Refitting rear light clusters

[wolfie308]

After months of making 944 and other lenses and rear conversions for other people, I'm about to fit a prepared set of units to my own car.

There is a gasket shown on PET but checking with local OPC, they can supply some stuff on bulk roll for £££'s and suggested I try my local body shop. They said they use black silicone, but I'm not happy with that as it's too messy and would form too stronger bond with the bodywork. If you needed to get them off in the future, it would be near impossible without damagig the paintwork.

Didn't there used to be some stuff called Dum Dum ? which you rolled into a strip the shape you needed. I want something like originally used that will form a seal but not a strong bond. Particularly keen to use the best stuff as I don't currently have any leaks in the boot and these units will be showcasing my own lenses[8D]

Suggestions for a suitable compound appreciated.

Richard
'90 S.2
www.protocast.co.uk Clearer by Design

 

[Big Dave]

Why not put a bead of the black silicone round the lamps, let the silicone cure/harded off. Then fit the lamps. That way it wont be messy or stick to your car....

 

[Fen]

Sounds like a plan. What about clear silicone though?

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I got a length of the proper stuff from Ken Tolfree when he serviced my car. It is a sort of mastic with a very stiff metal core, and it's hard to tighten the light fitting evenly unless it's really warm. I waited until a very hot day to do it.

It might be worth asking around the specialists to see if they'll do you a bit off a bulk roll? Or, what they use instead.....

Paul McNulty
1986 Lux

 

[Guest]

3M windscreen caulking is the stuff to use. Places like Autoglass are your best bet. It's in a roll. Ask 'em nicely if they have a couple of metres, and you may even get a freebie.....

 

[wolfie308]

Cheers Guys,

Fen - silicone just isn't the man for the job on this one. I have however started using a similar Sikaflex compound for bonding in the clear indicator. After trying numerous clear products, people might be surprised that in fact black gives a better more factory look IMHO (if done properly of course)[]

Paul - Hmm.....I give JZ a ring and see if they can help wiv something so 'umble.

Mike - Like it.......I'll look out my nearest Autoglass and see if they'll do me a bit

I'm still trying to decide whether or not to fit the top clear fog as well. I have made lenses specially for this which match the reverse lenses [8D]. I only know of one car in the U.K with all top 3 clear - and I did the conversion. The guy who bought it on eBay wrote "Top quality item worth every penny"

I'm sending out another pair this week together with the Lux front and rear indicators -anybody else interested ?

Richard
' 90 S.2
www.protocast.co.uk - Clearer by Design

 

[wolfie308]

After searching high and low, ringing every motor factor I could find and scouring the internet without success, I walked into my local car accessory and parts shop and b****r me - there it was..... Dum Dum !!

Just what I've been after, he only had 2 tins so I took them both for £3.99 each. Not sure if one was going to be quite enough for both clusters. It's like plasticene and much cleaner and easier to use than any silicone or similar goo. Will warm the rear bodywork with a hair dryer before tightening the nuts, with a gasket of the stuff already formed round the recess of the cluster. I suspect it might help to do same to soften the original sealant to get the old ones off.

Hoping to get the clear indicators sealed in today and on the car over the weekend in time for the Morgan factory visit on Monday [8D][8D] .......fingers crossed !

Richard
' 90 S.2
www.protocast.co.uk - Clearer by Design