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Posted by: Pat Garvey May 5 2006, 10:19 AM

Was just doing some spring cleaning & noted that the front signals looked a little darkers that they should. Pulled the lenses & saw that the reflective coating in the buckets was about a third gone! This happened to me about 10 years ago & I replaced the buckets (they were a LOT cheaper then) & seals. No water has touched this area since.

What's causing this?

Has anyone attempted to "restore" or refinish the buckets?

Don't want to invest in another set if I don't need to. Plus I'd then have 2 complete, and unusable sets sitting on the shelf!

If this was posted in another Forum in the past, I apoligize - but couldn't find any help with a search.




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Posted by: North Bay 914 May 5 2006, 12:07 PM

Here are my Euro conversions, which off course for all you CW's I could leave out the really cool Euro conversion. There are platers who can replate the inside to get the correct finish I am told.


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Posted by: AvalonFal May 5 2006, 03:34 PM

Pat,
Have you looked at the Eastwood catalogue or site? They offer some reflective coatings in spray cans. May be a cheap fix.

Posted by: Pat Garvey May 5 2006, 08:17 PM

How about alink?

Posted by: Lou W May 5 2006, 10:16 PM

Here you go, I've used similar a product:

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=5676&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=400&iSubCat=403&iProductID=5676

Posted by: North Bay 914 May 6 2006, 02:25 PM

You are looking at the Eastwood product on my housings...

Posted by: Pat Garvey May 7 2006, 08:02 PM

I'm a little anal - have any closer photos? Look like the best alternative to re-plating at more then new parts would cost.

Posted by: gms Nov 4 2006, 02:39 PM

Posted by: Pat Garvey Nov 4 2006, 09:31 PM

The answers are "probably not" & "defnitely", depending on the event.
Caveat here - I personally am a hardnose.

Show up at a regional concours with euro lenses/buckets & side marker lenses, I'll deduct. No side markers & euro lenses/buckets ( & they had better be both) & tell me your 914 is a eurocar, I'll probably believe you & let it go. Regional events are more forgiving.

But.......national events are WAY different. Show up w/euro lenses/buckets and side markers - you'll lose the max for originality of the category. Euro lenses/buckets & NO side markers - you'll have to show proof that it's an original euro car (COA would do). Rule of thumb - if it isn't original to the car, don't display it that way if you want to try to win. Once upon a time you could get away with personal touches at something like a PCA Parade - no more, if you want to win!

As I said earlier, I am a hardnose. Of the more than 50 concours events I've attended, 90% of the time I'm forced to judge. While everyone else is enjoying the chit chat & lunch, I'm under someones car judging it. You're off having fun while I'm judging your car. And yes, many of you wander away from your car while it's being judged - huge mistake. Not present to answer my questions - you're gigged for anything not right. If you're present, we can discuss & I may bend. Don't leave your car. And, because I'm a hardnose for originality, you WILL lose points, even at a regional event, for anything unoriginal. Not limited to turn signal buckets.

Concours, to me, is black and white. It's either correct/original or not. Not to say you'll lose points for cleanliness & prep - those are different points. But, if you're not original, and not present, you'll lose the max originality points from me automatically.

BTW GMS - this is NOT directed at you. You only asked the question.

Am I an as__ole about concours? Don't think so, just a purist.
Do I judge all cars equally? You bet! if you bring a a pink 914 to a concours & have proof that it was a paint-to-sample color - good with me, because it's original.

But that's just me. I'm a humble and completely unopinionated person.

Posted by: Pat Garvey Nov 4 2006, 09:37 PM

BTW, forgot to mention this - NO ONE should remove ANYTHING from your car when judging. If so - protest. If the judge says he did the same for all cars judged - still protest. A judge can "touch" for crud, but nothing gets removed by the judge.

In really rare circumstances of a tie-breaker you may be asked to remove something - but only YOU can remove it (these are really rare circumstances) and anyone else's car involved will have to do likewise. In 32 years of concours judging/participating I've seen this happen only once!

Posted by: gms Nov 5 2006, 08:43 AM