Headlight Lens

[ViperDEN_Nick]

Anybody ever separate the headlight lens from the housing?

Is it like any other, bake at 250 for 20-30 minutes to soften the glue?

Thanks

 

[BoremViper97]

It’s on my todo list because mine appears to need some polishing on the inside.
Same for you?

 

[MoparMap]

I know some people have done it on the gen 3+ headlights, but don't recall seeing it done on the earlier ones. That being said I have a hard time believing they'd be any different.

 

[GTS Dean]

Tom the F&LGOR was a pioneer on 40mm rear brakes and headlight rebuilding 2 decades ago. As I recall, the oven was used.

 

[lane_viper]

I would use extreme caution, because headlights are one item that is extremely hard to find replacements for is something goes wrong.

You don't want to regret the choice to take apart polish when leaving them alone is way less risky.

Just my $.02

 

[daveg]

Did it on my 97 3000GT's headlights (worked great) but not on a Viper.

 

[GTS Dean]

Buy some similar sized headlamp housings from a junk yard. Experiment with them in the oven before you attempt the Viper units.

 

[Drdaj2]

Have you tried letting water from a garden hose run over the headlight? If the lens clears up then you know an external polish and clear coat will fix the problem. Only separate the housing as a last resort.

 

[ViperDEN_Nick]

I’ve tried a couple restoration kits and there’s definite imperfections on the inside. Not to mention some critters have gotten in as well and left their residue. Just want to clean them all up

I saw KNG SNKE’s thread as well as Tom F&L’s about their projects

 

[plasmadyn]

In the process of 3D scanning Gen3 headlight lens' for replacement. Seems many of the broken headlights are simply the lens. I have a manufacturer who can supply oem equivalent lens given the correct scan file - If successful I'll move to Gen2. Anyone interested or with related info PLEASE pass it on - Thanks!

 

[ninetyfive]

In the process of 3D scanning Gen3 headlight lens' for replacement. Seems many of the broken headlights are simply the lens. I have a manufacturer who can supply oem equivalent lens given the correct scan file - If successful I'll move to Gen2. Anyone interested or with related info PLEASE pass it on - Thanks!

And then Gen1?

 

[Monopoly]

And then Gen1?

Gen 1 is the same as gen 2

 

[99RT10GTS]

I have a set of headlights off a 1996 for sale. Good shape, not cheap

 

[green_rt10]

Rooting for @plasmadyn on this. I'd think that someone could make new headlight lenses in this age of 3D printing.

 

[MoparMap]

I'm not sure 3D printing quite suits something like a clear lens yet. Maybe you could get there with post processing on a resin print, but I think layer lines are still sort of an issue. That being said, I'm pretty sure you could make a replacement cover with something as simple as vacuum forming, you would just need to make the mold.

 

[GTS Dean]

I agree completely. Polycarbonate (plexiglass) was used in WWII for airplane windows. Most famously in fighter planes, they vacuum formed large heated sheets over complex molds for bubble canopies with high optical quality. The real work is in the molds for low optical distortion. 3-D printers can't offer that step resolution.

 

[Goggles Pizano]

You guy's would be surprised how far 3D printing has come.

The guy who is doing the stanchions tried the lens back 2,3 years ago. The mold was too expensive and that was with talks with Chinese manufacturers.

 

[TLites]

All those out there, I’ve seen, that have tried run into the same issue. The scan isn’t the hard part, it’s actually forming the lenses in a mold. The bends and details make it very difficult which drives up the cost making it too expensive for anyone to pursue. Cheapest I saw anyone get to was $2500/set for only lenses. And that was manufacturing in China, not the States

 

[Goggles Pizano]

@TLites exactly but I got some ideas but the CAD files aren't being shared because it cost them money to make them and I didn't have time before to get a headlight to evaluate.

 

[green_rt10]

Yeah, I guess we probably aren't there today, but the good news is that tech becomes cheaper the longer it's on the market. So, I'm hoping the tech can end up making this job workable -- and, later, affordable enough for us mortals to utilize. In the meantime, I stay far behind the next car at stop lights.

 

[99RT10GTS]

My buddy has all the CAD programs to make the lens. He is doing one for my Gen 1/2 headlight, but not expecting the quality of the OEM

 

[Jance GTS]

Reproduction Lenses Coming soon

^^^^^ Click the link to watch the video

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[Badsnek]

For anyone who hasn’t played around with the headlights outside of the car, it is possible to remove the “guts” and then have someone, in my case my girlfriend, fit their tiny hands inside to clean the inside of the lenses. This can be done easily without separating the lenses from the housings.

When I was younger I took a set of Audi TT headlights and did the old oven trick to remove the lenses so I could remove the yellow turn signal strips. Nerve racking nightmare. All and all it went ok. There was minimal amount of “housing warp” and I was able to seal them back up. Personally I would never even dream of attempting this on Viper headlights unless the lenses were already destroyed.

 

[AviP]

Your girlfriend's tiny hands can do better things than clean your Viper lenses!!! DO NOT MESS WITH UNOBTAINIUM!

 

[Badsnek]

Your girlfriend's tiny hands can do better things than clean your Viper lenses!!! DO NOT MESS WITH UNOBTAINIUM!

Trust me, I do not let them go to waste.

 

[ninetyfive]

Reproduction Lenses Coming soon

^^^^^ Click the link to watch the video

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Good job!