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Re: New to list, looking for parts

To: jfm@ballistic.com, spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: New to list, looking for parts
From: Greg Ames <greg.ames.90@alum.dartmouth.org>
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2000 22:31:01 -0500
At 10:33 2/6/00 -0700, spitfires-digest wrote:
>1)The hazard lights only work in the front as do the turn signals(I have
>already replaced the turn signal switch) and cannot trace down the problem
>to the rear, any secrets or ideas would be welcome.

I too had problems with rear turn signals and reverse lights when I brought
my '72 home.  It turned out the the bulbs weren't getting a good ground.
The plastic bulb holder has a steel-colored metal ring/clip that is
supposed to hold it into the reflector and provide a ground connection.
The ground is carried from the metal ring to the bulb by a small copper tab
that is sandwiched between the metal ring and the plastic housing.
Unfortunately, the plastic has weakened over the years, and no longer
squeezes the metals together tightly.  I stripped less than an inch of
moderate-gauge stranded wire (18 ga, I think), wrapped the bare wire around
one of the tabs so that the bare wire was pressed against the backside of
the reflector, and fed the end of it into the socket, over the existing
ground tab.

These pictures probably help:

http://www.ultranet.com/~tga/spitfire/socket_side.jpg
http://www.ultranet.com/~tga/spitfire/socket_inside.jpg

Also, make sure the wire doesn't extend any further into the socket than
the existing ground tab.  You don't want to short out the socket and blow a
fuse as soon as you shift into reverse/apply the brake.

This trick has worked for me so far (since last summer).

Greg
'72 Mk IV


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