Spoiler Alter: No ITB's, Rauh Welt or Go-Faster Content!
Hi All, just some routine repair stuff from a driver SC which is by no means a rust bucket but does live in New England where one of the two ways to my home is via an unimproved, i.e., dirt, road.
The left rear taillight assembly: for maybe the past five years I've been having family and friends tell me
"'Hey the left rear [brake, reverse or parking] light is out!" or seeing the turn signal blink at double-time, causing me to pull the lens and tweak bulbs, pull on the springy contacts, dab a tiny bit of di-electric grease.
"Crappy design!”, I've thought to myself.
So Friday I pulled the assembly for only the second time since I first got the car (ten years ago, thanks so much @ JeffB). I should have remembered how it looked the first time, in the opening round of examining my then-new-to-me car: pretty bad. Bad design, or not enough maintenance? The latter.
Here are some pics. Beware those allergic to the sight of verdigris.
Lots of schmutz.
Verdigris, y'all.
No wonder the electrons were having a hard time reaching their destination.
Cleaned and prepped pretty well, but no blast cabinet on hand; Smoke Grey enamel. I did the steel back cover too. The surrounding quarter panel etc. looked and felt fine
Body harness connectors cleaned, same for the body ground. Dielectric grease daintily smeared.
Yes, one of the aluminum tabs holding in the two-bulb contact board snapped. A hose clamp and three zip ties yielded this repair/bodge.
I had a pair of taillight gaskets on hand from when I first realized this might be a good idea, many summers ago. I glued them on using the 3M gloop but maybe that wasn't the best idea? They aren't happy partners with the cast housings.
The completed housing did not want to go back in to the body. Dr. Tweet suggested the drain grommet tube needs to go in AFTER the housing is the installed and he was correct.
Hopefully all set for a while to come.
Note that I've never had to touch the right side taillight; I'm guessing it's nicely cared for by the oil tank's list misty aura?
Best wishes to all, John