348 - Repairing NLA tail light lenses? | FerrariChat

348 Repairing NLA tail light lenses?

Discussion in '348/355' started by Wade, Jan 18, 2020.

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  1. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Mar 31, 2006
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    Wade O.
    Can something like this be repaired or maybe salvaged for "parts"? Considering that 348's tail light assemblies are no longer available as new, at some point maybe an enterprising individual can make something of this?

    This one suffered heat damage some time ago. The red lens is okay except for a small area of deformation. No problems white the white and yellow sections. The back shell is in bad shape on the inboard end.


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  2. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
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    Apr 12, 2017
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    Man, I wish there was, mine's melted on the yellow side.

    sjd
     
  3. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
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    those are from heat internally? Coming from the engine bay?
     
  4. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Hard to say but mine was most likely due to a missing heat shield on an early car with the twin can exhaust. Initially I suspected that the wrong bulbs were used (brighter but too hot?).

    I replaced the light with a good used one before selling the car.
     
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  5. wbt

    wbt Karting

    Nov 28, 2014
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    Wrong bulbs, and sitting on the brake pedal for ages and building up heat inside the plastic. Change to LED!!
     
  6. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
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    At first I could see that, but in the one pic thats the back up light. One would have to be in reverse or sitting in gear in reverse for a long time. The back up light appears to be more melted than brake light next to it. That has to be heat from the exhaust.
     
  7. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

    Mar 17, 2006
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    No LEDs, yuk.
     
  8. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    It is exactly what it is. You can separate the lenses and reuse them, but it appears the lens has some damage as well :(
     
  9. Pangea

    Pangea Formula Junior

    Mar 27, 2011
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    As Wade mentioned that damage would be from a missing heat shield which wasn't fitted to early cars. Its shown as part 20 on the later diagram below but not in the early parts manual drawing. Its far more damage than just hot bulbs.

    front-and-rear-lights-41240
     
  10. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    That's interesting. Here's a close-up of part # 20.


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  11. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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  12. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Wade O.
  13. Pangea

    Pangea Formula Junior

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    Here is the early parts diagram. Part not shown.. The shield must have been a later addition I presume due to lights melting on cars already in circulation. Probably a recall at some point.

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  14. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Thanks for the clarification.

    Ferrari going to the single can exhaust was a significant improvement as well.
     
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  15. Pangea

    Pangea Formula Junior

    Mar 27, 2011
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    You can see the heat shields in this pic. Silver, underneath the inner part of the light units. Also goes up the inner sides of the clear reverse lamps. Made of the same materiel as the main heat shields. Protects lamps from heat coming out of the centre vent you can see.

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  16. Culprit

    Culprit Formula Junior
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    Are the different colors molded as one or are they separate pieces?

    I'm working on remanufacturing the F355 front turn signals now. This could be a next project if there is some demand. Ideally I'd need a set of new/mint condition lights to start with.



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  17. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
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    I have a complete RHS good lens that I have carefully cut off a tail lamp, the housing (the back part) of which was damaged by exhaust heat. My RHS tail lamp is very good except that the brake light portion of the lens is somewhat "swolen" in the middle (the PO put a higher wattage bulb) so I am going to do a transplant of the good lens.

    The lens has the following parts:

    The clear part - it is a separate piece; once the lens is detached (cut-off) from the housing, the clear part just comes off the rest.
    The Red part - one piece but the "cat's eye" segment is "inlayed"; this segment was cast separately and then glued (very strongly) into a recess of the main red part.
    The Amber part - cast separately and also strongly glued/fused to the main red part.
     
  18. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    If we were local to each other I could help you with that. But I can't risk sending them across country.

    P.S. Not for sale at any price while I still own a 348. :)
     

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  19. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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  20. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Thanks.

    Tenacity and/or lots of luck (and timing). Sometimes you win, and sometimes you don't. ;)
     

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