"Amber' Heart Tail lights

[OMT]

Hello All,
I am wondering if anyone has any info on "Amber" Heart Tail Lights. Is this a Myth or is there an actual production change.
I'm talking about the brake lense...on top of the housing.
It's not a repop wierdo; I've been holding on to it for 25 years.
Thanx, Al
P.S. I already did a search.

[Mark Evans]

I've never seen one, for what that's worth.

[Zwitter]

Yes, there are two different colors of heart top lenses.
I too have had my amber one's for years.
I wonder what reason there could be for these being different?
Possible a second manufacturer or perhaps due to the requirement of different countries?
Others thoughts?
Steve

[Alan Willis]

Yes,the top lens is in the sun constantly,the lens is red dyed plastic...remember,its a BRAKE LIGHT

[RareAir]

I've got a set of both Dark Red & Amber colored lenses as well. I know they're NOS, so no color fading due to use.

[53 0val]

I've got to go with Alan on this one: Brake lights are RED not amber. Certain types of plastic can change color with age. Maybe something like that has happened. I don't know of any country that uses 'amber' brake lights.
_________________
"What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away." Dobee, Dobee, Do

[Zwitter]

I'll agree with Rare Air, as all my NOS sets have been in my collection for decades. When I got them, they were either dark red, or amber, but both definitely different colors.

[Matts Bug Parts]

I have had, and sold, perhaps 75 NOS heart shaped top lenses and yes they come in red and amber - of the 75 only about 5 were amber.

Matt

[Bruce]

Pics?

[53 0val]

Somebody's got to have a picture for us.
_________________
"What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away." Dobee, Dobee, Do

[RareAir]

I'll try to get you some pics Bob. The "Amber" taillights aren't a true Amber, but more of a subdued Red color. No where near what 1962-67 European Amber taillights look like.

[Alan Willis]

Subdued red is red,amber is amber

[Brezelwerks]

Splits also had either a red or amber lens insert behind the clear lens in the popes nose. It would make sense to some degree that these color choices would proceed into 53-55. My understanding has been that amber was reserved for home market and certain European countries, and the red was used on export car markets. Now, if that can be absolutely substantiated that would be great to know. The other way to substantiate the colors is to substantiate whether these supposed amber lenses are glass or plastic, if these amber heart lenses are made of glass then that is likely how they came. More info?

Gary

[Alan Willis]

Gary,the lenses are plastic,they have faded being 50+ years old

[53 0val]

[Alan Willis]

This is like beating a dead horse! Does anyone else believe vw made an AMBER brake light?

[Brezelwerks]

Well, if VW made an amber brake light lens for the split pope's nose there must be a reason for it right? Also, I'm told that the heart lenses were made originally of red glass, Matt Ross I believe sold a few last sets not too long ago that he had, so the plot thickens...

As for the resin lenses, I recently removed the scratches off the lenses on my 54 and I can tell you that the residue from the sanding and polishing did produce an amber residue dust. But, while my initial reaction would of been that amber lenses that are found used to be dark red, but after working with this specific plastic, its a deep red color, and the lenses are thick and fluted with various patterns under side that would not absorb UV sunlight consistently even if it was in the sun all day long for years.

Therefore, what I could believe would be finding lenses that were both amber with dark red shadows in some of the fluted areas. So, if the amber lenses in posession show no signs of red, than its possible that they were made in the amber color on purpose.

More data, pics?
Gary

[thebucket]

[53 0val]

Phenolic resin will change color with age........not just UV light. White changes to golden yellow without the presence of any light. Red could possibly degrade to amber without light as well.
_________________
"What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away." Dobee, Dobee, Do

[Brezelwerks]

Yes, age, along with heat too, also affects the color of any plastic over time, some originally lighter color plastics darken (yellow), and darker color plastics tend to lighten, but characteristically on the outside exposed surface only (akin to oxidation, where it is exposed primarily to the elements). Also, on a translucent material like this lens, that outside layer first tends to become more opaque on the surface first, effectively shielding the plastic below from continued sun damage. In theory that top layer could be mostly removed to reveal the original red color, I do and see this on plastics here regularly that I work on. So technically things still don't add up completely. In theory also folks should be able to provide examples/pics of lenses in various stages of color transition between that deep red and the lighter amber, not just one distinct amber and one distinct red.

Why I'm also hesitating still here is that some are suggesting above that they have had NOS red and amber lenses for many years, just not enough time for a complete 100% shade change, and why would NOS red lenses remain stable all these years too then? So needing to see some pictures posted of what folks have, that would help solve this question, along with more information as to why even amber was used as a lens insert exactly on split beetles as I mentioned above.

Gary