body and interior Convert US turns into Euro turns?

[Driv3r]

 

Anybody know what happened to that guy who was selling them on eBay? I was intrigued but waited too long to decide, and they haven't been available for months. Yes, they were cheap, but... they were cheap. And it looked like with a little finessing (chrome paint/wrap) they could look decent. I think the seller was in Europe; not sure if BMW shut them down or if it was another reason.

 

-Dave

 

 

 

 

It looked as it was made in China. With new technologies emerging everyday, it won't be hard to replicate a replacement lens. But the problem is that you need to break your current lens to use this replacement or, go through the oven process to remove the original lens. This will be a hold back for many when deciding to buy or not.

I think whoever made these, thought that by bypassing the lens removal and just making a whole replacement as one piece, he could push this sale by overcoming the aforementioned challenge.

I don't think BMW has any power over anyone making parts for their own classic cars. Frankly I don't don't think they care either.

Almost $140 for a pair was too high for forum sale. I'd say it seemed like a 100% profit margin.

[dlhoovler]

12 minutes ago, Driv3r said:

Almost $140 for a pair was too high for forum sale. I'd say it seemed like a 100% profit margin.

 

 

Oh--I'd recalled the price as having been less. That helps to explain why I didn't pull the trigger...

 

-Dave

[theNomad]

That looks like the way to go. Paint the edges if you want, but chrome lovers wouldn't bite.

[halboyles]

I bought a set of these early this year with the thought to black out the parts that would usually be chromed instead of wasting a good OEM Euro set.  Total cost for a set shipped from Peru was 81 but the product is very cheap, entirely made of plastic including the bulb holder bracket assembly as seen in the pics.  Also, the plastic was very soft and wouldn't survive unscathed for very many miles.

 

I have several sets of flat lenses that could serve as sacrificial lambs if someone could create a proper mold AND produce the lenses with a plastic that could survive daily driving. 

 

 

[Driv3r]

I have several sets of flat lenses

By flat you mean euro style? Are these separated from the chrome housing or still attached? Tsingtao could use one or I can have it 3D scanned to CAD. Once the mould is made, you could use transparent polymer and uv treated ABS materials.

[Tsingtao_1903]

9 hours ago, Driv3r said:

 

By flat you mean euro style? Are these separated from the chrome housing or still attached? Tsingtao could use one or I can have it 3D scanned to CAD. Once the mould is made, you could use transparent polymer and uv treated ABS materials.

 

Thank you. I now have a set of beat up euro turn signals purchased from a faq member.  The lens surface has more compound curves than I had expected.  Back to the garage....

[Tsingtao_1903]

Okay, I am back from the garage.

 

1)  Made a mold by eye balling the actual lens.  The actual lens curves from front to back.  It also has a crease about 1/2" from the top.  Then, it concaves downwards and splays out (not on the same plane as the top).  The prismatic lens below shows the complex curvatures of the formed lens.

2)  Crank the oven temperature up to 400F.  Soak the pieces for 10 minutes (no smokes or fires to report).

3)  Took them out from the oven and form them to the mold by hands (with my manly oven mitts - of course).

 

Voila.

 

The fit is still not good.  I still need to tweak the flat cut pieces so that the formed lens will fit exactly to the lens frame.  But, they will fit from the outside in.

 

Back to the garage...

[halboyles]

That looks like great progress.  How did you manage to separate the lens from the chrome frame?

 

 

[Tsingtao_1903]

Throw the whole thing in to an oven at 300F and left it there for 10 minutes.  This method is only if you don't plan to reuse the lens because it become soft and lose it shapes.  My lenses were cracked and damaged already.  So, I ripped them out and threw then away. The original lenses were heat bonded in place.  I do not know of anyway to get them out without damaging them.

[halboyles]

Well if that method leaves the frame in tact it would also open up the opportunity to re-finish the metal frame.  Sounds like you are on to something.

 

A good cold beer is definitely in order.  Know any good ones?!

[Driv3r]

3 minutes ago, Tsingtao_1903 said:

I do not know of anyway to get them out without damaging them.

 

Could try a Dremel cutter to cut away the aluminium piece by piece. 

[Tsingtao_1903]

26 minutes ago, halboyles said:

Well if that method leaves the frame in tact it would also open up the opportunity to re-finish the metal frame.  Sounds like you are on to something.

 

A good cold beer is definitely in order.  Know any good ones?!

Try Tsingtao beer.  Company sent me to live and work in Qingdao for 3 years.  Tsingtao beer is made in Qingdao.  Met my wife, beer served in a plastic bag for less than 20 cents.  Try it.

[Tsingtao_1903]

A quick update.

 

Cut, form, fit, measure, tweak flat file, repeat.  Went through a dozen cycles or so. The diffuser and the outer lens fit much better.  For the italian style I cut the back and the front pieces from different materials and glue them together.  The concept works.  But, hand forming is very iffy.  I am going to build a mold similar to a tortilla press.  The idea is to heat up the cut lens.  Press and hold to shape.

 

Back to the garage...

[Driv3r]

15 hours ago, Tsingtao_1903 said:

A quick update.

 

Cut, form, fit, measure, tweak flat file, repeat.  Went through a dozen cycles or so. The diffuser and the outer lens fit much better.  For the italian style I cut the back and the front pieces from different materials and glue them together.  The concept works.  But, hand forming is very iffy.  I am going to build a mold similar to a tortilla press.  The idea is to heat up the cut lens.  Press and hold to shape.

 

Back to the garage...

 

 

Nice, I know this is a trial run but for the final mould, just make sure you get the orange and clear portion right. The clear portion seems to be larger than the orange section in the genuine Italian style.

 

[Tsingtao_1903]

I've been having server problems in trying to reach the faq.  I will start a separate blog for those who want to follow this diy project.