Hi,
my uncle is looking for tail lights for his 1968 Datsun 1000 light van.
They could be the entire units or just the lenses themselves - hopefully both left and right, but more urgently, the right.
 
Does anybody have any they don't need/want?
 
Also, if anybody has experimented with putting tail light units from a different model onto the van, could you let us know if that project was successful?
 
Thanks!
 
Kind regards,
 
Claudio

Hi Greeny,
interesting you're in adelaide too!
 
I think my uncle would need just the lenses, but he would be interested in a pair of complete assemblies if some came up.
 
To fill in some more info: We found one lens from eBay, but it's the left-hand side - the red middle part (i.e. light/stop-light) - no top indicator lens or botton reversing light lens.
 
This might interest you and other members as well: We've been in touch with Steve, from Stitches & Sounds, who has some contacts in Japan. He put us onto David Azzopardi, in Sydney (I think), who makes short runs of reproduction lenses.
 
Recently, I saw a posting of a pair of clear front indicator/parking lenses, on eBay. It may even be David. I tried to ring him yesterday and again this morning, but no answer. So I thought I'd try again Monday, as well.
David's number is (02) 9824 6737 and Steve's number is: 0424 797 079.
Does David's number ring a bell? (Pardon the pun...  :-) )
 
I guess if anybody else was interested, we could get a group of interested members come in on the order.
(I don't know if this response of mine is public on the forum, but if not, after I post, I'll copy to the public arena.
 
Cheers and thanks for the prompt reply!
 
Claudio

Yeah it is David   was speaking to. I recently purchased the front lenses and thought the quality was quite good.
 
What style tail lamps do you have? Indicator and brake or indicator, brake and reverse.

Hi Greenie,
OK that it's the same guy sounds good.
I think the style of the lights is the three parts (from top to bottom): Indicator, brake/tail light and then reverse.
 
Sorry, my uncle basically has the car with perhaps a few mechanical spares - he just gets what he needs when something crops up to fix. However, you can try Steve from Stix and sounds - he's a really involved Dastun owner/collector and very helpful. He's in Adelaide too and also does upholstery. The phone number is in my first email in this thread: 0424 797 079
 
Now to d:
Hi and thanks for your advice. However, I'm a bit puzzled about having clear ones made (if it's possible to have any made at all). I would think that making them in red and amber would be fairly common options. I don't know the ins and outs yet, as I haven't spoken to David Azzopardi about how he works on these projects.
 
Re the chrome frames - I think they're in a fairly good condition, but would have to verify that with my uncle. I know he backed into something with his right-hand-side one and cracked the main tail light/brake lense at least...
 
Thanks,
 
Claudio

Ah! yes! OK - I get what you mean!
Unless I'm mistaken, I think the lenses are in separate pieces, separated by the chromed cross-piece of the tail light frame itself, so I assumed they'd be separate pieces. Certainly the red central section is separate, as I was able to buy one on eBay. As it's the middle part, (i.e. parking/stop), then the top (indicator) and bottom (reversing light) should be separate pieces also. At least I hope!!  (I don't have the car with me.)
 
Thanks d!
 
Claudio

Heyoooooo
 
If patient the lenses do come up every now and again NOS
 
I managed to get a pair of NoS early model (no reverse) from Japan. 
 
contemplating replicating myself as it's not hard but don't want to wreck the mint ones i've got. Might use the current ones on the wagon only thing is they have hairline fractures near the screws due to sun heat expanding and retraction
 
Benny -
 
just replied on facebook! Sorry about that.

the process in general is not risky but with something so rare and delicate, simple rookie things on the users behalf like dropping, snapping, incorrect chemicals causing pitting or sticking etc man who knows... Call me paranoid but fact is if you ruin your only set... Well you understand the headache of not having a complete set!
 
Greeny mentioned the idea of replicating the housings aswell, anyone against the idea of plastic 3D printed housings? I reckon that wouldn't be a bad idea and cheap if a batch was made... Could even just cast plastic them with good quality plastic if 3D printing is too hard/expensive. I know the Uni nearby has one... Then just get them plasty dipped with some cheap plastic chrome imitation for the surrounding decal bit

I tried selling my tail lights
No-one wanted them
 
They stayed in the car when it was sold

Hi Greeny,
 
Thanks for the update - and that's strange - I thought I had posted a message about two weeks ago, to say that my uncle had bought that set of lights from Importmonster, that you mentioned! (Maybe I dreampt it!) (...And that's a worry too!)
 
So yours are the two-piece ones, is that right? My uncle's are the three-piece ones, so I doubt that they would fit? (Don't know really...)
 
If you get them done, do you have a picture of the stop lens? That could be interchangeable with the three-piece one and if so, my uncle might consider buying a pair of those.
 
Also how did you go with Steve from Stix 'n' Sounds? Was he of any help for the mudguards?
 
Please keep in touch re the reproduction lenses process - sounds interesting!
 
Good luck,
 
Claudio