| Author | Message | ||
     Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 948 Registered: 2-2013 |
When my purple RR Silver Spirit was delivered from the vendor to me by a tilt tray driver, the idiot had managed to smash in the amber indicator lens on the drivers side rear. I didn't even bother to ask this fool how he managed to do that but I did personally inspect the car prior to purchase and the indicator lens was not broken then. So I decided the do an el cheapo repair on it. The correct way to repair it would be to buy a new or second hand lens in good condition. Not in that type of financial situation at the moment but what appeared at first to be a simple repair turned very tricky. Firstly, the broken pieces were inside the assembly so easy to retrieve. There are four 8mm nuts and washers holding the assembly to the body. Remove these carefully and deposit into a sealed jar. You have be careful not to drop them as they will disappear down into the body work and could prove quite difficult to retrieve. The washers look like they are aluminum but are actually ferous. The bottom nut closest to the outside drivers side of the car cannot be removed until the assembly is pulled backwards slightly as it hits a strengthening member. Its important to take things slowly removing the assembly because there is a high density foam gasket between the assembly and the metal body and you don't want to rip it because it keeps dust and water out of the boot. So to glue back into place the broken pieces of the amber indicator lens I used Tarzan's Grip General Purpose Glue. Its cheap at under $10 AUD anywhere in Australia. The first thing you will find you have to do is pull the assembly apart. There are two star screws holding it together. Then using a blunt knife you have to prise the thing apart as it held together by a grey soft sealant. The first thing you will notice is the broken pieces will not fit back in. I used emery cloth to lightly sand the edge of the broken piece to get it back in. Now things will get ugly. You have the assembly on a wooden table, press the broken piece back in as well as you can but there will still be part of it which will not go in. Take a nylon hammer and put it over the mongrel bit giving you static and the use a heavy hammer and strike the nylon hammer. Amazingly the piece went totally back into place. I then put black electrical tape on the outside of the lens completely covering the cracks then put it back on the wooden table and put Tarzan's Grip all around the crack from the inside. This stuff dries and does a neat job and dries completely in 12 hours at 20C. The next step will be to seal any holes up in the lens with clear silastic before reassembling the assembly and fitting back onto the car. As I said it an "el cheapo" repair but unless you are a foot away from the car its a lot better that having a gaping hole in the lens that bites you every time you look at it and this repair keeps road grime, dust etc from entering the assembly along with corrosion and water. | ||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 175 Registered: 1-2014 |
Vlad, you can then wet sand the glue lines on the outside with 800/1500/2000 grit paper and after you get it smooth polish the lens with Brasso or an automotive finishing polish. Brasso is great for restoring the shine to plastic lenses. SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 949 Registered: 2-2013 |
Jim, thanks for the tip on Brasso. I have not seen it for sale for a long time here in OZ but I think it must be sold somewhere. I used Autosol chrome cream to clean up the plastic emblems on the hubcaps and hood emblem on my 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood, so if I can't find any Brasso here I will try that. Cheers Vladimir | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2919 Registered: 4-2003 |
Vladimir, You will usually find "Brasso" on the major supermarket shelves with other cleaning products [Gumption, furniture oils etc]. OK - not in Mount Coolon but certainly in the major regional towns. | ||
| michael vass Grand Master Username: mikebentleyturbo2 Post Number: 473 Registered: 7-2015 |
Hi Jim I have used Tcut on cloudy plastic lenses and they come up like new. Maybe Vladimir can find this in Mount Coolon lol cheers Mike | ||
| Nigel Johnson Prolific User Username: nigel_johnson Post Number: 168 Registered: 12-2008 |
Nice repair Vladimir. Just a small point, the nuts are 2BA,well they are on my 1980 Spirit. Regards, Nigel. |
