...WW
Headlight lens
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: corpus christi Texas
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 469
Likes: 44
They're oem for sure. October would be great and hopefully that'll work out. Seems GM is having issues with getting parts to its consumers. I needed an a/c compressor this summer and oem was no where to be found.
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Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,022
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Unfortunately, GM does not consider the C6 headlight lens to be a consumer part. They only sell the complete assembly for ~$1200 list.
RL Sebring is getting his lenses from some other place in the supply chain, and I don't want to ask too many questions.
RL Sebring is getting his lenses from some other place in the supply chain, and I don't want to ask too many questions.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,318
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From: Melbourne FL
I don't think it's too secretive. Ecklers also sells OE lenses - also out of stock.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,022
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
But Ecklers isn't making the lenses either.
Someone who is making the lenses or dealing with them in the manufacturing of complete headlights, is "diverting" some of them.
GM seems to be pretty touchy about their designs and "intellectual property" being used by others. I'd guess they own the "design" of the lenses and maybe even the manufacturing equipment. Even if they don't, all it would take is a phone call to "stop selling lenses or we'll have someone else make them for us", and that would be the end.
The sale of individual lenses may have official approval from GM, and that would be great.
Or there may be some kind of "a wink and a nod" relationship there, but we shouldn't try to expose it to public scrutiny.
My first lenses lasted 7 yrs/90k miles before being replaced, so I'm probably set for as long as I'll own the car. Others are not in that position and we don't want to mess them up.
Someone who is making the lenses or dealing with them in the manufacturing of complete headlights, is "diverting" some of them.
GM seems to be pretty touchy about their designs and "intellectual property" being used by others. I'd guess they own the "design" of the lenses and maybe even the manufacturing equipment. Even if they don't, all it would take is a phone call to "stop selling lenses or we'll have someone else make them for us", and that would be the end.
The sale of individual lenses may have official approval from GM, and that would be great.
Or there may be some kind of "a wink and a nod" relationship there, but we shouldn't try to expose it to public scrutiny.
My first lenses lasted 7 yrs/90k miles before being replaced, so I'm probably set for as long as I'll own the car. Others are not in that position and we don't want to mess them up.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; Sep 21, 2016 at 09:57 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 129
From: Fairview Heights IL
I too am waiting to hear from Robert Sebring. I've sent him several PMs and e-mails asking for status updates, but have received no response.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 413
From: WV
I too am waiting to hear from Robert Sebring. I've sent him several PMs and e-mails asking for status updates, but have received no response.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
...WW.
.
Last edited by WW7; Sep 21, 2016 at 06:11 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,022
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
I too am waiting to hear from Robert Sebring. I've sent him several PMs and e-mails asking for status updates, but have received no response.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
I. I got the car back together in about 4 days.
2. I didn't have any worries about myself or an installer damaging the replacement lenses and having to wait for yet another pair.
3. New headights come complete and ready to install, so I got all new bulbs and ballasts. Since my originals already had 90k miles, I estimated that during the years ahead I would have had to replace one ballast and two low beam bulbs. Those are pretty expensive, plus installation cost and inconvenience if it happens on a road trip and I can't do it myself.
So I got "forced" into buying the complete headlights, but over the long run the total cost may be not much different.
BTW, there have been some claims that any kind of clear film on the lenses will contribute to heat buildup and earlier lens problems.
Last I heard, RLSebring has looked at a ton of bad lenses and knows that they can go bad with or without film, but he was choosing not to put the film on his personal car.
Good luck with your situation.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Akron Ohio
2017 Corvette of Year Finalist
2016 C5 of Year Finalist
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I don't know why people think these headlights cant be restored, they are just plastic covers nothing special. I did mine last year they turned out great.
...WW
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 108
From: Arlington Texas
I too am waiting to hear from Robert Sebring. I've sent him several PMs and e-mails asking for status updates, but have received no response.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
My poor Red is in dire need of new headlight lenses. Its eyeballs look like it has developed cataracts over 10 years. When I do get new lenses, I'm going to have them covered with XPel to protect them against the gazillion tiny rock chips that have eroded the original surface.
My attempts to contact him were unsuccessful also. I recommend you monitor EBay. That's how I found out when he had them in and I scooped them up.