Lancia Beta Forum

I wonder if anyone has ever separated the lenses of the rear tail lights of  beta spyder. I wanted to clean the insides and also repair a broken brake light lens.  Any one ever dare to do it? .

Please post instruction how to do it, and if possible, photos how its done.

Angelom

I'm not sure they are designed to be split but I know that they can be (my indicator lens nearly fell out and had to be glued back in place)

certainly can be split-used my spyder one day to drop off my youngest at at school-he took out his bag from the boot and enthusiastically banged to boot down.

Further down the street was a refuse truck-didn't pay much attention to it initially as I crossed a junction, turnred right and scrossed two more junctions-then noticed he was tailgating me-got  abit rattty but was then embarrassed when he flashed me, i stopped and one of the guys jumped out and said you lost this mister-the lens had fallen off!

Mumbled my thanks given its rarity!

Colin.

Hi ALL, Thanks for the posts.

YES is the answer, they can be separated. after rearing a few forums, worked out that if you put them in the oven at 60 deg til the get nice and toasty, well hot but not scorching! I did mine for 7-10 min , then separating  the lens from the body is really easy.

After hot, Use a blade to go around them, then a small flat screwdriver to find a gap and start prying gently,  you will eventually get around the whole lens and it will just pop out.

Now to fix the crack! and replace the bolts :-)

Well done.
You're a braver man than me!
I have a spare pair of spider rear lights and wouldn't sell them for any money. It took me a year or two to get a replacement for my car then i got a spider for €100 with two perfect tail lamps so the rest of the car was free.

I cover the rebuilding of Spyder tail lights in my restoration log. Hopefully, you can get there from the top link.
A sampling of pictures attached.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.115132145180952.15361.100000525018141&type=1&l=b1a40f1968 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.115132145180952.15361.100000525018141&type=1&l=b1a40f1968)
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Hi PeeVee

I just had my lenses plastic welded so they are completely waterproof , but I'm really disappointed as the crack line is still visible.

After viewing your photo's Can you explain the process of buffing the lens so well how you were able to make the crack line disappear?

Also what products you used, as I can see a lot of plastic polishing and other items , but cannot see what they are?

Your help is appreciated.

regards Angelo m

Hi Angelo,

Sorry for the long delay. I've taken a break from my project and haven't checked the forum in a while. Hope it isn't too late!

I used the thinnest cyanoacrylate glue (sometimes called "CA" or "super glue") I could find. Try a hobby shop that sells plastic model kits. The fast drying stuff is the thin stuff. Alas, even that did not wick into the crack like I had hoped. What I think would work better is the glue that they use to fix cracked windshields.  Maybe some one here knows more about that glue than me.

Anyhow, I tried to get the glue to go into the crack as best I could and let it dry. Then wet sanded the excess glue smooth with sandpaper. Can't remember the exact grit I started with (maybe 320) and then worked my way down to something like 600 or 1000 grit. Then just hand polished it with Novus Plastic Polish. The Novus product is really nice but you could probably use another brand if it is not available in your part of the world. Just has worked better than anything else I have tried.

You can still see the crack but you really have to be looking for it.
Good luck,
Paul Valente

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Not sure that super glue is a good idea it can gradually turn some clear plastics misty, reckon the windscreen repair resin would be a safer bet

When windscreen crack repairs are made they are done so by creating a vacuum between the laminated layers, this draws in the glue as it's injected in, so there are no air bubbles, this just isn't possible on a plastic lens.

I think the repair Paul has made is excellent.  If you want perfection then buy a new one..... And we all know how easy and inexpensive that would be!

Paul, well done sir and thank you for sharing your hints and tips.

PS - I agree the thin modelling solvent would be probably be the best option.


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Thanks Matt and thanks for the insight into the windshield glue.  I guess it probably would not have worked any better than the CA glue because you couldn't really generate a vacuum.  :-\

The other thing that I noted on my FB page was that the light consists of two lenses; the amber signal lense and the "clear" brake and reverse light lens. The red is just painted on! I think you guys in Europe had a different style lens early on that had a smaller reflector. Maybe that one is different. Anyhow, I used another product form the hobby world to try to touch it up. Testors Candy Apple Red spray paint. I saw some of these tuner guys have used it with pretty good results to tint clear lenses. It worked okay but not great.

There are primers available for different types of "superglue" which aren't known to the general public.
They allow maximum adhesion and penetration of the adhesive and if you contact an industrial supplier of Loctite (the firm I used to deal with), they will recomend a particular adhesive and primer for your specific need.
I last worked in this field about 12 years ago so the details escape me as does the actual name of the firm I dealt with, but most firms who supply electronic assembly tools and aids should be able to point you in the right direction.
My compliments on the finish you've achieved on those lenses and a quick question- What exhaust back box have you on that fantastic spider?
I'm collecting a second red one in February and now I want to spray it black!   

That's a box I made myself. I always thought the factory set-up was lacking in appeal. I wanted twin-tips but they don't fit the opening and hanging it under the valance is not a look that I particularly care for either. See this thread for details. http://www.betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2023.msg14626#msg14626 (http://www.betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2023.msg14626#msg14626)

Oh, and the car is actually Blu Lancia not black. It started life as one of those black and gold editions we had here in America. I decided to go retro with the small bumpers and a 1960's traditional Lancia color.   :)

Excellent work all round.
Those Federal-spec bumpers were horrendous looking encumberments indeed as were the Federal-spec headlamps I remember being fited to the Mercedes 190e and similar.