Tail-light sockets on GT Hawks

[Scott]

Does anyone have experience putting light sockets back into the tail-light housing on GT Hawks? My plater took the liberty of taking out the ones I had in the unit and I have no idea how I am going to put them back or replace them. Any ideas? I guess they were originally rolled and pressed into place with the idea that they would never be replaced.

[Roscomacaw]

Scott,

I don't have an exact source I can point you to, but it seems to me that I've seen some replacement sockets that go in the hole in the fixture and then have a internally fingered clip that sorta looks like an internal type star lock washer, slid up over the back end of the socket to hold it into the taillight body.
You might have to resize the hole to accomodate this replacement socket but it sure would be easier than trying to refit the originals.

Miscreant at large.

[N8N]

Along the same lines, I found some repair sockets like you describe - when disassembled the internal plastic piece perfectly replaces the Stude originals (at least in a '55 taillight) and as a bonus you get fresh "dots," springs, and wiring. They were listed as being for a Ford application but I couldn't tell you which one. Found 'em at Pep Boys while picking up a cheap temperature gauge, in the electrical section.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[Roscomacaw]

Thanks Nate. It's been awhile since I needed any but I'm going to with this '53 coupe of mine. I've got 4 taillight bodies to work with and they all have the sockets tweaked or missing!

Miscreant at large.

[Scott]

Well, after some searching I found a good source for the replacement sockets: http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Products/129/

I just ordered them, but after talking to Dick, the fellow in charge at streetrodstuff.com, it looks like these are the perfect plug in replacement for the original sockets (for 1157 bulb and others). They are sold in pairs. The only thing I'll have to do is splice the old connectors onto the wires. After I get them I'll post a message and let you all know how they work.

[Mike]

Rhode Island Wire has the contacts & socket parts if you want to avoid splices or restore an old socket; wire & loom, too.
http://www.riwire.com/ .
Mike M.

[Scott]

Well, I finally got the tail-light socket in and it works great. The only thing I wish is that the little metal fingers that keep the socket in the hole could be a little longer, since that would make it easier to bend them back to hold the socket in. If you don't do that, the pressure to put in the bulb will pop the socket back out of the hole! Still, it's a pretty nice fix. The biggest hassle is splicing and soldering the wires together to get something as long as what was original on the Hawks.