Tail light housing fix?

Bill Douglas · 06-08-2016, 06:20 PM

Guys, my back left tail light on the SC has a bad part where the bulb seats. The spring that pushes the electrical contact onto the back of the bulb has broken/gone. Can it be pulled apart and the electrical contact part replaced? - thanks, Bill.

SWS911 · 06-08-2016, 06:38 PM

The way those things are put together are kind of stupid. There is a fiber board with the two contacts on it and then the cast pot metal is pinched to hold the fiber board in place. If the fiber board breaks you still have to pull back the pinches in the crappy cast pot metal to put another one in and will more than likely break off, or it is already broken off in the first place. The crappy metal is the problem. I'm working on an innovation for mine but it's a rig at best. As the old saying goes: "Start with s..t, end with s..t"

HarryD · 06-08-2016, 08:05 PM

I had one of my rear taillight assembly sockets go bad. I bought a universal light socket from my FLAPS. Enlarged the hole in my taillight assembly so I could press it into the hole. Hooked the wires to my existing Porsche wiring and was good to go.

SWS911 · 06-09-2016, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryD

I had one of my rear taillight assembly sockets go bad. I bought a universal light socket from my FLAPS. Enlarged the hole in my taillight assembly so I could press it into the hole. Hooked the wires to my existing Porsche wiring and was good to go.

That's what I'm in the process of doing. Did you have to use any cement? I've tried various solders to no avail on a trashed guinea pig. Just think friction would rotate or work it's way out in time.

TJJSC · TJJSC's Garage

Done the same a while ago (some info in the post below on what I did);
1980 911sc Rear Reflector Restoration

Bill Douglas · 06-09-2016, 11:18 AM

Thanks guys, I will try the fix idea instead of the dollars idea.

HarryD · 06-09-2016, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWS911

That's what I'm in the process of doing. Did you have to use any cement? I've tried various solders to no avail on a trashed guinea pig. Just think friction would rotate or work it's way out in time.

Just a very tight press fit. The socket had a ground wire that I used as well.