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bluebus86
Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010
Posts: 11075
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 Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 3:43 pm Post subject: Snowflake tail light parts, internal red plastic filter |
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I have a stock 61 Bug with snowflake tail lights. On mine there is a red translucent plastic filter between the glass red lens and the bulb. on mine the plastic red filter has darkened considerably, presumably from light bulb heat (darkest in middle in bulls eye)
I have lightened up a bit the darken filter by scrubbing with comet cleanser.
Id like a new red filter as mine is still very dark, making the taillights very dim.
I see on the Wolfburg West on line catalog that the plastic filter is not listed
link...
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/electrical/front_and_rear_blinker.cfm
Was the filter omitted on some bugs?
also I have a spare light hpusing from another bug, I think it was a 58 or so. it too has the plastic red filter inside (also darkened) but it has a different embossing pattern on it than on the 61 ones. on the 61 the pattern is dots, or round bumps all over in rows and offset columns, on the other filter from another year Bug the filter has horizontal lines, or ridges molded in it.
At anyrate what is known about these red plastic filters?
What years had them?
What styles exist (mounds, ridges etc....)?
Are new replacements available?
thanks in advance!
Keep Buggin.
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lovethatconvertible
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Joined: August 22, 2008
Posts: 1434
Location: Las Vegas N. V.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Snowflake tail light parts, internal red plastic filter |
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I though they were referred to as a diffuser? at any rate, mine had darkened as well and I simply just removed them. The difference is amazing, tail lights/ Brake lights are much brighter and I don't miss em at all.
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Cusser
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Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31360
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:25 pm Post subject: Re: Snowflake tail light parts, internal red plastic filter |
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Could you make some from that red lens repair stuff sold at Autozone etc. ?
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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bluebus86
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Joined: September 02, 2010
Posts: 11075
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: Snowflake tail light parts, internal red plastic filter |
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| lovethatconvertible wrote: |
| I though they were referred to as a diffuser? at any rate, mine had darkened as well and I simply just removed them. The difference is amazing, tail lights/ Brake lights are much brighter and I don't miss em at all. |
Yeah that was a thought I have too, if i remove them Ill need to cut an extra thick gasket to compensate.
I still am curious as too the different types of diffisors used over the years of the snowflakes. also there sre differences in the glass lenses, the markings vary
anyway they go back in as is for now except for cleaning and metalized tape on the reflectors as the shine is all gone. I only did this project cause a brake filiment burnt out, then I noted how dim they all are, noted corroded reflector mirror, darken diffusor, oh the joy never ends. at least the electrical is solid, the ground wire was soldered to the bulb holder many decades ago.
Ill fix them right after I obtain new gaskets and reflector housing., and probably leave out the diffusor unless I can find some good ones. looks like a wolfsburg west order is upcoming.
I probably will try an led bulb too when I totally rebuild the housing with no diffusor (or new ones). I added led bulbs in my vanagon and it greatly improved things. note that not all led bulbs are very bright, research it well, I bought some that or very dim, and other are much brighter than stock bulbs.
a red led will be best behind a red glass lense, as if you use a white led, all the colors except red will make it thru the lense, with a red led bulb, most all the light generated will make it thru the lense, so for a given lumens rating, a red led will deliver much more red light thru the red lense than a white led would.
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60ragtop
Bonneville Belt Bitch
Joined: March 13, 2006
Posts: 7800
Location: Big Wonderful WYO 82401
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: Snowflake tail light parts, internal red plastic filter |
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Just leave them out, your lights will be brighter. No need to do anything with the gasket, at least I didn't have to, everything was tight.
I believe all the snowflakes had them and at least 2 different styles, probably different manufactures. Never paid attention to which ones went where.
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Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986
| tasb wrote: |
I've restored a large number too, but I don't toot my horn quite as loud.
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| sb001 wrote: |
maybe he just snapped cause his car sucked  |
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lovethatconvertible
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2008
Posts: 1434
Location: Las Vegas N. V.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: Snowflake tail light parts, internal red plastic filter |
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^^^^^ Ditto, didn't have to do any extra gasket to put back together without the deffuser, Try it without em, you might like em. The design looked good on paper, not so much in the real world.
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