Restoring/Disassembling 240z Tail Lights

[lm71z]

I have a pair of 240z tail lights that are in amazing condition, but they are extremely filthy and covered in masking tape residue. I need to separate the lens from the body without breaking anything. Can someone explain to me how to do this? I read in one thread that the lens and body will seperate if you submerge them in hot water; has anyone else tried this method? Also, does anyone know how I can remove the old tape residue from the lenses without damaging the plastic? The best way I can think of is using duct tape.

[jwtaylor]

Masking tape residue can be a real pain to deal with, I don't think the duck tape would work unless the old tape is tacky. You need a solvent that will remove it and leave the base plastic intact. Goo-gone and good old WD40 have been recommended for this. I would do a small test first to see how the plastic holds up before covering the whole thing.

If your going to polish the lens you may be able to scrape the residue off gently with a razor blade and then polish/buff to remove the small scrapes from the razor blade.

[Lazeum]

If you'd like to remove the 2 sides of the lens, first of all, you'll have to remove a no-back washer in the middle of the back of the lens on a long plastic chromed pin (from the chrome horizontal trim piece you can see between top and bottom clear light rows).

This is a difficult step since everything is so brittle.

I suggest 2 ways of doing it:

- The nasty & convenient way: You break the big pin with the washer still in.

- The long, boring and clean way: You use some long cutting pliers to cut the no-back washer. With some patience, you can do it. I've done it on the 2 extra ones on each side (the 2 ones that hold the chrome trim to the clear side of the lens).

With the nasty solution, to fix everything back together I've drilled in the clear lens a taper hole to replace the long pin with a tapered head bolt and a nut.

To remove the 2 parts, you can see some spots with space between the 2 parts to let the lenses "breath". I've put a screwdriver with a flat tip and slide it gently to separate them.

Heat from hot water could help since the compound used as glue will soften.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Lazeum

[esprist]

I have a pair of 240z tail lights that are in amazing condition, but they are extremely filthy and covered in masking tape residue. I need to separate the lens from the body without breaking anything. Can someone explain to me how to do this? I read in one thread that the lens and body will seperate if you submerge them in hot water; has anyone else tried this method? Also, does anyone know how I can remove the old tape residue from the lenses without damaging the plastic? The best way I can think of is using duct tape.

Very simple. You dip the whole light assembly into hot water. Within few minutes, they will come right off.

Esprist

[lm71z]

Esprist's method worked perfectly. I think mine were tougher to get off than yours because there was some sort of adhesive glue holding it on. Esprist, what did you use to replace the original gasket (sealant maybe) that secured the lens to the body?

[FilipeA]

Hi

I hope you get a nice job as you expect!

I did the same as Esprit, i put the tailights in hot water, when they came apart very soon.

Them i clean them very well and took off the plastic chrome part - center chrome part!

I polish the lens and the plastic chrome with car products for the paint use (don`t know english word) very carefully.

Take attention to the plastic chrome part, because if you polish it too hard or very fast it will over heat and chrome might fall of the plastic.

As i polish the plastic chrome part, black paint came out, and i mask it and paint it again.

I assembled all the parts togheter and glue the them, and they look as new.

Filipe Azevedo

[esprist]

Esprist's method worked perfectly. I think mine were tougher to get off than yours because there was some sort of adhesive glue holding it on. Esprist, what did you use to replace the original gasket (sealant maybe) that secured the lens to the body?

Clear silicon is perfect to seal them. Now when you polish the lenses, please use slow speed otherwise the lense burns easily.

If you add more reflector inside(cut-to-fit-mirror for $10?), your tail lights become brighter as well.

Esprist

[zed2]

Esprist,

Does submersing the tail amp assembly in hot water loosen the "no-back washer in the middle of the back of the lens" (Lazeum mentioned above) and allow for the disassembly of the lens from the housing?

Keith

[Inf]

The hot water helps loosen the stuff around the edges, holding the lens to the housing. If I recall, I had to carefully get the little clip on the back off by some other means (can't exactly recall). I don't want to tell you wrong, but I was scared straight by other posters about being extra careful not to break the little post off.

[hogie]

How important is that center post on the outside to really holding it together? I was unfortunate enough to break both of mine off. Surely the adhesive is enough to hold it altogether.

It took alot of prying to get it off the first time

[Zs-ondabrain]

If you live in a Hot weather area, they will fall apart without that clip holding it together. I rebuild these and instal LED plates in them, which requires seperating everything.

Just be carefull, if you break the clip off, you might have to drill thru the chrome strip and instal a 2" skinny bolt with a washer and nut. Just angle the edges of the head of the bolt to fit into the chrome strips valley.

I use 0000 steel wool and warm soapy water to clean the chrome strips up, then I tape them off and use flat or satin black paint in the valley of the strips.

You can use Acetone on the lens but don't leave it on too long, just use it to wipe off exhaust fume stains, paint and glue residue.

You can wetsand them with 800 or 1000 grit and then buff them out with a plastic polish. I also like to use Meguiars Cleaner Wax to remove crap and exhaust fume stains.

[hogie]

Would you define Southern Indiana as a hot weather area? I think I would...

Well I guess I will have to screw at least one together. I got the inside of it, nicely polished the other the outside will have to do for now.