Topic: Reproduction Indicators

[danny7147]

Right, hi viz sets are now selling as well as I hoped so I've just got the silicone and plastic resin through for my next project. Indicators. Should have a prototype made by the middle of next week. I can't see the lenses being a problem but I'm still thinking about how to do the back parts. I can't mould the flanges on the rears so I'm thinking about making them to screw on from inside the engine bay. The front, the circular bulb holder is awkward... I'm going to use the two prongs as the pour and air holes. Any contributions before I start?

[C5 ENTHUSIAST + RESTORER]

Hi Danny regarding the front lens why don't you use  rover lenses and and take the  back plate off and just glue it on to the new lens that you are about to make
Chas (ps the Hi viz flags look  great thanks)

[PLOD11]

I would concentrate on making the rear indicators first,these are the most sought after. The front ones are identical to rover types for the metro and landrover and these are still available from many places on the net, seems a lot of work when the leyland version is almost identical and available.

Just a thought.

John

[pso-buzz]

So are the land rover ones, are they exactly the same as the c5 ones? With the offset plastic prongs? Are they a direct replacement then?

I have a part number of: PRC7044

If they are the same it does seem a waste of time remaking them.

Simon

[danny7147]

It depends how you look at it. I've got plenty of silicone to make moulds of front ones, and sets of four will sell far better than rears. They use the same plastic so I won't have to order anything in especially to make them. With the hi viz sets I offer a few options, people can just buy a flag, and I intend to do the same with indicators where you can just buy rears. The problem is that it's unlikely I'll be able to match the original colour which means that although rears would work, it would surely be better to have an exactish match with the fronts?

[Luke S]

How about making a front and rear light lenze as well 

[pso-buzz]

Good point. I understand. It's a shame you can't get the colour to match as the front ones seen to be cheap on eBay. Well cheap compared to a set of C5 indicators!!

Simon

[danny7147]

How about making a front and rear light lenze as well 

They both have problems that I'm trying to think of a way around at the moment. The rear lens, red's actually a really hard plastic to find and because of the size of it would probably cost as much to make as real ones are worth. The front, I haven't found a suitable clear plastic yet. The indicators are actually going to be amber/yellow with a small amount of red dye to turn them orange! Let me think about those after the indicators

Going back to front indicators, let me explain the costs involved...

The silicone I buy for the mould comes in 1kg packs... the hi viz flags used (ironically!) exactly a kilo. Because of the small size of the rear lights I'm going to have some left over to mould the front which is a HUGE part of the cost of moulding them wiped out automatically. automatically With the hi viz flags, I have to buy white plastic resin, plus black pigment... with the indicators lenses I'll be buying the plastic for the rear anyway which means that I'll have it already 'in stock' to do fronts with, which means that the cost of doing a complete set compared to just rear is pretty small indeed.

For the hi viz mast sets it costs us about £12 a set to make, £3 to wrap and post, so we're making about a fiver out of each one which isn't a lot, but has given people a new, cheap supply of them and brings a little bit of money in for us too.

I haven't thought of a price for indicator sets yet but I'm aiming for around £40 for a set of 4. Bearing in mind that's 8 mouldings I think it's pretty good value, but I haven't thought about whether to include bulb holders etc yet. If I were just to do rears, I'd still have the cost of the silicone and plastic, (fronts will use hardly any!), which means I'd still have to be charging about £32 - £35 a pair which is why I'd rather do them complete and then give people the option just to buy rears 

The two prongs on the front will actually make good pour/air holes, I just haven't figured a way of doing the round bulb holder part yet...

[PLOD11]

I have seen people selling the front land Rover version as NOS C5 originals. The only difference i can see is the back part is black where the original is a clear colour (same as the lens).

I am sure if these are available as sets or seperately there will be an interest in them.

Re the front lens, the original is made in two halfs, i have a few with damage to the front lens but the rear is in tact, i have managed in the past to use a heated knife to seperate the two halfs and reattach a good front lens to a good rear part and make a good light. Maybe the front lens could be available on its own to allow some of the orignals to be repaired.

John

[danny7147]

Just finished pouring the first half of the 4 moulds... awkward doesn't go far enough to explain it. Let's see what happens, but it's a fingers crossed job at the moment as the rear lights are 10 times harder than I thought! They'll either turn out looking incredible, or.... as is far more likely.... have one tiny gap in the mould that I missed letting silicone through and I'll have to start from scratch.

Such is the joy of plastic moulding 

[kamilb1998]

Good luck with it, I may be interested in buying a set.

[PLOD11]

Looking forward to seeing these, def want a set ......   I am sure they will be as good as the flags ..   

[PLOD11]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRC7044-Land-Rover-Defender-Wing-Side-Repeater-Indicator-Lamp-Early-Type-/370609347233?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item564a09daa1

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-PRC7044P

[mhurt]

Well,  I'm very happy with my hi-vis mast I have to say,  so I'm certainly keeping an eye on this thread as I'd love to put indicators on too.

[danny7147]

That really is interesting about the Rimmer front indicators, and I've got mixed feelings about them. First, the likeness is amazing, and the fact they come with bulb holders is great! But! At £11 a pair plus postage it would be out of the question for me to include them in my sets because the outlaw would be way too big, so on the basis it's costing very little I think I'll still try doing fronts and then giving people the option of buying from me or just getting rears and buying from Rimmer.