G'day.
I have had some success with re-chroming the vent windows for my 63 Bird. I am looking at getting some spare reversing light housings re-chromed as well the only problem is there is the light socket. I have stripped the wires out but I don't think that the bulb socket can be removed. Has anybody had the reversing light housing re-chromed with the bulb socket in and been a problem later on?
Thanks,
Karl.
Reversing light housing.
Moderator: ABQTBird
Reversing light housing.
1963 Thunderbird Hardtop
Re: Reversing light housing.
The socket is a simple press fit into the housing. Wrap a few layers of masking tape around the back of the socket to protect the rubber boot, apply a good sized pair of channel locks to the socket and simply twist it out with a few CW/CCW movements. When you have the housing chromed, have the chromer put a plug in the hole so it stays clean, otherwise the socket will not fit when you try to press it back in. I've done this many times - no need to remove the wiring from the socket either.Karl wrote: ↑Sat May 12, 2018 8:42 am G'day.
I have had some success with re-chroming the vent windows for my 63 Bird. I am looking at getting some spare reversing light housings re-chromed as well the only problem is there is the light socket. I have stripped the wires out but I don't think that the bulb socket can be removed. Has anybody had the reversing light housing re-chromed with the bulb socket in and been a problem later on?
Thanks,
Karl.
Jim W, VTCI 1961-1963 Technical Editor
62 SR Red/Black
63 CV Black/Red
67 MGB Roadster
38 MG TA Tickford Drophead Coupe
39 Lea-Francis Corsica Super Sports
Past Birds:
63 MSR Red/Pearl Beige
66 CV Red/Red
63 CV P. Green/Pearl Beige
61 HT White/Pearl Beige
62 SR Red/Black
63 CV Black/Red
67 MGB Roadster
38 MG TA Tickford Drophead Coupe
39 Lea-Francis Corsica Super Sports
Past Birds:
63 MSR Red/Pearl Beige
66 CV Red/Red
63 CV P. Green/Pearl Beige
61 HT White/Pearl Beige
Re: Reversing light housing.
Thanks Jim I'll give it a go.
I have removed the internals of the socket as the wires on the replacement housings were wrecked and I will replace these with new flexible ones and this saves having another join in the wires. As for the rubber boot I have also removed this. I made a replacement boot for the courtesy light housing on the doors these look similar however the ends where the wires come out were clamped and heat sealed. On the reversing lights they just reduce in dia. I will have to rethink this as I don't think the hear tubing will reduce that far, maybe it will.
To make a new boot I used heat tubing, made up a profile with a piece of wood and lowered the end to shrink into a bowl of boiling water to just below the shoulder. This reduces the size of the heat tubing to the dia that I want. The other end still slips over the bulb socket and then I shrink it to fit the socket. The water has to be boiling as the tubing won't shrink at temperatures much lower.
As for the socket if I do get them out I will have them re-zinc plated.
Karl.
I have removed the internals of the socket as the wires on the replacement housings were wrecked and I will replace these with new flexible ones and this saves having another join in the wires. As for the rubber boot I have also removed this. I made a replacement boot for the courtesy light housing on the doors these look similar however the ends where the wires come out were clamped and heat sealed. On the reversing lights they just reduce in dia. I will have to rethink this as I don't think the hear tubing will reduce that far, maybe it will.
To make a new boot I used heat tubing, made up a profile with a piece of wood and lowered the end to shrink into a bowl of boiling water to just below the shoulder. This reduces the size of the heat tubing to the dia that I want. The other end still slips over the bulb socket and then I shrink it to fit the socket. The water has to be boiling as the tubing won't shrink at temperatures much lower.
As for the socket if I do get them out I will have them re-zinc plated.
Karl.
1963 Thunderbird Hardtop
Re: Reversing light housing.
Thanks for the info Jim I got them out, I did have to apply a little heat to the die cast. I was worried that I might crush the brass socket if I applied to much pressure with the locking pliers, but with heat it was easy.
Karl.
P.S. I don't think I will get the socket zinc plated, I have them brass plated to keep them original.
Karl.
P.S. I don't think I will get the socket zinc plated, I have them brass plated to keep them original.
1963 Thunderbird Hardtop
Re: Reversing light housing.
Because of the close tolerance of the press fit, adding plating would probably make it very difficult or even impossible to insert it back into the housing. With brass, cleaning and polishing will look and function just as good as plating.Karl wrote: ↑Sat May 12, 2018 6:52 pm Thanks for the info Jim I got them out, I did have to apply a little heat to the die cast. I was worried that I might crush the brass socket if I applied to much pressure with the locking pliers, but with heat it was easy.
Karl.
P.S. I don't think I will get the socket zinc plated, I have them brass plated to keep them original.
Jim W, VTCI 1961-1963 Technical Editor
62 SR Red/Black
63 CV Black/Red
67 MGB Roadster
38 MG TA Tickford Drophead Coupe
39 Lea-Francis Corsica Super Sports
Past Birds:
63 MSR Red/Pearl Beige
66 CV Red/Red
63 CV P. Green/Pearl Beige
61 HT White/Pearl Beige
62 SR Red/Black
63 CV Black/Red
67 MGB Roadster
38 MG TA Tickford Drophead Coupe
39 Lea-Francis Corsica Super Sports
Past Birds:
63 MSR Red/Pearl Beige
66 CV Red/Red
63 CV P. Green/Pearl Beige
61 HT White/Pearl Beige