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65 Headlight Warning Light

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  • Dave B.
    Expired
    • May 31, 2006
    • 52

    65 Headlight Warning Light

    My headlight warning lamp on my 65 lights but no longer blinks so I'm assuming the lamp is bad. Previous threads have stated some guys have had success changing the lamp from behind without having to remove the cluster. I think I may be able to do it since I can get a couple fingers on the back of the socket. What I'd like to know is how the plastic socket attaches to the back of the cluster. Does it just push in with a friction fit or it a twist lock fitting? Do you have to turn it in a specific direction to unlock it? I just wanted to get as much info as possible to limit the amount of playing around with it and possibly breaking something. Also, I know the replacement lamp is a bayonet fitting. Should I expect the wiring going to the socket is long enough to drop the socket down far enough to change the bulb or do I need to somehow change it up behind the cluster?
  • Stephen L.
    Extremely Frequent Poster
    • May 31, 1984
    • 3148

    #2
    Re: 65 Headlight Warning Light

    The socket just snaps into the cluster, no orientation necessary. The length of the wiring is about 6".... If you are a contortionistanything is possible....good luck.

    While you are at it... you might want to change all the bulbs if they are old. You may find that many have a "silver" coating inside from age.

    Comment

    • John L.
      Expired
      • February 20, 2009
      • 186

      #3
      Re: 65 Headlight Warning Light

      Dave:
      A few weeks ago, when I reinstalled my cluster (with all new and tested bulbs) and found that the new China made headlamp warning bulb did not function. Those two bulbs at the top, headlamp and parking brake are the hardest to replace and I could not get to them from the bottom...
      [FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']Here’s how I did it. I dropped the steering column bolts and let the column down about two inches,dropped the vent cables from the cluster, removed the ignition switch, and headlamp switch from the cluster, but left them plugged in, removed the four screws of course, and did not remove the oil line, or the speedo/tach cables. Pulled the top of the cluster out at the left side about three inches and replaced the “new bulb” with the forty five plus year old one. Now I have one old one and one new one, wonder which will last longer ??? [/font]

      Comment

      • Philip C.
        Extremely Frequent Poster
        • December 1, 1984
        • 1117

        #4
        Re: 65 Headlight Warning Light

        Dave you can change the bulb, its a bitch but Ive done it a number of times. I take the drivers seat out and remove the clutch rod at the Z bar so the clutch pedal is down, this way you can lay down in the car under the dash. Phil 8063

        Comment

        • Dave B.
          Expired
          • May 31, 2006
          • 52

          #5
          Re: 65 Headlight Warning Light

          Thanks to everyone for their comments. Just wanted to update that I successfully changed the bulb from behind ( I guess I'm lucky that my hands are relatively thin). With the seat removed and dropping the hood release bracket, I found I could get my right hand up around the back of the cluster and pull the socket. The wiring comes in from the left (facing the back of the cluster) so I was then able the grab the wire with my left hand and drop the socket down to change the bulb. Reversing the procedure got the socket snapped back into the cluster.

          Weel, it's good this worked out so easily because I had to do it twice!!!!! I totally believe all the comments about the "Made in China" repro lamps. I had bought two of them to have a spare. I had tested the one I installed prior to installation and it worked fine. I reconnected the battery and was ready to see that blinking light - the result was no light at all!!!! I took the bulb out and rechecked it - it appeared to have gone bad. I then repeated the installation with the second bulb and it worked, although the rate of the blinking is erratic. I was able to find some original bulbs on Ebay for future use which I should receive in a few days. I'm trying to decide if I should change out that second China lamp just in case.

          Comment

          • Peter J.
            Very Frequent User
            • September 30, 1994
            • 586

            #6
            Re: 65 Headlight Warning Light

            Change it while your in mood. I bought a case of US made GE bulbs more than ten years ago at NAPA and still going strong. The US made blubs were in short supply even back then. I told the NAPA counter guy about them and he walked back and gave me the last case on the shelf for next to nothing.

            Comment

            • Jack H.
              Extremely Frequent Poster
              • April 1, 1990
              • 9906

              #7
              Re: 65 Headlight Warning Light

              Most NAPA retail stores didn't stock the #257 lamp and you had to 'squeeze' the store owner into getting them from the warehouse. They typically wanted you to buy a full box of 10, because that's how they got them from the warehouse and they didn't want 'slow moving' stock on the shelves.

              If you pull that maneuver today, you're most likely to get foreign made lamps with a silver colored base vs. the US made traditional brass base construction. But, not all silver base #257 lamps are Chinese 'trash'...

              I've gotten packs that were made in either Hungary or Romania with silver colored bases that worked about as well as either an original brass based GE or Westinghouse #257...

              Comment

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