`64 shifter lens supplier

[Scott Mckenzie]

Greetings, is anyone making these anymore? Am I better to look for a good used one? 

                                                                          Thanks,Scott

Edited April 30, 2017 by Scott Mckenzie (see edit history)

[RivNut]

A good used one is your only choice right now. ?

[RIVNIK]

Hey Scott!           I had the same problem recently. Mine is a '65 but they are probably similar or identical.  I assumed that Clark's had those in stock. They were pictured in the catalog for years. When I finally got around to ordering one I found out they had discontinued them some time ago. However I was able to refurbish mine to acceptable condition. Bear in mind , I'm not a professional restorer by any means. I was winging it most of the way....and my interior is not quite show quality, so the bar was low. But it came out looking better than ever.    I removed the plate from the housing...it is pinched in over the lens plate at either end...then I carefully pried the white plastic "lenses" from the back. They were glued in 52 yrs ago but popped right out. The raised letters were encrusted with decades of polish, dirt, etc., and the plastic had degenerated and was soft & crumbly . I trimmed off the "dead" parts with an exacto & sandpaper, and ended up with mostly well defined ( but shorter) letters. With Maguiars plastic polish I was able to return the scratched plate to perfect condition (along with my instrument panel lenses, by the way). I then carefully glued the "lenses "back into the plate. Next I took off-white gloss acrylic paint and filled in the PRNDLs from the top with thin layers, wiping off the excess. The result was less than perfect at night, as the letters are not illuminated as brightly as I had hoped. I improved the situation by replacing the bulb with an 8 lens LED mega bulb( Ebay). Instrument illumination has always been one of the Riviera's weak spots, so it's no worse off. The upside is that the lens looks better than it ever did in the daylight, with shiny black plastic & bright, distinct letters. In fact, I almost feel like I should ugly it up a bit to match everything around it. You may be able to improve on my technique, who knows....the fact is that it is do-able. 

[RivNut]

64 and 65 are not alike.  The shifter for a 64 has 2 detents for forward gears - L and D. The lens has the same kind of markings..  The shifter for a 65 has 3 detents for forward gears - L,  2, and D. That lens has the those markings.  To accommodate the extra marking, it's also longer.  Therefore the console itself also has different dimensions. The 63 lens is the same size, but R is at the bottom instead of below P. 

[Scott Mckenzie]

Mine is beyond refurbishment , it has a melted spot from what appears to be a cigarette

[telriv]

And, some 64's had a dividing line between the letters, sorta like the '63 DynaFlow lenses, & other '64's DO NOT. I don't know if it was a certain time period or not. So In '64 there were two lenses.

[Black River]

You can pop it out and take it to a plastic shop.  I've had lenses made from lexan before for a couple of bucks.  Then take the old one or a photo of one to a decal place and have them make you new letters.  $15-$25 later you're good to go.

 

Lucas

[RivNut]

The original lens ls layered and the light that comes through the PRNDL letters is part of a light transmitting layer.  The light from the bulb comes in from the side of the lens in that layer and shines up through the letter.  Kind of hard to reproduce if you want it "factory."