Clear lens for Celica clock

[SaskCelica]

I'm planning on doing Hombre's clock color conversion, but I'm pretty sure I'll be picky enough to replace the lens with a transparent version.

I've got a plastics company lined up to do some testing with draping a clear acrylic sheet on a form and I'm looking into custom dry transfer decals from a modeling company for the lettering on the lens. Setup fee for all this should be around $300. What I'm wondering is how many people would be interested in getting that lens replaced for something like $20 plus shipping. Depending on the number of requests that cost will go down. I'm just looking to recover some of the setup fee, not make any money on it.

I'm heading for work for a couple weeks, but I'll get into it when I get back into town and hopefully have a picture of the result not too long after that.

[FriedChicken]

can you create lens with transparent colors instead of clear?

[Omnious]

This could be gather quite a bit of interest, but FC is correct: people would be more interested in colored plastic covers so they can finally change the color of the clock without diminishing its intensity with multiple layers of plastic filters...

[kaizer_soze]

i am interested

[krazieboy]

same i'm interested, assuming u can produce a lens that can change the color of the clock.

[hypnotik69]

interested:D

[chrissilverceli]

def interested.

[h8eternal]

i would be interested
im tired of not know what time it is during the day

[CELICA581]

interested 2

[Mido]

interested 3

[Stich]

im tired of not know what time it is during the day

did you guys cut the cable behind the gauges responsible for the clock glow go darker when you start the engine? cause I did and it is bright enough even during day and with 3 layers of filter over it.

[Bucks]

interested !!!!

[blkcelica01]

could just put some colored transparent vinyl over it

[evil eye]

I'm interested as well.

[SaskCelica]

Yes, you can use different colors of acrylic, but the shades are limited. I'll see about doing testing with some other colors. There is a blue sheet for sure. I'm not sure what the selection will be for the proper thickness of the lens. Might still need to use the odd filter sheet with a blue lens to get certain colors... but who know.

I looked into what it would cost to get an identical part injection molded... only $20,000 set up fee! :AF:

[kaizer_soze]

I would prefer clear, so i can play with colors

[larryd]

Please keep in mind that if you intend on selling your products or advertising your services through NewCelica.org you must be a site sponsor first.

http://www.newcelica.org/rent.htm

You can PM me if you have any questions.

[Achysklic]

We need to make this site worth more!
http://www.websiteoutlook.com/www.newcelica.org

[andym]

Interested in 5+ parts for germany

[SaskCelica]

Ok, an update for now. I've gotten a prototype back from the plastics place and it needs a bit of work. The dry-transfer decals look ok, but I need to test those as well. I'm going to give the plastics place my clock and dash piece so they can have a better idea about what we'll need.

As for selling my product, does that count for guys who just want to make their money back on their investment? I would be more of a non-profit organization. :)

It would be strange being a site sponsor....

[kaminaricelica7]

i would be interested. need a pic to know what we are looking at here. seems like a good idea.

[SaskCelica]

Once I get something I'm satisfied with and test it out, I'll post pictures and details. Will be a couple weeks likely before I get something I'm satisfied with. I should post pictures of those Ivinyl headlight tints I got done too...

[ibmike150]

wouldnt you be able to see the actuall clock components during the day when light shines though? the point of the tinted lens is to allow light out but not let you see the workings of the clock... that is if were all talking about the front lens cover

[RoXx0r]

u can count me in !

[yodaddyguido]

interest here as well. :)

[SaskCelica]

wouldnt you be able to see the actuall clock components during the day when light shines though? the point of the tinted lens is to allow light out but not let you see the workings of the clock... that is if were all talking about the front lens cover

Yes and no, you can see the interior of the clock area, but it's not too bad, I've been driving around without a lens for a while and I don't mind it. I dropped off my dash assembly and the plastics guys will look into getting a better fit. Once I have something I'm satisfied with, I'll post pics. Maybe I can get them to do a few tinted lenses as well and see how that works. Once the lens form is made it's not too bad to make extras. Maybe a slight tint or frosting or something would help that out.

[niquick]

I would be interested, I tried making a rubber mold of the clock then filling it with acrylic resin but none turned out, and I don't think that the mold holds its shape well enough to get the proper dimentions. But hopefully this is a worthwhile project and I'll pay too!

[MaxximuRage]

im interested!

[hombredelassrta]

this has been discussed so many times and every time it falls through. :(

[kaizer_soze]

Every interior component that has a light is now blue but the clock. I did ^^^'s mod but i didnt like the light output it in the end. Fortunately I experimented on an extra clock I had.

[SaskCelica]

I actually dropped the dash off at the plastics place, that way they could have a better idea if it was going to work. I also got a test print from the dry-transfer decal place, some of the fonts were too big. Hopefully I hear back from the plastics place this week.

[SaskCelica]

Just an update. Still waiting for the plastics place. Must have gotten pulled off on another job. I'll get an update for this weekend. I'd like to have that hole in my dash filled....

[aprcelica]

What is HOMBREs mod???

[hombredelassrta]

http://www.newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?t=275259

[kaizer_soze]

The plastics place will deliver the clock with clear lens to you?

[SaskCelica]

No, I basically gave them the red lens and then my dash assembly and asked them to create a clear lens for the clock. It's not exactly the same, basically it's just a heat formed piece of acrylic plastic, like you see on the bulk goods bins in a grocery store. I have the first version back and it's probably 85% of what I want. Just need to extend the plastic more. Once we're happy with the overall shape we're going to look into how to plunge route out the plastic holes for the buttons using a CNC machine. That's the hard part. Then I'm going to get dry transfer decals made up from a hobby company and see if I can duplicate them on the lens. Once that's figured out I'm going to make one lens, and if I'm happy with it, we'll make a bunch and see if anyone wants them. The setup is expensive, but after that it's pretty cheap to make more.

Things I'm thinking about trying are how to "frost" the lens to hide the clock innards a bit better, and trying out a blue acrylic lens.

[yodaddyguido]

transparent tinted automotive vinyl? even a slight tint would be enough to hide the guts, but still keep the whole point of the clear lens intact.

[blkcelica01]

^ I have that and some small thin rectangular shaped pieces of semi-transparent colored acrylic

[SaskCelica]

Yeah, the company I'm dealing with likely has some different shades. Once the design is set we can try a few colors out.

[kaizer_soze]

If it is clear, we can attach any vinyl colored film we like and hide the guts too.

[aprcelica]

Thanks Hombre! and thanks OP! this will be a future mod. :eatpop:

[SaskCelica]

Yeah, good point with the films, that would be an easy way of changing the color, just apply a film to the back of the clear lens.

[hombredelassrta]

not sure a completely tinted blue clock face would look good. i do believe that all clear may also look cheesy. prob needs a really light tint to it

[kevinsmbuk]

not sure a completely tinted blue clock face would look good. i do believe that all clear may also look cheesy. prob needs a really light tint to it

I have to agree, clear will look as tacky.

However having a very dark blue tint, similar to the current clock with it's browny orange tint (00-02) IMO will look good, darker the better so it can match it's surroundings and not stand out, whilst producing a decent amount of light throughput and colour.

[hombredelassrta]

^^ yeah a dark blue may work

[blkcelica01]

I have transparent blue vinyl if anyone is interested

[SaskCelica]

Ok... resurrecting this thread. I got the lenses made and they look pretty good, but of course, they're transparent. So you can see all the clock innards in behind. I got some frosted vinyl with adhesive backing and put that on the back of the lens, cut out the square for the clock, etc. Issue is that the transparent stuff shows every imperfection in the plastic lens, bubbles, etc. I'm going to get ahold of some matt black vinyl backing and try that for the "mask". I think it looks pretty good and should work ok, but it's a bit of a cheap solution. A bit of a pain in the butt for a lens. I'll try to get some photos of the clear lens, frosted lens, and hopefully black lens this weekend. You can change the color of the lens itself, but colors are limited and I'd probably just want to stick the filter to the clear lens.

[Omnious]

Ok... resurrecting this thread. I got the lenses made and they look pretty good, but of course, they're transparent. So you can see all the clock innards in behind. I got some frosted vinyl with adhesive backing and put that on the back of the lens, cut out the square for the clock, etc. Issue is that the transparent stuff shows every imperfection in the plastic lens, bubbles, etc. I'm going to get ahold of some matt black vinyl backing and try that for the "mask". I think it looks pretty good and should work ok, but it's a bit of a cheap solution. A bit of a pain in the butt for a lens. I'll try to get some photos of the clear lens, frosted lens, and hopefully black lens this weekend. You can change the color of the lens itself, but colors are limited and I'd probably just want to stick the filter to the clear lens. Interested. Please let us know if these will be available for purchase.

[SaskCelica]

Ok, here is a close up (warts and all) of the lens. This is version 1.0. I'm definately going to make another try. Difficulty is to cut the adhesive film out perfectly square and putting it on without bubbles. I think flat black film will look better. This doesn't have a cutout for the seat belt signal either. I'm also putting the photo of the original lens on here so people can see what it looks like. If I go with a black vinyl backing, I'll get white dry transfer decals for the lettering that's on the original lens. Something is pressing up against the lens on the right hand side which is causing it to mar, so I need to check it out. I could look into using a smoke grey lens as well, see if that would help, the big issue with that is that you're cutting back how strong the clock shines through. The darker the lens, the darker the clock.

http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/data/500/thumbs/Clock_Small.JPG (http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=44728)

http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/data/500/thumbs/P1020519.JPG (http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=44731)

[SaskCelica]

Here is a photo (yes... a poor photo) of the clock as it looks with the dash. I'll try to get a daytime photo where I don't need a tripod to take a picture... :o:

http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/data/500/Dash_view_Small.jpg (http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=44729)

[FriedChicken]

cool stuff

[RadicalxEdward]

definitely interested, especially the idea of colored plastic so i don't have to use the filters.