, OPGI, NPD, et al) make a decision on what parts to reproduce ... or not. But if they see prices really high for parts that can be reproduced for profit, there maybe an effort to do it.

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

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Old 04-22-2022, 09:15 AM
'ol Pinion head 'ol Pinion head is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OG68 View Post
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
Hard to find NOS trim pieces, specific to '71 & 72 LeMans, have always been tough to find, & for the time, typically expensive. In the last 3 years, have ran across numerous NOS grille bezels for standard nose '71 & '72 LeMans. Nearly as many pieces as I have ran across in 30 years, & that's being connected. Whats "amusing" I guess one can say, is even the best of those thin NOS thin chrome plated potmetal bezels needed to be replated for showcar use.. In the case of the grille bezels, it just makes sense to spend the $$$ & have nice used bezels properly propperly replated.

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Old 04-22-2022, 09:16 AM
py71lemans py71lemans is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OG68 View Post
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
The same seller has a pair of NOS clear lenses also.

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.
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Old 04-22-2022, 12:00 PM
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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.

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Old 04-22-2022, 04:10 PM
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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
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Old 04-22-2022, 08:42 PM
gto4evr gto4evr is online now
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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

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Old 04-22-2022, 10:41 PM
'ol Pinion head 'ol Pinion head is offline
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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:
Originally Posted by gto4evr View Post
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

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Old 04-22-2022, 10:57 PM
'ol Pinion head 'ol Pinion head is offline
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Originally Posted by 69gtocv View Post
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
On the chrome front bumper '72 LeMans, the parking lamps changed from clear to amber was in very late Dec '71. This change coincided with the speedometer change from 140 mph style to the seat belt warning style with 120 mph markings. Totally different style seatbelts & a black faced rear view mirror were also part of the govt required safety changes that were instituted for new models being made Jan 1, 1972.

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.

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Old 04-29-2022, 09:16 PM
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have you looked into doing something like this?
https://youtu.be/Pu1RTkWHA3o

  #18  
Old 04-30-2022, 10:18 AM
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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

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