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Rear Clear Indicator Conversion
For a clearer look, change the orange lenses for clear ones. This gives a cleaner look and suits the Esprit. This mod is easy to do and not too expensive. Doesn't make a massive difference to the Esprits appearance, but who'd want to do that anyway!
Three years ago when i'd just bought my Esprit. i started to look for clear indicators to make the car look a little bit more modern.
I couldn´t find any clear lenses anywhere and i did not want to try and make any myself, it would just look tacky…So i contacted a small swedish company and asked them to manufacture new ones for me, the front ones were really easy to make and they looked really good. At the time the manufacturer could not make the rear ones, but this winter they have finally started making clear indicator lenses for the ”stevens” Esprit.
You can buy them straight from the manufacturer, www.radicast.com (old name was ”reproglas”)
To make this conversion you will need 1-2 hours from start to finish and it does not take any special tools and it´s not that difficult.
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You will need the following parts: One pair of clear indicator lenses |
You will need the following tools: Some kind of glue or silicone |
To remove the light clusters see our previous guide here.
1. First remove the rear light clusters. 2. Then you need a bucket large enough to dip the clusters in, and a kettle to boil some water. Heat up some water, (dont boil it you will only risk damaging the light clusters and burning your self) and pour it into the bucket, then place the light cluster into the hot water and let it sit in the water for a few minutes. This will make the glue used to mount the amber indicator lens soft.
3: After a few minutes in the hot water you can start prying the amber lens of from the light cluster, use a flat screwdriver and be careful so you dont damage the cluster. If the lense doesn't want to come off, you might need to put the cluster back in to the hot water. Don't use too much force, that will only break the amber lens, since the amber plastic is quite fragile.
4. After having succesfully removed the old lense you need to take away the old glue, i found it easier to wait a few minutes untill the glue was hard again and then i used a very sharp razorblade and simply cut it away.
5. Make sure the cluster is clean and dry. 6: Now apply glue to the cluster, i chose to use some transparent silicone made for bathroom´s since it is both flexible, heat and water resistant and also it gives you a little time to put the new lenses in place.7. Now press the new clear lenses in position, they shall ”click” on in to the right position.
8: Mount the clusters back on the car…When i did this mod on my car the second one of the amber lenses took twice as much time as the first one it really did not want to come off. And i managed to break both of my original lenses, however that is not a problem since i don't plan on putting them back on the car.
Additional tips for the perfectionist´s
When i have mounted clear lenses on any of my cars i have always done a special modification to the lightbulb also to avoid the fried-egg look. This is a very simple modification that will only take you 5 minutes and a spraycan of silver paint. Mask the lightbulbs so that only the top of the bulb is visable.
Then add a thin coat of silver spraypaint on the top. Wait untill the silverpaint is dry and then mount the bulbs on the car.
These are also available at www.esprit4sale.co.uk
LEW's Verdict
Rickard thinks the clear rear indicator lenses givs a more modern look to a car that was always ahead of it´s time. This conversion is a little bit of a pain as you can see. The end results are pretty good and don't look 'aftermarket' like some light conversions can. This is a how to do guide. Whether you have the time or actually like the difference is up to you. It's available and here's how to do it. With so many modern cars going the clear indicator route, it is a way of keeping the Esprit up with the trends.
This mod was performed & supplied by Rickard Fritz on his S4.
If you try this, feel free to e-mail us with your Verdict at admin@lotusespritworld.com
Should really add that it:
A. takes LOTS of patience to get the old lenses out and the glue cleaned out from the channel
B. to NOT test fit the new lenses all the way in as there is a lip on the inner side which goes under the red lens which makes it a bitch to get out the clear one which is necessary so you can put the GENEROUS bead of clear silicone
C. painting the inside of the turn signal cavity. Simply remove the reflector, paint silver. Otherwise the black shows thru the new clear lens.
Thanks
Kenny West
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