Front turn lenses...

[Bleyseng]

Well, my cheapo chinese busdepot lenses after two years turned a hazy foggy light yellow. They looked like crap so I dug out the OEM ones I had stashed and cleaned and polished em up to refresh the front end look on my Westy. Looks way better!

[VWGirl]

nice bus!

Can you post a pic of your two year old busdepot lenses compared to the originals?

[static]

I stuck a scrap of red (spotlight) gel inside my rear side markers. Not the correct red (should be "ruby red") but still improves my old Hellas. The repro versions stay red until you look at them.

OK, so who here works in stagecraft and can take home a couple of sheets of gel?

[Amskeptic]

We have got to scream and holler and ask our vendors to apply some cajones to the manufacturers. Come on! Who wouldn't pay 50% more for real guaranteed color fastness?
Colin

I deleted your replicated post where Sylvester asked for you to photograph the old ones, to which you replied, "sure! I'll go drag them out of the trash."

[Bleyseng]

no problem, don't know why it double posted...still need to go get those lenses to show what you told me would happen 2 years ago.

[Bleyseng]

Ok, here is a pic of the 2 year old Bus depot crappie repop's that fade away to junk.

[Amskeptic]

No excuse for that.
Crab

[static]

While I appreciate everyone's frustration with the lens situation, most of our current suppliers are not even considering having old bus parts manufactured to better specs.

It is already hard enough just forecasting needs, finding suppliers, get LCs cut so that the manufacture even begins, waiting for the agent to get the stuff in a shipment and then getting the contents of a container delivered from the POE unloaded, staged, inventoried and put into location so that orders can be taken, invoiced, picked, packed and put into various LTL and small package carrier's trailers. Let's forget for a moment that all this usually takes a facility and employees; a nightmare in itself.

Investing their own money up front to have stuff custom-manufactured so that they end up with many more times their annual needs of 35-year-old-bus lens orders may be hoping for a bit much.

If anyone here thinks that they can do better, then please choose any VW bus part and have some made to your specs.

We will open some brews and set up lawn chairs while we're waiting.

[Elwood]

for that Joe. I recently attended the 85th bday party of Bruce Meyers of Dune Buggy fame. Many from all over the world were there, Empi included. I had the pleasure of working for him in the late 60's and learned so much about the industry and VWs.
I myself have grabbed up every original lens and part for my El, to someday make him proud.

[Bleyseng]

While I appreciate everyone's frustration with the lens situation, most of our current suppliers are not even considering having old bus parts manufactured to better specs.

It is already hard enough just forecasting needs, finding suppliers, get LCs cut so that the manufacture even begins, waiting for the agent to get the stuff in a shipment and then getting the contents of a container delivered from the POE unloaded, staged, inventoried and put into location so that orders can be taken, invoiced, picked, packed and put into various LTL and small package carrier's trailers. Let's forget for a moment that all this usually takes a facility and employees; a nightmare in itself.

Investing their own money up front to have stuff custom-manufactured so that they end up with many more times their annual needs of 35-year-old-bus lens orders may be hoping for a bit much.

If anyone here thinks that they can do better, then please choose any VW bus part and have some made to your specs.
.

Well, this is all true but if a manufacturer has gone to all the steps to make the molds, machining, etc to make new lenses why cheap out on the plastic using a inferior amber that is not UV rated!!!! This is the last step in the process of making a part so ATLEAST USE A QUALITY PLASTIC to mold a new lens! Why use a crappy plastic? I assume its to save a few pennies per lens....stupid..
I dug out my old OEM lens and cleaned em up to atleast have amber front turn signals not light yellow ones that flash white. Hmm, maybe if I bleach em I can have white lenes and use amber bulbs for that "racer look". NOT.

[static]

I suspect that the problem has to do with the available dyes and the current method of applying said dye, but I am not a chemist.

[Bleyseng]

IF that is true all new cars lenes would fade too, no? Hella did a run of 914 Euro lenes and they are great and don't fade.

[Amskeptic]

It is already hard enough ........ I suspect that the problem has to do with the available dyes and the current method of applying said dye, but I am not a chemist.

Like Bleyseng pointed out, the entire supply chain and manufacturing process is already intact. It is merely the quality of the plastic soup they choose to use, and cheaping out for a few pennies is insulting. Yes, Ford used horrendous plastic that made their headlamp covers turn opaque brown lickity split back in the early 90's, my Lexus plastic is still brilliantly clear. Static, please, you know that greed knows not when to quit. This issue is squarely at the manufacturer's feet.
Colin

[static]

Who is the manufacturer?

[Amskeptic]

Who is the manufacturer?

[tinhat]
"They" won't let us find out . . . . .
[/tinhat]