Front bulbs won't fit! (and other disasters)

bobs409

 
Administrator
Take some fine sandpaper.or a small grinding stone and reduce the thickness of the brass bushing.You shouldn't have to remove much to get the bulbs to fit smugly in the sockets.

That's about what I was thinking. It's either make the hole bigger or the bulb smaller. :D
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
Weren't those tail lights just anodized alum not chrome?

That's what I thought too. My old ones are dulled and since I have new $600 dollar cove panels, I thought how they would look terrible up against those. Is it possible to chrome plate thin aluminum like this? It really looks plated, not just polished aluminum.
 

1958 delivery

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
They weren't polished or chromed, they were/are anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum has a shine, often called bright anodize, it should shine when new but not like chrome.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
For the sockets and the 1034 bulbs use a round file to file on the brass inserts. I had to file my 62 sockets on more than one set of
housings. The round file I use is much smaller than the brass socket. just file until the bulbs fit, worked great for me.
Just for info I use NOS or original tailights that have been reanodized. With originals speed nuts will work fine on the NOS or original studs.

To use the speed nuts on the repro tailights, I would suggest bending the speednuts cutting ridges to see if they will cut into the repro studs
so they can be tightened.
I too have really been finding lots of repro stuff that won't work, fit or of poor quality. When I can I send the parts back...
You pay good money the parts should be of quality. I have now taken to finding out who makes the part (from past repros purchased that were fine ) and
insisting on that brand or I will not buy the part. Some sellers don't like that and if they won't tell me, I don't buy from them.
I have a whole list of items in mind and remembered of who to buy from.
Paul
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
Ok an update. I used a small drum sander in my drill that was from an old Dremel tool that was a perfect fit! It took longer than I thought but I was able to sand them out larger so the bulbs would fit. I gave them a light coat of dielectric grease so they won't corrode and get stuck in there. Not sure I'll ever understand how they shrunk though. :scratch It seems it can only happen to me....

Decided to think about these tail housings some more so I put them all side by side again and it appears to me the 2 that I said didn't look polished enough just might be the correct finish, appear to be an anodized aluminum look. The other 4 are definitely plated and polished as they are like a mirror finish. I took some pics to send to Hubbards, here they are: (the ones without lenses are the anodized looking ones)

DSCN4276.jpg DSCN4277.jpg DSCN4278.jpg DSCN4279.jpg DSCN4280.jpg DSCN4281.jpg DSCN4282.jpg

Notice the last 2 pics, you can see a difference even in the unpolished back sides.

I wonder if Hubbards is aware of this? Seems like those chrome ones should fetch even more money. :D Think I'll stay with the correct ones however.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
Bob,
The black gasket in the first picture goes on the back side of each tailight next to your SS swirl trunk panels.
here are the right gaskets for the lenses with a picture. I am sure Hubbards has these also.
http://www.lategreatchevy.com/full-size-chevy-taillight-and-back-up-light-lens-gasket-set-1963.html

attached are pictures of a pair of 62 NOS original tailights including the black NOS gaskets on the mounting side of the tailights
- the shine is like the better ones you have. These are from Pat Lobb from the forum.
IMG_3352.JPG IMG_3357.JPG

He has 2 63 NOS Impala tailights for sale right now on Ebay. One right side and one left side. They look very nice.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1963-Chevro...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c973c4e4a

Paul
 

1958 delivery

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
The ones without the lenses look about right in the picture-bright anodized. The others are plated and I don't think they ever came that way. Probably some people like that better, maybe, but they should all match one or the other.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
Bob,
Have you checked your wiring sockets for fit in the tailights ? The holes for them in your repro tailights don't look large enough.
See the picture of the back of my 62 NOS GM tailights.
61 to 64 Chevy impalas all have the same socket size for the plastic bulb sockets on the wiring harness.
Paul
 

blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
Bob, just to save you a little grief maybe. :furious The bezel's that bolt to the lid and quarter are left and right which they are marked , but they can bolt on upside down too and the tail len's will still screw on either way. . You will see if wrong they will have open gap's next to cove panel ,
 
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bobs409

 
Administrator
The new tail housings arrived and all is happy again here in 63land. :) They are all assembled and just waiting for me to get the rest of the car done!

I wonder what was up with those plated ones? They don't list anything like that for sale and they had the same UPC stickers on them as the new ones. They didn't explain so we may never know... :dunno
 
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