Dashboard turn signal lens help [especially 80-81]

[5th T/A]

I am looking for suggestions on my 1980 TA dash turn signal lens. I am pretty certain that only 1980 and 1981 Firebirds had a round cutout for the dash turn indicator. 1970 - 1979 had an arrow shaped cutout. The green plastic lenses have deteriorated on my car. I thought I had a solution from FBODY warehouse, but they are not the correct size or tint color.

This photo shows one of my damaged lens on the left side and the replacement lenses on the right. Notice the original lens has a darker tint and the arrow font is much smaller.

IMG_9479 by Lawrence Alexander, on Flickr

Here is a picture showing the replacement lens from FBODY of the left side indicator temporarily taped to the front of the instrument panel.  Notice the arrow size is too large for the opening in the dash.

IMG_9473 by Lawrence Alexander, on Flickr

This last photo shows the FBODY warehouse replacement lens on the left and the original lens on the right with the four-way flasher mode lighting both lenses. I am still using a stock 194 bulb. Notice the replacement lens on the left is washed out and doesn't even look green.  The original lens on the right is green except where the plastic is cracked, and the arrow font is the correct size.

I am looking for suggestions as what I could use for the translucent plastic film. I can duplicate the imprinted arrow using my computer and printer.

IMG_9475 by Lawrence Alexander, on Flickr

[Wallington]

That is a very poor part to sell, obviously it suits something else and they just repackage knowing it's junk. FBW now run by money grabbers, not an enthusiast.

[TATurbo]

 I don't think my original turn signal indicator had an arrow on it.  I think it was just a green circle.  But maybe my exprience might help a little...maybe?

 I had my 1981 instrument cluster rebuilt, refaced, and recalibrated by AutoInstruments.  When I sent it to them I informed them I needed a replacement green lens for the turn signals.  Instead of giving me a new lens, they installed a green filter in the gauge cluster itself: 

PC200045-001 by Tom Sherer, on Flickr

PC200047 by Tom Sherer, on Flickr

Although they were obviously green, the color was really funky when lit...Sort uf a muddy yellow instead of green:

P1160042 by Tom Sherer, on Flickr

I replaced the incadecent bulbs with LED's and it corrected the color.  I also liked the look of the LED's better (A personal choice obviously.  Here's a video showing both.  The color on the video isn't great, but you get the idea...

https://youtu.be/cWBNIdoFY6M

I found that the LED's were too bright at night.  So, ultimately I added a greeen set of those condom looking color filters they sell for changing the color of incadecent bulbs to the LED's.  That combo got the color and brightness just right in my opinion.

[5th T/A]

Tom, thanks, I thought about trying one of those green colored bulb covers. So is the video you posted showing a green Led bulb or an incandescent bulb with a green cover?

[Gene-73]

I am looking for suggestions as what I could use for the translucent plastic film. I can duplicate the imprinted arrow using my computer and printer.

What you want to shop for are called photographic gels. They are plastic sheets put over lights to change the color temperature. Lots of different colors to choose from.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/products/Lighting-Filters/ci/1329/N/3662541030?filters=fct_filter-color_4543%3Agreen%2Cfct_format_2203%3Asheets

[sreta]

Don't know about the leds, but with regular bulbs the cover must be dark green to make light green light. With light green cover, the light becomes yellow. Just my experience, I made mine of yogurt bottle cap

[TATurbo]

In that video it's an uncovered, white LED on the left, shining through the green filter installed behind the lens of the Cluster by AutoInstruments.
I was happy with the color and look of that combo.   I later installed the green condom on the LED mostly to dim it down.  It was too bright at night (for my taste).

 

[5th T/A]

Thanks guys, I never thought about B&H Photo, I used to buy Photo equipment form them all the time. What they have might have been a better solution.

Yesterday I went to a local craft d store called Michael's and bought some sheet vinyl. It was only $1.99 for a 12" X 12" sheet. It's called Oracal 651 and they had several shades of green. I used my computer and found a suitable font in MS Word and printed a bunch on the sheet, it's self adhesive and stuck right to the plastic on the gage cluster.


I printed two sizes of arrows and decided on the smaller one.
 IMG_9509 by Lawrence Alexander, on Flickr


The finished product looks pretty decent. The arrow on the left is just a little high, if it bothers me enough I will go back and redo that one.

IMG_9513 by Lawrence Alexander, on Flickr

[firebirdparts]

How easy it is to print signs these days.  Nice work.

[firebirdparts]

I think I should move this to the tips and tricks forum

[Wallington]

Yes, excellent work. Did you try scanning the broken lens to get the correct size and shape arrow? And as much as you ignore it, that slightly offset arrow will annoy you. Even if you never look at it again, you'll know it's there, silently eating away at your soul.....or maybe you won't be bothered at all!

These could just as easily be printed up in a sheet, stamped or cut into discs and doubled-up in thickness with a spot of glue and sold cheaply. Many don't have these skills but would buy some. Where the original is cast more like a plug, (possibly also angled upwards?) you could print a circle edge that matches the dash cutout, acts like a slight border if undersize but also helps centralise the icon.

[silver78]

Thinking outside the box...nice!

[roadking77]

Larry, those turned out great, much better than what you bought the first time around. What kind of printer are you using? I have an ink jet and tried to print something on sheet stock like that and the ink rubbed right off. I think I needed to use a laser jet.

[5th T/A]

Kerry,

I thought about using my inkjet, but used an old HP Laserjet 4200. I was a little worried the fuser temps on the laserjet might melt the plastic sheet vinyl but it did not. I thought the toner might be more permanent than ink.