Mold inside early bay front turn signals

[regalasr]

I pulled some nice front turn signal lenses from a couple early bay windows. Only problem is, moisture works its way in between the sandwiched lenses over the years and mold is growing in between there. On a search of the archives somebody says you can pry the halves apart. Mine don't want to seperate so how can I clean out the mold? Anybody solve this problem? Maybe I need to cut or drill?

[bdann]

I don't see how you could pry them apart without breaking them. Mine are all cracked up, therfore they were filling with water when it rains, then filling with mold/mildew as they dried out. I manged to get one of them pretty clean by removing them from the bus, soaking them in water with a little bleach added until they were full with water/bleach, then shaking them around a bit, then letting it all drain out. repeated this about ten times.

The other is just so full of crap it's beyond help. It looks liked I fished it out of a lake or something. I'll probably just replace both of them.

-brian

[keifernet]

They do come apart, in fact I have done this ( and seen it done) where you take off the cracked outer housing and just run the inner yellow piece.

I think it requires a lot of care and patience and to drill out the hole for the screw just a bit with a drill bit. Then you can use a hot glue gun or other epoxy/ cement if you like to try and mate them back together.

[bdann]

well, since I have one that I was going to trash for sure anyway....I'll try to get it apart tonight. I'll post the results.

-brian

[keifernet]

Or like I said had a pair of old cracked ones and taken the outer off and just run the yellow to get inspection and get by till aquiring another set.
Most state inspectors will never notice the diff and as long as you have the yellow on there, but they would fail you for a cracked outer lens!

[Elwood-Bluesvan]

Hello regalasr, good take on those turn signal lenses. Wish I was there 8) I bought a '70 9yrs ago out of a wrecking yard for $100.00 bucks, mainly for windsheild but stripped headlights and turnsigs and little things I thought I might need in future and I have needed them - for sure- but like the fool I was at time, turned around and sold the rest of it, tranny and all for $100.00 bucks because my 69 did,nt need it, YA SURE ! anyway I've taken apart turn sigs many times to clean and remount and ground. I would not use bleach on plastic as it can cloud it,just soak in dish detergant and gently use tooth brush in those stupidly desiged grooves, even CLR would be better to remove crud and hard water calsium build-up. I was glad to see you can buy replacements from - whoops -brain-cloud- when we get really serious about restoring the visual parts of our Bays- by the way, I got e-mail reply today from Interstate parts in Elsinor that DurocShark refered me to. They sell pairs of seats in need of padding and covers but good frame and springs for $75.00 if avail.
Wish yours was better than mine - but onward- Have a good time with grandkids at OC show. I,d go too if the wind was right, I'm lucky a tree did't fall on my cabin or Elwood.
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'69 westie weekender-1600 sp
" My main Man "

Looking for og steering box

[ho-dad]

They are two seperate pieces. Soak them in bleach - that'll kill any mold (which is what's probably sticking them together).
_________________
'69 SingleCab
'67 Plymouth Satellite
'62 SuperStock Dodge (I wish...)

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."

[Schmooey]

As a homebrewer, I've tried lots of cleaners for killing microbes.
I'd soak in white vinegar to avoid the damage bleach can cause.
The acidity will kill the organisms without harming the plasitic.

There are even better cleaners, but they cost more.

[ruckman101]

I have a '70 bay and the front turn signals are one piece, until you break the glue beads, which can be done with care. I bought new ones, and new rubber seals. I should go ahead and get the fixture, too, but haven't yet.


neal
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Where are we going, and why am I in this hand-basket?

[keifernet]

[Elwood-Bluesvan]

Hello ruckman, can you please post where you got your new replacements for turn signals? I ran acrossed it after being so amazed of resources after signing on to Samba and did not save it-DUH- and did they also have, as you mentioned the replacement for housing- ya know the brittle plastic housing that is a real "crack-up" Thanks in advance.
_________________
'69 westie weekender-1600 sp
" My main Man "

Looking for og steering box

[ruckman101]

Actually, I got the new lens and the rubber seals at Halsey Imports here in Portland OR. Reasonable, too. Got a rear tail-light assembly, but didn't check on front turn signal assembly.


neal
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Where are we going, and why am I in this hand-basket?

[Elwood-Bluesvan]

Thanks ruckman for info - I can only do, at this time, mail/internet order but gathering resources for priority of keeping my bus well and alive. What engine does your '70 have? and is it a camper? so many ???
_________________
'69 westie weekender-1600 sp
" My main Man "

Looking for og steering box

[ruckman101]

'70 pop-top Riviera camper, '71 upright dual-port engine. Stock but for 87 mm cylinder/pistons, making it a 1641 cc I believe, and a less restrictive exhaust.


neal
_________________
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand-basket?

[VWBusrepairman]

Soak them in a gallon of water with a capful of bleach to kill the microbial growth you're experiencing. Damn bugs get into everything it seems!

[stevo]

i've seen it both ways but in most cases the lenses are stuck together. once in every 7-10 times they come apart and i know not why except maybe some get out without a good glue hit. i have tried a series of brushes that reach tough spots. generally you can get almost all the crud out while soaking/shaking with hot water and simple green. maybe compressed air at some point, i wonder if that could that be directed correctly.
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When you cross an Irishman, they never forget. I mean, never.

[hambone]

Mold is weird...my bus has been in the garage for 2 months, and I took it for a drive yesterday. In a couple spots on the carpet is a strange, gray clump of "hair", almost like a powder. It's very small, but weird nonetheless.

[DurocShark]

If you use something that clouds the lenses, try rubbing them down with chrome polish. I've done all kinds of clear plastic with that including clouded and yellowed plastic headlight housings.
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No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow.

[VWBusrepairman]

[earthmuffin]