Rear light lens issue

[MrBounce]

I have a question. My Mk1 project has TR7 rear light lenses. The car had been standing 11 years or thereabouts and when I came to remove the lights things had got a bit ugly. The lights are held in place by studs which protrude inside the boot. These are set into small "sockets" which are part of the moulded lens. Naturally all the bolts at the bottom of each lens had either seized solid through rust or simply broke the plastic sockets. Hopefully you can see what I mean from the crudely ringed parts in my pic:



I need to know if there's a way I can use an epoxy resin or something similar to build up around a new stud to keep it in place rather than replacing or drilling the lens. Would it stick as the plastic is shiny? The cheapest price I have found so far for replacement rear lenses is about £30. Each. Which is ridiculous. So any ideas or help is greatly appreciated 8)

[manifold]

I would get a little grinding bit (the dentist type ones) in a dremel and key it then drizzle some epoxy in. Pretty sure that should work.

[Alan D.]

The cheapest price I have found so far for replacement rear lenses is about £30. Each. Which is ridiculous.

I think that price is cheap try buying a modern equivalent, you are probably talking £80. I know you are on a budget, but if you calculate the time to repair them and the cost of glue etc. You wont be far from say £20 and how long will they last! This the problem I am creating for myself, trying to reinvent everything! The trouble is that the project go on forever!
I hope you don't think I'm knocking you Mr Bounce, as no offense is intended.

alan

[MrBounce]

Ha ha no no offence taken Alan! I'm on here for advice and can take it I just don't see the point in throwing something away if it is basically usable, just needing a touch of modification. I've got nothing to lose if I try it so will go down the Epoxy + stud route first...

Plus if it works well I'll have the satisfaction of saying "I mended that!"

[Alan D.]

Ha ha no no offence taken Alan! I'm on here for advice and can take it I just don't see the point in throwing something away if it is basically usable, just needing a touch of modification. I've got nothing to lose if I try it so will go down the Epoxy + stud route first...

Plus if it works well I'll have the satisfaction of saying "I mended that!"

Good point. I get more satisfaction trying to reinvent the wheel. So when I come up with a new idea that works, I'm chuffed with myself! Why I just don't buy a sports-car and save all the bother, I don't know!!

The success for this weekend was that Johnny fix it and I, stripped out a VVC head from my Rover BRM, which had the cam belt tension-er collapse, The valves then contacted the pistons and then bent, it still needs put together! But I was pleased with our success as this is the first modern engine we've worked on. I bought the Rover to try out the K-series engine and learn about it's foibles, before I fit one to a Mk 3! The K-series 1.8 VVC engine is excellent powerful, torque-ey and more importantly cheap!
But back to your rear lights, sorry I'm a bit anti the Mk1 & 2's rear lights as I followed two cars back home in the torrential rain. The rear lights were very poor and hard to see! But each to his own!

Regards Alan

[Geoff Butcher]

The cheapest price I have found so far for replacement rear lenses is about £30. Each. Which is ridiculous. So any ideas or help is greatly appreciated 8)

I'd have thought you could get a whole TR7 for that. After all, it's not as if it's a real TR...