[dataway]

68ragtop ...excellent .... looks like it might be worth trying to make my two "rights" work for me ... at least one will be correct

I guess the Repop lenses fit either side, so they must be molded to avoid the asymmetric notch. I bet even an OEM lens could be if either the housing or the lens was slightly modified.

Appreciate your efforts, will save me some money. If I can get the sockets out I'm going to try to plate them, along with the grounding strips. I also think I can make some new ground strips for the NOS unit with some sheet metal and heat shrink tube. (BTW ... the NOS housing unit I have is a completely different color, it's made of light gray plastic instead of the off white, otherwise identical, bought it about 35 years ago, long before repops were made)

Peter, I think the uniqueness of the 68 helps ... basically you HAVE to get involved or you'll end up with the wrong information. Sometimes a car that is a pain to get right, and a pain to get the correct parts for makes their owners more dedicated.

[68ragtop]

Here's what my sockets look like after removing them. They were plated in zinc, but it didn't turn out as I had hoped, Blotchy & inconsistent so I am still trying to figure out what to do with them.........

BUT, as you can see I got the edges straightened out fairly well after removing them. I machined an insert that fits exactly inside the sockets & allowed me to work the metal back to its original shape. I also have another piece that will (in theory) bend them back over & a 3rd piece that will flatten the edges like a crimp again. It should be close to how they were installed as long as I don't damage the housings in the process. They did appear to have a gasket between the housing & the bulb sockets.

I can send you these tools I made when your ready, but maybe you want to wait to make sure my theory works first. aka: I'm the guinea pig......

Mine would be getting re-installed right now, but I am looking into getting these plated in cadmium rather than zinc. 1 step forward, 3 steps back.

[dataway]

Looks kind of like they were not acid dipped long enough to remove the original plating and rust ... or something

A bit of crimping and some epoxy and I bet those sockets would stay put in the housing just fine.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by dataway

Looks kind of like they were not acid dipped long enough to remove the original plating and rust ... or something

A bit of crimping and some epoxy and I bet those sockets would stay put in the housing just fine.

Yea, they are a mess. Not too happy with them at all.

I think they will be easy to crimp back in place. just need to get the finish done correctly.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by dataway

68ragtop ...excellent .... looks like it might be worth trying to make my two "rights" work for me ... at least one will be correct

I guess the Repop lenses fit either side, so they must be molded to avoid the asymmetric notch. I bet even an OEM lens could be if either the housing or the lens was slightly modified.

Appreciate your efforts, will save me some money. If I can get the sockets out I'm going to try to plate them, along with the grounding strips. I also think I can make some new ground strips for the NOS unit with some sheet metal and heat shrink tube. (BTW ... the NOS housing unit I have is a completely different color, it's made of light gray plastic instead of the off white, otherwise identical, bought it about 35 years ago, long before repops were made)

Peter, I think the uniqueness of the 68 helps ... basically you HAVE to get involved or you'll end up with the wrong information. Sometimes a car that is a pain to get right, and a pain to get the correct parts for makes their owners more dedicated.

Data, what did you end up doing with your tail lights? Do you have a use for the parts I machined to reinstall the metal sockets? They work fantastic & I have no use for them anymore. They are just three simple tools & it allows you to remove & re-install the original metal bulb bases.

[OG68]

I'm still looking for a decent right side complete housing. Have an extra left side that needs a socket for partial trade, or will buy without trade.

[68ragtop]

Ed, here are the pics of those parts for re-installing the light sockets. Also, I forgot to mention I put the sockets in a deep well socket & used a C-clamp to re-install the housings.
Nothing special, but they should do the trick for you. you'll have to keep the wires out of the way. I sniped of the very tip or the wire where it makes contact with the bulbs & then soldered them back on.
Didn't think to take any pictures of that.

[dataway]

Sweet, nice work!
I'm still keeping an eye out for a nice or NOS left side before I decide what to do .. been side tracked with getting the engine in the frame.

OG68 .... let me look at mine again. I've been saving my extra right side in case as a last resort I had to use it as a left.

[dataway]

Some pics of what I have to work with. Both right hand, one at the top is NOS with lots of shelf wear and missing the original outer seal, lower is original. Original has some cracks that look very fixable and are still very stable, sockets need plating but are in good shape. Has a couple of snap-on type taps in the harness for trailer lights, back in 78 I put a hitch on it for a trip from FL to TN when I was in the military.

If I could make the original fit the left side I would be all set. I'm missing a lens so I'd have to buy a repop that would fit either side anyway. At the price of the crappy repop housings it's worthwhile to work on these I think.

[OG68]

I was able to buy a damaged right hand housing and I'm attempting to repair it. Had a large hole in the same area as your housing with the cracks. I fiberglassed the hole and used body filler to smooth it out. Just repainted the outside last night and I need to add a little bit of filler to make it nicer.

Depending on how well this turns out I may still be interested in your spare right hand. I do have a spare left housing now. (without sockets or wiring)

[68ragtop]

I forgot to mention, I found a mix of two rattle can paints when sprayed together have a very similar color to the original fiberglass.
I had a cracked spot in one of mine as well & after repairing it, I had no options but to paint it. Mine had a somewhat inconsistent
mixed light & darker cream color to them. Was kind of hard to reproduce, but I got pretty close. I can see if I can dig them out if you plan
to repair & repaint. I was only going to do one of mine, but then it looked so much better I did both.....

[68ragtop]

Looking at your pictures again, it looks like you already finished yours.
Did you install the light sockets yet?

[OG68]

yeah but...
I had both tail lights sockets in and was installing the back up socket. Giving it the final roll over crimp and the fiberglass housing under the socket broke apart. ###### or so to speak.
Guess the housing isn't as strong in that area as it is around the tail lights. Then again, it's 52 year old fiberglass.

The first socket went in as smooth as silk. The second was a little more difficult to get that final crimp. The B.U. was going well and then that splintering sound.

So I'm attempting repairs to the housing again. My only consolation is that its not an area where anyone can see without getting on their back. I may be in the market for another right side. I do have an extra left I can put the sockets in if needed.
Da--n.

[68ragtop]

That stinks, Sorry to hear that. I did hear a "crack" sound on one of mine, but no visible marks afterwards. I tightened the C clamp a bit at a time until the socket was snug. Hopefully you can fix it.

Did you make new washer gaskets, or skip them? I made new ones, but seeing I will never being driving in the rain, they were probably not necessary. But, I wonder if they helped snugging the base up at all?

[OG68]

The gaskets were in good shape so I reused them.

It's been one of those weeks.

Engine builder called and told me my # matching intake is cracked so the search is on for a suitable date correct manifold. I think I found one from a member here.

I was supposed to pick up the car from the painters this weekend but they asked to delay another week. It's done but the shop will be closed this weekend. Since it's 110 miles from here in Long Beach I prefer to pick it up on an early Saturday morning when there's a little bit less traffic in LA.

Plus, the wife left to visit her parents in the Philippines yesterday. She'll be gone for three weeks. Its back to Eggos and PB sandwiches while she's gone lol. I always lose about 5 pounds when she's gone.

Then the tail light. hmmm. Should have gone with the wife.

[68ragtop]

I never would have though of the fiberglass getting crushed on the final step of bending over the lip of the sockets or I would have warned you of that.
I must have got lucky that it did not happen to me.....

[OG68]

What I'm PO'd about is that I had the crimp down but the socket was just slightly loose. I thought just a little bit more crimping....

[dataway]

This saves me a step ... I will probably make up some quick tooling on the lathe just like you did. I'm thinking going a couple degrees of negative angle on the last tool would seat them easier ... in other words cut it so it presses ever so slightly on the outer edge of the socket lip first and "rolls" it over a bit. Tool would need to be smaller OD so it didn't contact the plastic before fully bending the socket.

I've made a few press dies in my shop ... it's amazing what tiny changes will do when you start pressing. Course who's got a half dozen spare housings and a dozen sockets to tweak it to perfection

[dataway]

Did some test fitting of the right hand housings I have. At present, I think the right hand housing fits the left hand side of the bumper well enough to use ... personally from the outside I can't tell the difference, you can see it a bit on the inside and I assume the housing to bumper gasket won't fit great, but this car is unlikely to ever see the rain. And it already has the left/right notch already broken off so either side lens should fit it. I'll just keep my eyes open for a real nice left.

Couple of questions .... anyone think the grounding strips might be made of pure zinc? I have some pure zinc sheet here, about exactly the right thickness that I could make the straps out of.

And .... do you think using two right hand side housings would cause a problem with wiring? I don't have a left here to compare the plugs.

[OG68]

What I have found out is the wiring colors for the right and left buckets are the same. They both use right side color code (dark green) for the signals/brake light filament. Not only for the two left ones I have, but for others I've seen on the web.

The factory rear harness has yellow for the left side.