Write up: Formula Bumper Front Turn Signals
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 207
Likes: 1
From: Augusta, GA
Write up: Formula Bumper Front Turn Signals After I washed my car this past Thursday I went to the drag strip. I realized on the way I blew another bulb and I had no left blinker. The water was starting to seep through the cracks in my lenses again. I had taken them out once before and put about 10 coats of clear coat over them sealing up the cracks and it held for about 3 years, but now enough was enough. No way in hell was I paying 70 bucks a pop per turn signal houseing so I made my own lenses outta 1/4 thick Lexan glass. Lets see a road hazard crack these babies!! Its pretty simple to do but Im sure some will ask how I did it anyways so heres how its done.
Materials:
1 Can of DuPont Chrome Paint
1 Small piece of Lexan Glass
1 tube of clear silicone
screwdriver
10mm and 11mm socket and ratchet
Step 1:
Remove the turn signal houseings from the bumper.
Step 2:
Remove the lenses from the houseings
Step3:
I cleaned the inside of the houseings with some Krud Kutter then re-chromed the insides with DuPont Chrome paint. I traced the old lenses over on the Lexan to match up to a perfect fit.
Step 4:
After your paint is dry, run a thick bead of clear silicone around the edge of the houseing. Make sure to center up the lenses and run your finger around the outside edge of the houseing and lens, add more silicone if needed to fill in the gap. I also siliconed any cracks I could find on the back side of the houseings from old age.
Step 5:
Let the sit over night or at least a couple hours to let the silicone cure up and reinstall!
Materials:
1 Can of DuPont Chrome Paint
1 Small piece of Lexan Glass
1 tube of clear silicone
screwdriver
10mm and 11mm socket and ratchet
Step 1:
Remove the turn signal houseings from the bumper.
Step 2:
Remove the lenses from the houseings
Step3:
I cleaned the inside of the houseings with some Krud Kutter then re-chromed the insides with DuPont Chrome paint. I traced the old lenses over on the Lexan to match up to a perfect fit.
Step 4:
After your paint is dry, run a thick bead of clear silicone around the edge of the houseing. Make sure to center up the lenses and run your finger around the outside edge of the houseing and lens, add more silicone if needed to fill in the gap. I also siliconed any cracks I could find on the back side of the houseings from old age.
Step 5:
Let the sit over night or at least a couple hours to let the silicone cure up and reinstall!
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 207
Likes: 1
From: Augusta, GA
honestly Im not really sure. My best guess would be from rocks and other crap flying up off of the road from other vehicles in front of me. they were a little cracked already when I first purchased the car but no where near as bad as the were in the pics above. I can definately say one thing.. they are ALOT brighter now at night. looks sswwweeeet!
Excellent Timing Nice work and write-up!
Two questions: Do you think this can work with the T/A housings? and Where do you buy Lexan? I am about to swap my front clip and it will be the perfect time to do my old foggy lenses (214,000+ miles never garaged...)
Two questions: Do you think this can work with the T/A housings? and Where do you buy Lexan? I am about to swap my front clip and it will be the perfect time to do my old foggy lenses (214,000+ miles never garaged...)
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Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 207
Likes: 1
From: Augusta, GA
I dont see why you coudlnt do it on the T/A housings.. you may have to heat up the Lexan to get it to curve tho. Arent the T/A Lenses curved? I would take out the lenses, get a piece of paper lay the lens face down on the paper, trace out the lense on the paper, Rolling the lens as you trace it. Then you can cut out the template and lay it over on your lexan and trace it out there. Should be able to pick up the Lexan at a Home depot or Lowes or someplace that sells Lexan/Plexiglass. Can possibly take a torch and heat up the Lexan slowly bending it, just besure not to scorch it and leave burnt/brown spots in the Lexan. Remember it is made of a composite plastic so it WILL melt if you get it to hot. G'luck on this! post some pics when you decide replace the lenses.
Thanks, will do the pics in a month or so when I remove my bumper. I believe the T/A lenses (DRL/Turn Signal) are flat, but I'll have to look again. If they are curved, I'll practice on scrap Lexan with a heat gun. Thanks again for the write-up.
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Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 207
Likes: 1
From: Augusta, GA
Yes you can remove them w/o having to remove the bumper. there are 3 11mm aluminum type nuts that hold the housing on. back them off a bit and slide the housing upwards. They just kinda pop in place. can get to them rather easily from the bottom where the flap unbolts OR if you got small arms you can go in from behind the headlight lids when you raise your lights.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 207
Likes: 1
From: Augusta, GA
I just used an angle grinder. I cut the lenses out with straight cuts and then grinded the lexan around the edges of the template to the round shape of the old lenses. The lexan kinda 'melted' the edges while grinding but easily snapped/peeled off to a clean cut when finished. I ment to take pics but with only 2 hands operating the grinder I didnt have a 3rd to operate the camera.