CLEAR corners for firebirds
09-17-2002, 08:43 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Gulf Breeze, Fl. USA
Posts: 710
CLEAR corners for firebirds
hey, i had a hard time finding them a while back. and everyone probably knows about where to find them, but incase someone missed them, i found a site that carries them-
http://www.procarparts.com/store/dis...d=CBL-332-1679
they have both for front signals and the rear corner lights
Ps- swear i'm not doing any advertising for this company, just thought i would point them out!
http://www.procarparts.com/store/dis...d=CBL-332-1679
they have both for front signals and the rear corner lights
Ps- swear i'm not doing any advertising for this company, just thought i would point them out!
Last edited by slverbullet; 09-17-2002 at 08:46 PM.
09-17-2002, 08:53 PM
#2
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: New Haven, CT
Posts: 1,042
I own them
Clear TS lights really cleaned up the look of my car. Orange lenses were like big blobs on my white car, but the clears smooth out the front. Glad I bought them
Too bad I don't have any pics yet
Clear TS lights really cleaned up the look of my car. Orange lenses were like big blobs on my white car, but the clears smooth out the front. Glad I bought them Too bad I don't have any pics yet
09-18-2002, 11:18 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Gulf Breeze, Fl. USA
Posts: 710
actually, i guess there arent any. the ones i saw were the front side markers for the '98-'02 models. i just glanced at them real quick and thought they were the rear side markers. if anyone knows if and where you could get some, please let me know. (for the '93-'97 model firebird) thanks.
dave
dave
they aren't made yet
09-18-2002, 02:53 PM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New Haven, CT
Posts: 1,042
I made my own
I made my own clear rear sidemarkers...
First, buy a clear plastic sheet of plastic from Home Depot. I don't know the name of the stuff, but its the stuff used in drop cieling panels in offices. You will need a Dremel, or some rotary tool (variable speed ones are best, since a one speed, 35,000 RPM one will cut so fast it will melt the plastic that you must cut later) Also, buy some clear silicone and white spray paint (I used white engine enamel).
Take the lenses off your car. You will then have to pry off the red lens from the housing. This toughest part, try heating it up with a hairdryer, and then try to pry it off gently with a flathead screwdriver. Don't worry if you crack the plastic, because this stuff is VERY brittle.
Once you have separated the lenses, trace an outline of the housing on the plastic sheet (don't forget to trace the little stub the sticks out on one side). It was hard getting the pencil or marker to show on plastic, so I put down some masking tape, then traced. That allowed the lines to be shown on clear plastic. Always remember: It's better be a little larger than a little smaller.
Next, with the masking tape still on, you must cut out the plastic with a rotary tool. After cutting it out, test fit it to the housing. You may have to sand some rough edges with some sand paper or use the rotary tool if you have a sanding drum piece (like I did). You must also drill a hole where the screw will go to hold the lenses in place on the car. BE CAREFUL!! The plastic is very brittle, and I had my whole housing crack off where I drilled the first time I did this.
You should ask around on this step, since I don't know how many people have done it: Since the housing was a gray, and I wanted a white, smooth look for my white car, I painted the housing white with engine enamel (I used that because I thought the heat from the bulb would cause normal paint to flake or melt). Without it, the clear lens would show the gray part of the housing. So I put two coats of the white paint on the housing.
Next you must silicone the clear lens to the housing. This sounds simple, but it gets a little complicated. Since the stock red housing was thick, and the new clear lens was thin on my car, if I siliconed the clear lens to the housing with just one layer of silicone, the lens would sink in drastically from the car, making it look like a hole was in the car.
I ran two thick layers of silicone down the edges of the housing (let the first one dry, put down second, attach lens, let dry) When the silicone drys, you may have to sand the edges so it will fit well. If you still see a small recession in the body because your silicone wasn't thick enough, then put some small blobs on the back of the housing to raise the ENTIRE housing up (rather than just the lens, which what you were doing before). This step is mostly trial and error.
Also, remember that stub on the housing? Don't put silicone on that, it must fit in with the body. If you do get silicone on it, just use the rotary tool to saw it off. You will also need a red bulb so your lens will be street legal. The PN for the bulb is 194 for rear markers (If I remember correctly) I used the APC ones from Pep Boys, and they are fine to me and have not blown out.
Good luck with this process, if you have any questions, e-mail me again.
First, buy a clear plastic sheet of plastic from Home Depot. I don't know the name of the stuff, but its the stuff used in drop cieling panels in offices. You will need a Dremel, or some rotary tool (variable speed ones are best, since a one speed, 35,000 RPM one will cut so fast it will melt the plastic that you must cut later) Also, buy some clear silicone and white spray paint (I used white engine enamel).
Take the lenses off your car. You will then have to pry off the red lens from the housing. This toughest part, try heating it up with a hairdryer, and then try to pry it off gently with a flathead screwdriver. Don't worry if you crack the plastic, because this stuff is VERY brittle.
Once you have separated the lenses, trace an outline of the housing on the plastic sheet (don't forget to trace the little stub the sticks out on one side). It was hard getting the pencil or marker to show on plastic, so I put down some masking tape, then traced. That allowed the lines to be shown on clear plastic. Always remember: It's better be a little larger than a little smaller.
Next, with the masking tape still on, you must cut out the plastic with a rotary tool. After cutting it out, test fit it to the housing. You may have to sand some rough edges with some sand paper or use the rotary tool if you have a sanding drum piece (like I did). You must also drill a hole where the screw will go to hold the lenses in place on the car. BE CAREFUL!! The plastic is very brittle, and I had my whole housing crack off where I drilled the first time I did this.
You should ask around on this step, since I don't know how many people have done it: Since the housing was a gray, and I wanted a white, smooth look for my white car, I painted the housing white with engine enamel (I used that because I thought the heat from the bulb would cause normal paint to flake or melt). Without it, the clear lens would show the gray part of the housing. So I put two coats of the white paint on the housing.
Next you must silicone the clear lens to the housing. This sounds simple, but it gets a little complicated. Since the stock red housing was thick, and the new clear lens was thin on my car, if I siliconed the clear lens to the housing with just one layer of silicone, the lens would sink in drastically from the car, making it look like a hole was in the car.
I ran two thick layers of silicone down the edges of the housing (let the first one dry, put down second, attach lens, let dry) When the silicone drys, you may have to sand the edges so it will fit well. If you still see a small recession in the body because your silicone wasn't thick enough, then put some small blobs on the back of the housing to raise the ENTIRE housing up (rather than just the lens, which what you were doing before). This step is mostly trial and error.
Also, remember that stub on the housing? Don't put silicone on that, it must fit in with the body. If you do get silicone on it, just use the rotary tool to saw it off. You will also need a red bulb so your lens will be street legal. The PN for the bulb is 194 for rear markers (If I remember correctly) I used the APC ones from Pep Boys, and they are fine to me and have not blown out.
Good luck with this process, if you have any questions, e-mail me again.
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