Clear lenses, bad surprise

[Marty1]

Got a very very bad surprise yesterday night.


I got my '78 NYPD clone out for the season last week and it was kept in a barn. So, for the provincial law on vintage police vehicle I sould cover the lights completely when Im not in a show or a parade to run with it. Here is the sad discovery. I left the car under the sun the whole week in my driveway and took the car out for a cruising night. When I removed the black vynil cover I discovered the apocalypse... My nice and well buffed Yankee (yes it's a yankee, never find signal stat ones) clear lenses were all cracked !! No dents, but a kind of small cracks everywhere !!


I think the heat of the sun on the black cover made this... My question is... is it repairable..? fixable? Any way to bring them back to new Is a miracle buffing product exists?????


If not... anybody have spare clear lenses??


Whan can I do? For sure I will change my cover color for white... but what a mess! Any help?

 

[motorolamaniac]

Sadly it sounds like the lenses are now crazed and it is not reversable. Certainly the heat sounds like the culprit, sun crazing usually takes a while but the black cover obviously magnified the probelm. I am not sure but I would say any vinyl cover regardless of color would be bad as it traps heat.


You may want to try a light colored canvas or cloth in the future.

 

[Marty1]

So that means it will be worst at the end of the week...


Now im looking for replacement domes !

 

[kadetklapp]

Oh that's a bummer. If it makes you feel any better, I had a loaded MX-7000 with all brand new domes on my show car. Two days before an out-of-state car show I took the car for a spin and all the domes came off the bar and shattered on the highway...guess who forgot to put the clips back on? This guy. The icing on the cake was when I realized it and turned around and ran over two of them.

 

[Marty1]

My oh My! I feel better !!


Better but still in need of clear domes

 

[Lektricman]

My oh My! I feel better !!

Better but still in need of clear domes

I saw an episode of American Restoration, and I don't think anybody on the board tried this but.... Molding lens from existing lens. I don't know. Just a suggestion

 

[Marty1]

Heh, im already checking for this option... not familiar but checking with some plastic molder with vacuum..


If I do it, I know a lot of collectors here that will be happy !


... anybody want to try ?

 

[toon80]

The molding lenses from old lenses idea has been toyed with around here a year or two ago. It could be an avenue but I recall the process could turn out to be cost prohibitive.


The idea was to recreate TwinSonic lenses from existing molds Federal Signal apparently still have. Problem was that for FedSig to consider doing them, they would need hundreds ordered....


Good luck for the hunt, Marty1! :thumbsup: