LIGHTS AND LENSES

Once again it’s time to hone those true restoration skills, eh Scoop?

Sorting indicators, headlamps and the like.

If you follow the meanderings of our workshop features you will doubtless now be coming to terms with the fact that most of us are struggling to find decent NOS parts these days. The once almost limitless stock is drying up and it’s simply neither possible nor economically viable to unbolt worn or damaged parts, launch them into the bin and bolt on 40-year-old, unmarked, replacements. Yes, pattern or aftermarket parts sometimes offer a lifeline but only if you’re after high volume components. Should you require Yamaha Fizzy indicators there’s almost a glut of replica alternatives, ditto silencers and mudguards for the same. Many manufacturers ran the same indicators on a whole range of models so finding some pattern indicator lenses for the cursed Project Stinger shouldn’t have been too hard. Sadly some of what was on offer was, frankly, pants! Poor fit was an obvious issue with the ones I found, the plastic started to crack when the mounting screws were tightened and one even shattered when given a final tweak! And don’t even think of looking for an aftermarket headlamp glass because no one does them. All of which leads you to rethink your game plan and, potentially, re-examine what you already have in front of you. Can you internally clean a supposedly semi-headlamp unit? Is it possible to rejuvenate dulled indicator lenses? How bad does a rear light lens need to be before it is genuinely scrap? We’re about find out!