S1 front/rear light unit refurb

[Jeremy]

Hi folks
Advice please....

I'm refurbing my light units. I've detached the chrome castings and will send those for replating. But what's the best way to deal with the innards? Two of the flying leads/contact pad/spring are missing. The bulbholders in the front lights are quite badly corroded. Here's one:




I have seen some auto elec suppliers selling bulbholders, but they aren't the same shape (no retaining lip nor tabs that can be peened over, length probably wrong too). I guess I could buy these and cannibalise to get the lead/pad/spring. But what about the bulbholders? The people who make complete repro units must get them from somewhere - any ideas? Or should I carefully try to remove the existing ones and get them plated, and hope the tabs don't snap off completely when I refit?

I don't want to buy new light units as (a) they're expensive and (b) the existing ones were used by Robeys to fit the new bodywork to.

Many thanks!

[Hugo]

Ebay? If you can't get an exact match, I think I would resort to JB Weld? Just read an article today that says the lamps were filed or machined to fit each individual body before chroming.

[Heuer]

Never tried it but maybe something like this: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEW-LUCAS-LAMP-S ... aQcEx6iZbA

Bear in mine the Lucas part numbers for the side and flasher are different: 553780 (side) and 573832 (flasher). There was someone on eBay selling Lucas lamp repair kits but they are not listed at the moment. You could give Auto Electrical Spares or Autosparks a call and see what they advise. Also try Andy at Hutsons and see what he advises.

[Jeremy]

Thanks David. I will try these guys. I got my set of looms from Autosparks. That holder in the eBay link also looks promising. Many thanks!

[Heuer]

If you are stuck this pair are on eBay at the moment: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-E-Type ... SwYlRZIx-e

Get the parts you need and then relist them.

[Mich7920]

Hi Jeremy,

Where are you going to buy the semi tubular riverts to mount the chromecasting?
If you know where, please give me the good size
Thanks
Mich

[steve3.8]

Bulb holder sockets are available from SNG although they don't sell the spring and tufnol pad . They were listed along side the Series 2 rear lights , both single and double filament .

edit sng code SBS9142

[Jeremy]

Thanks folks.
I found bulbholders (single and double for 15 mm bulb and single for 9mm bulb) at Auto Elec Supplies. The outer cases won't work but I have ordered them in the hope that the pad/spring/leads will be useable. Thanks Steve for pointing me at SNGB S2 for the 15mm cases. Unfortunately they don't do the 9mm version (for S1 front sidelight, a dinky little bulb) so I will clean up the existing ones.
FYI Autosparks kindly sent me some contacts but they don't have the bakelite pads the contacts fit into. Andy at Hutsons unable to help - he said most people just buy new complete units from SNGB...
Mich, to refit the alloy chassis to the chromed surround, I plan to use the usual blind pop rivets, which use a 3.3mm hole.

[Durango2k]

Hey ho,

I had the same problem some months ago. As I also own a Hillman Imp kit, I had a look, and, hey presto, they are the same. Just buy some imp lights and have a go.

Carsten

[Jeremy]

Carsten, who sells these Imp parts and is there a part no. by any chance?

The pads arrived from Auto Elec Supplies...good up to a point...but the locating lugs on the dual contact version (for rear/stop lights, to prevent rotation) are in the wrong place so the bulb won't make contact.....

[Jeremy]

Sorted. The ebay link David provided was spot on. Thanks! The holders don't have a trailing lead so you need to make one up with a bullet connector. Supplier is Classic Motor Spares (aka WH Motor Spares) in Telford. Very helpful company. Bonus: they also have the correct shell for the 9mm front sidelight bulb, with no innards, but as I got the 9mm innards from AES I'm all set.
Further bonus: the handle from my Toolzone Bearing Race & Seal driver set is the perfect size and shape for peening over the tabs that secure the bulbholder in the alloy casting
Hope this may be helpful for others.

[baldyz1]

Probably a stupid question but I need to separate the rear lamp body from the reflector part for chroming.
I can see there are substantial rivets so;

a) what is the best way to remove these dome topped rivets. Do you drill them from the opposite side to usual?
b) what is the best way to rivet back together after chroming as I presume these dome top rivets are no longer available?

All help welcomed and thank you in advance.

[Jeremy]

I drilled the rivets out from the front with a 6 or 8mm drill. Just go carefully so you don't damage the 3.3mm hole they fit into. Then refit after chroming with new blind rivets (AKA pop rivets). Simples.

(Good practice to add your name & car as an auto signature on your posts BTW. So we know who we're talking to....)

[Hugo]

3.3mm? You mean 1/8" ! (3.2mm in Napoleonic measures).

[Jeremy]

I have an ancient pop rivet set that was my father's, and it included a 3.3mm drill. But I won't argue....

[Series1 Stu]

Yes Jeremy. The rivets will be 1/8" diameter so the hole will obviously be bigger than this, hence 3.3mm.

Hugo. Where do you get this Napoleonic idea from? The metric system is a British invention, we were just slow to adopt it.

Regards

[baldyz1]

Thanks guys always best to ask before that moment when you realise you should have asked first.

[cactusman]

Don't forget that the chromed outer is made of a rather cheap alloy....I think it is masak/zamac . It is brittle and if cracked is almost impossible to repair to a good standard being a zinc based alloy. So of you are dismantling take extreme care not to damage the chrome outers.

[baldyz1]

All nicely apart with no damage so thanks to everyone.

[Jeremy]

Baldyz1, could you have a go at putting your name in the autosignature for your posts?