RS backup light restoration

[Chevy Tycoon]

Hello. Thought I’d share a restoration/refurbishment of the original 69 rally sport backup lights.

I reused the original housings and disassembled them in order to have them re-chromed.

But before that could happen, I had to remove the bulb sockets.

A lesson learned on removing the bulb sockets is do not use pliers to grip them and work them out of the housing because the sockets are a very soft brass and you will damage them with pliers. But once I procured a junk set off of eBay, I disassembled those junkers with lessons learned, was successful in their removal and reinstalled the original wiring, sockets, plug etc into my newly chromed housings.

[Chevy Tycoon]

Pics

[KevinW]

Very nice!

but what tools did you use to get the socket out? And how much did the chroming cost?

I have some sets and might be able to get them usable with your method. thx

[mhm1966]

I used the same procedure on my front parking lamps without the chroming step.

[Chevy Tycoon]

The first tool I used was a very small, fine-edged wood chisel. I used that to pry up, from the inside, the lip of the socket. And I used the chisel (not to beat on as the metal is very soft) only to get a small opening created. I then switched over to a flat blade screwdriver to gently work that inner lip.

You can get about "200 degrees" of the circumference of the inner lip pried up before you have to switch to a third tool.

The third tool I used was to reach the "bottom" lip. This bottom lip is close to the inner section of the housing so you need a 90-degree pry tool. I used a pick. One of my picks is a "loop" end (looks like an old cane) and i used that is a prybar so to speak. I had to stack a few, small washers in order to get the proper leverage. Again the metal of the socket lip is very easy to work.

I used only my hand to hold the entire housing while removing because i ruined my first attempt while using pliers - i squished the socket housing by holding and twisting to hard. The second lesson, and ruining the same socket housing, is that the inner lip is actually a separate component of the bulb socket. So not only did I bend and distort with the pliers by gripping too hard, I only pried up the "200 degrees" of the lip and figured that by using my pliers and a bit of force, I could work-out the socket - but, the inner lip separated from the socket when i did this. you can see that in one of the side by side pics - where the inner lip is bent one one socket while the other socket is missing that lip entirely.

Once the entire pigtail is out, the Chroming was the easy part - just write a check and wait 8 months I dont recall precisely as I have "the entire car" chromed at the same time but i want to say about 125 each. Shout out to Smittys Chrome Shop in Oshkosh, NE.

Reinstalling: The MOST critical tool is a 1" x 1" square tubing (mine was aluminum). But, dont forget to paint the inside of the housing all white first!! (another lesson). Use the tubing to support the backside of the socket LIP from the backside of the housing. Accidentally found this while scouring the garage for things that can be used but it allows the entire pigtail to slide through the tubing while perfectly supporting the socket lip and it fit perfectly! As with most of us, I couldn't get a socket to work as my 1/2" drive didnt allow for the wiring pigtail to pass through....

Then its about bending that inner lip back into position. My small ball-peen hammer was PERFECT to start "rounding' the bent-up metal. Using the tubing (i clamped it in a vice) allowed the freshly chromed housing to remain "tight and solid" the socket while i gently tapped the ballpeen against the inner lip of the socket. Once I did this for a few min, and the lip was beginning to return to its pre-bent form, I switched over to a brass punch (that was large enough to "press" the lip flat) and a bit more hammering pressure to fully seat this inner lip against the inner housing structure - again all while supported by the tubing against the backside of the bulb socket.

Yes, its cheaper to buy a re-popped set. But, it's only time and money...

[Chevy Tycoon]

Originally Posted by mhm1966

I used the same procedure on my front parking lamps without the chroming step.

Precisely! I paid a company to do this on my front lights and figured I could replicate with the rear housings. Finding the "tools" and destroying one in the process are the hardest parts.

In fact, I did this same thing with the License Plate Light (on the rear bumper) so I could dicrhomate plate myself.

[Chevy Tycoon]

The tools used.

And a correction: The aluminum square tubing is 1“ x 1“… Not 3/4 square like I mentioned above

[KevinW]

Thanks Brian! I will put that on a future to do list.

Originally Posted by mhm1966

I used the same procedure on my front parking lamps without the chroming step.

Mike, I think both you and Brian's Z's are in paint jail now, right? So sorry to hear. I would like to be in that place for my SS, but I have a long way to go!

[69Z11Pacer396]

Nicely done! The things we do to avoid repro replacement crap..
I am at point of re-installing the socket/wire with original gray plug/grommet back into the light housings too.. The NOS one I found didn't come with the socket installed and chrome of course is not nearly as nice as yours though!