Gauge Cluster Clear Plastic Lens

[thirdmanj]

It's actually made from Makralon extruded polycarbonate.

James

Translation: Very expensive plastic.

[LEVY]

Translation: Very expensive plastic.

Yes, very expensive indeed: http://www.usplastic.com/mobile/item...4785&catid=704

[stevedmc]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/118/3571/=jr086x

[mluder]

Yes, very expensive indeed: http://www.usplastic.com/mobile/item...4785&catid=704

Yeah - A 24" by 24" sheet of 1/8" costs a whopping $20. You can probably get 2 out of that so we're in 10 bucks for materials. That leaves $140 bucks for forming. See...

All kidding aside - If I was in need of course I would send my $150 to Houston.

Cheers
Steven

[mluder]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/118/3571/=jr086x

Uh-Huh! Huh! Flourescent Rods
Flourescent rods.JPG

Cheers
Steve

[jerrysony]

My lens are totally unusable. They seem to caught some kind of fire/heat by the PO so it´s totally clouded with a fog like screen. I´ve tried every posted solution without success, I even took it to a professional to polish it. my only option is to get a new one, but houston seems to be out of stock.

Does anyone know who´s making them?

[Texas Twister]

I think it was a Turtle wax product. At any rate, the lens had white spots from some spray. We first wet sanded it with 1000 grit same paper then polished it. The Meguiars PlastX should work too.

[TTait]

My lens are totally unusable. They seem to caught some kind of fire/heat by the PO so it´s totally clouded with a fog like screen. I´ve tried every posted solution without success, I even took it to a professional to polish it. my only option is to get a new one, but houston seems to be out of stock.

Does anyone know who´s making them?

Not unusable at all. Mine was really bad too, so I pulled it out and gave it to a friend with access to a vacuform machine. It tales a piece of thinner plastic, as is used in packaging etc, heats it up and then lowers it down over a mold. A vacuum table then pulls the hot plastic tight onto the mold.

My friend used the original lens as the mold (the original remained undamaged after this) and pulled a new lens for me in a couple of minutes. I had to trim the plastic to size and drill the holes for the mounting screws. I've kept quiet about it because its thinner than stock and I didn't know if it would hold up. So far it has - beautifully. Nobody would guess its thinner than stock - maybe a concours judge would pick it out, but maybe not.

After more than a year, including perhaps 30 days parked in the hot sun at work - I can affirm that its a cheap date that works well. If you decide to go this route, go ahead and have a few extras made - if it does crack or warp after a few years, pop a new one in.

Discuss with whoever you find to do the work the thickness of the plastic - as thick as reasonable, but still thin enough to pick up the contours of the mounting tabs and holes. It would also be a cheap way of experimenting with a tinted or smoke lens - with bright LEDs backlighting it.

[DMC3165]

I got one from PJ Grady a few years back when he sold me a new binnacle. Maybe he still has some?

[jerrysony]

Not unusable at all. Mine was really bad too, so I pulled it out and gave it to a friend with access to a vacuform machine. It tales a piece of thinner plastic, as is used in packaging etc, heats it up and then lowers it down over a mold. A vacuum table then pulls the hot plastic tight onto the mold.

My friend used the original lens as the mold (the original remained undamaged after this) and pulled a new lens for me in a couple of minutes. I had to trim the plastic to size and drill the holes for the mounting screws. I've kept quiet about it because its thinner than stock and I didn't know if it would hold up. So far it has - beautifully. Nobody would guess its thinner than stock - maybe a concours judge would pick it out, but maybe not.

After more than a year, including perhaps 30 days parked in the hot sun at work - I can affirm that its a cheap date that works well. If you decide to go this route, go ahead and have a few extras made - if it does crack or warp after a few years, pop a new one in.

Discuss with whoever you find to do the work the thickness of the plastic - as thick as reasonable, but still thin enough to pick up the contours of the mounting tabs and holes. It would also be a cheap way of experimenting with a tinted or smoke lens - with bright LEDs backlighting it.

Thank you for all the info Ttait. Great advice. I´ll try to do that and update with the results. Best regards.