Light socket repair/restoration

[trickrk]

Hey, any one have any experience restoring the light sockets on these old Buicks? Information on replacement parts you used or the processes would be great. 

Help a fellow Buick guy see the light!

[Paul Falabella]

Which ones,what year? Many different kinds.

[trickrk]

Thanks Paul,

These repairs concern my 53 Buick Riviera.   

Right now I'm working on the front end so that would be the marker lamps/turn signals. I will later be doing the brake lamps and rear turn lamps.

I am trying to get the wiring squared away. I already replaced the front main harness up to the head lamp and running light harnesses.  I was hoping to replace/ rebuild my lamp harnesses myself and was looking for some insight from any one with some prior experience.

 

[Paul Falabella]

I assume you have a schematic for the car. Period correct wire in close to exact colors is available. Sockets and other connectors, check ebay and sometimes vintage radio supply sites(Tubesandmore.com ex.) can be helpful.

[Barney Eaton]

New replacement sockets are very reasonable.........but sometimes you must modify the new one (bracket) to fit your application.

I have cleaned a lot of old ones trying to get a good ground and it becomes frustrating .....it often makes more sense just to get a new one.

[beerczar1976]

If you're looking for just the components that the bulbs plug into at the terminus of the wire, check with Narragansett Reproductions or RI Wire Harness, both online, and both located within miles of each other up in Rhode Island.

[trickrk]

thanks for the info guys! beerczar1976 I think I will give RI a call.  Is RI Wiring  and Narragansett related? They did seem curiously close when I looked them up.

[trimacar]

Yes, Rhode Island Wiring and Narragansett are separately owned by two brothers, who apparently had some differences of opinion on how to run a business, so they each set up their own shop.

 

What a shame, one big company would surely be more efficient and profitable than two smaller companies.

 

My only advice is make sure you get a quote from them for what you want, as far as wiring harnesses.  Sometimes the online pricing is incorrect and not updated.  Other than that, both provide excellent products.....

[Paul Falabella]

I have had partial harnesses made when a complete one wasn't needed. 

[Barney Eaton]

A quick search on the internet pointed to several places that have standard or universal sockets........the link below has them for as little as .99 cents

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/vehicle-bulb-sockets-adapters/

[d2_willys]

Check with YnZ wiring in California. They sell the insulated discs and terminals used for the sockets. You can wire these up yourself and save time splicing to all black wires on new sockets. Just clean the inside of the sockets good, then slide stripped wire end thru disc and solder or crimp to terminals. Make sure the spring behind the disc is good too. Pretty simple and you get to keep the OEM wire colors.