License light fixture

[Rainer S.]

Is it possible to replace the rear license light fixture bulb socket and wire harness ? It apears to be riveted into the housing, similar to the front, yellow turn signal lights. Any way to get the bulb socket out ? or is it nescessary to replace the entire unit. On mine the wires are brittle and should be replaced. The housing is in good condition.

Rainer

[Rainer S.]

Re: License light fixture

Forgot to mention-63 SWC

Rainer

[Joe R.]

Re: License light fixture

Hi Rainer:

If you are talking about the light that illuminates the rear license plate, the bulb socket is riveted to the housing, but the single wire that comes out from the bulb is easily removed by pushing it up through the bulb socket, toward the interior of the housing. Depending on what aspects of the wire are damaged (the wire itself or the rubber boots), you may be able to repair it.

It would be a good idea to keep your original housing if you can. The bulb socket in original housings is slotted to receive the two "nubs" on the bulb base, while later GM replacements used a raised channel instead of a slot. This difference is a judged item for some judges.

There is now a reproduction lamp being manufactured, but I have not seen the socket on that lamp so I don't know if it is slotted or not.

[Chris H.]

Re: License light fixture

I am a bit confused about your comments. The below pics are what I have in my 62 and thought was out of a 63. Can you take a look and tell me how it differs from your description? I am planning on removing and have found a correct C1 bulb socket. My plan is to get a correct lamp housing and install.

Thanks

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewalbum.html?alb=127455

user/password if needed is chenige

[Joe R.]

Re: License light fixture

Hi Chris:

Maybe the atached photo will help. In the photo, the lamp on the top is a NOS unit, part number 898005, manufactured around 1980. Below it is a restored original 67 assembly, which is also shown in the 67 AIM as being part number 898005.

My purchase of the NOS unit on the top led to my first encounter with the fact that "NOS is not necessarily correct," even when the part number is correct. There are three differences between the original and the NOS unit:

1) The gasket color
2) The lens (check the perimeter details)
3) The bulb socket

The first two items are easy to fix with correct reproduction parts from L.I.C. and other vendors, but the riveted bulb socket is more of a problem. The original socket has slots to receive the two retention "nubs" on the bulb, while the NOS socket has raised channels. Look closely at the two sockets and I think you will see what I mean.

By the way, maybe you can educate me about the 61-62 lamp assembly. I gather that these are functionally equivalent to the 63-67 unit, but are somehow constructed differently. Can you tell me what the difference is?

[Chris H.]

rear license lamp comparison-62-midyear-NOS

I am probably not the one to best describe what I have but per your post it looks like what I have in my 62 is a GM NOS service part for mid years.

The mid year NOS lamp base is differently "swedged" over than your 67 part. The NOS part I have is manufactured by the lamp going into the hole from the lamp side and then swedged over on the trunk side. Your 67 part looks like it is somehow swedged on the lamp side. Because I cannot see the other side I cannot be sure how it is done. I assume both parts have an integral wire and harness connector.

The part that I have added on the web page photos is out of a 60 Chevy and I have been told are the same as the 62 vette part. I do not have an original vette part to compare.

First the lamp socket plugs into the lamp fixture from the trunk side and is part of the rear trunk harness (no connector). In fact repro rear harnesses for 62's come w/o the rear socket and are unavailable at this time. It is removable from the trunk and the fixture hole is much larger than the midyear part.

2nd, it looks like the lamp socket on the 60 part is similar to the midyear NOS in that it has a solid receptacle for the bulb, unlike the 67 part you show. Are you sure that early midyears also had the slots?

3rd, the gasket is white like the midyears, unlike the NOS parts.

My 60 Chevy fixture is gold anodized but I have been told and JGM says it should be zinc. So here is at least one area where Corvette is different than Chevy.

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/view...455&fl=2785445 user/pasword is chenige

If anyone has any comments please add.

Chris

[Joe R.]

Re: rear license lamp comparison-62-midyear-NOS

Hi Chris:

Thanks for the explanation of what is different about the 61-62 lamp assembly. The key element is the removeable socket.

Regarding the swedging on the units I have, they are all swedged over on the outside. I think what you are seeing under the sockets on the inside in the photo is a compressible metal tension washer on the original and a bakelite washer on the NOS unit (yet another difference between the two).

The most obvious difference in the sockets is the open slots in the original versus the raised channels on the NOS unit.

[Rainer S.]

Re: rear license lamp comparison-62-midyear-NOS

Thanks Chris and Joe,
After reading your posts and looking at your pics,I was able push-out the wire going into the socket..
I have the original light fixture, with the original socket. The wire is starting to break at the place just outside of the socket gromet. I will try to solder it, to make it stronger. Just trying to fix it, before it breaks off completely.
The TIM says, its painted silver, so I should be able to sandblast it inside and out and paint it silver again...
I was hoping to be able to pur a new wire, complete with both ends, but may just have to repair it.
Thanks again.

Rainer