WTB - LHS TAILIGHT BUCKET/BULB HOLDER.

[daicos35]

Any of these around?

Mine is all crossed up / causing shorts, needs a rebuild I assume, but wondering in anyone has one available before I embark on a fiddly project.

Regards,

Mike

 

[rsporsche]

have you contacted @Mo Brighta ? he has rebuilt many of these, including putting in the brighter bulbs. worth a try.

 

[Mo Brighta]

Scott- Thanks for the referral.

Mike- Fiddly, indeed! There are a couple different versions of this item, one is more prone to shorting than the other. Have you tried taking it apart to repair it - and then reassembling it? This part can be quite fiddly...

I have a pile of used lights. I do rebuild them, restoring the 'shiny' to get you at least noticed, if not respected, on the road. High output bulbs help, and the tricky part- additional tail light filaments for a larger and more reliable 'double running lights', and new body seals too. This is the 'Plus 2 Upgrade' I designed.

If you just need another left side shell, I can look for a decent one, make you a deal, but you are way better off with restored than just 'cleaned up.'
Give me a shout for more information and to exchange pictures. Here are two- one in process, and then ready to install.

"I have further exhibits, your honor, but I hesitate to produce them. " (from Miracle on 34th Street, 1947)

Andy

 

[Dan Wood]

I have found on mine that the ground connections were poor at best and I had the bend the ground connections so that they contact the bulbs. I also use dielectric grease.

 

[Mo Brighta]

Dan- sounds like you are doing the work needed to keep them lighting as far as you are able, good for you! I WISH more folks paid attention to their lighting equipment!

Yesterday, while coming home from grocery shopping I followed three cars in a row with one or all brake lights out. Seems the local constabulary are not willing or able to enforce the laws, and the local legislature is totally uninterested in anything resembling a safety inspection like we used to have. Seems that if it starts and runs, it's legal to drive it. Certainly, these drivers are unaware of the status of required safety equipment called BRAKE LIGHTS!

The contact you are bending to make better contact with the bulbs is likely the Power (not ground) contact; the ground is carried by the steel plates on either side of the lights; the outboard is turn and tail light, the inboard is brake and reverse light. The two plates are electrically bonded by the brass strap you see on the outside, riveted between the inboard ends of these two plates. My restoration involves: apply new reflective coating to all reflectors needing it; clean all contact surfaces (socket, ground bonding areas, and center spring contacts) to remove corrosion; bend to ensure good contact force; and dielectric grease to delay corrosion -- all to ensure the maximum light output for maximum safety. I also clean and reinstall the ground strap with stainless steel screws. Where missing or damaged, I use an internal grounding strap of copper wire to accomplish the same purpose.

Optional services include new foam body seals, and upgrades for dual tail light filaments to double the size and triple the output of rear lights (tail or running / parking lights). I did my neighbor's car (72 3.0 CSi) and have pictures of this part of the upgrade; his reflector surfaces were in good shape.

This is the aforementioned 'further exhibits' of the upgrade installed in a car.

Any questions, I'll do my best to answer them, so ask away!

Andy

 

[Dan Wood]

I am assuming the bulb center contact is the positive + and the sides of the bulbs are ground - like all other cars I have worked on. I bend the outside clips in so the bulb isn't loose in the socket. I have done both sides for all of the bulbs and added a third LED strip because I don't trust these brake light sockets.

 

[Mo Brighta]

Oh, sorry- then you were correct in the first place, I thought you were talking about the center base contact. Both can benefit from some finesse. What you did will generally secure the filament in the focal point of the reflector dish, with the added benefit of better light projection through the lens.

Mo Brighta, Mo Betta!

Side note- E28 rear lights do not adhere to 'shell negative' convention. On the left side they do, but on the right side, the base contact is ground, the shell is positive. In stock lights, the bulbs don't care, but in my 'Octopus' solution, I have to consider the ramifications. Search 'mye28.com' for more on the Octopus, if you're interested, username MisterFixit.

 

[daicos35]

Thanks for your comments Andy, you clearly know your stuff. I will contact you direct once I have made a decision, i may give mine a cursory tickle . to see what i can achieve first, but, your solution / upgrade is very tempting