1964 Bonneville Convertible + cast alum query

[Huntley]

I have several cast aluminum cage light fixtures - what you would regularly see on docks, marina, yacht clubs, etc., around the waterfront. They have a red and green light used as "navigation". To replace the bulbs one simply unscrews the top cage part from the bottom base that has the light fixture inside. As you all mentioned above, the raw aluminum oxidizes with a white powdery flake just with exposure to the elements. We have not been able to unscrew the two parts with sheer force of twisting and don't want to crack them, so are wondering what liquid substance we can soak the fittings to perhaps "unstick" the "rust" so it will unscrew. I have read about vinegar, wd-40, etc., but still just not sure what substance you all recommend to eat away at the corrosion, like what hydrogen peroxide does on plant based substances, for example. What works??!! Thanks for your recommendations to Huntley@RhapsodyDesign.com. 

 

ALSO!!! I need a source for ball joints for my 1964 Convertible Bonneville - any ideas on that too??

 

ALSO TOO!!! On this same Bonneville, it has a fine white vinyl convertible top that works via a hydraulic pump. I usually use her when it is sunny out, but when I have to drive with the top up, I can't see a thing out of the rear plastic window - it is totally opaque with fading or scratches from up and down or just old, and I am wondering if there is any low tech (home remedy) or high tech method or solution or product that can coat and bring back the clearness of a rear window panel. Any ideas?!

 

Thanks guys and gals, Huntley  

[John_S_in_Penna]

Most car fans would just replace a cloudy rear window

on their convertibles.  I have heard that spraying WD-40

on clouded glass shower enclosures is a temporary

solution that makes them clearer, but replacing the

window will be a solution that will last for many years.

 

A company that specializes in automobile upholstery

and convertible tops would find the job easy.

[junkyardjeff]

Over the winter I sewn in a new window in my 55 sunliner to the existing window assembly,the top and window was about as old as that Pontiac and doubt I will ever mess with a top that old again.

[The 55er]

For the ball joints check with Ames Performance Engineering, Spofford, NH. They're listed on page 260 of their current big car catalog. 

[61polara]

You can clean the rear window with SimiChrome polish.  However, the window has become brittle and this takes a fine layer off of the window.  This is a short term fix as the window will fail and split.  Keeping it stored inside and you may get quite a bit of additional life out of it.

[1912Staver]

Using the Aluminum version of those fixtures around wet environment's is a mistake. The same fixture is made in brass for exposed locations. Even the brass ones can seize if exposed to salt water spray and left long enough.

Either moderate heat combined with candle wax may penetrate the threads enough to loosen them or a decent soak with Automatic transmission fluid. No guarantees but either of these techniques give a fighting chance.

 

Greg in Canada

[John348]

Huntley,

Sounds like your light fixtures were indoor "decorative" fixtures used outdoors. I am a retired master electrician and had seen this many times. My solution (which you will not want to hear) was to break the fixtures and replace with the correct approved use lighting fixtures, after all it was all about safety and doing the correct job

[GARY F]

Ball joints, NAPA.The window take it to a shop that does upholstery . They did one for me on a 59 ford convert.

[The 55er]

The ball joint prices from Ames Performance Engineering are much less than NAPA's. Ames specializes in Pontiacs. 

[padgett]

Depends on how pitted the bezels are. If good I'd just carefully drill out the screw heads (4 on each?), pop the bezel off, and then attack the remainder. Buckets should be available from Ames.

[54vicky]

back in the day I had my window replaced with a glass one pretty common back then(60s)one other thing you may want to try on the screws after trying the liquids if you can get a good purchase on the screws try tightening before trying to loosen I have done this several times with success over the years

[Huntley]

Thank you all for the great information for "Bonnie", our family 1964 Bonneville convertible!, and the alum. lights

 

Ball Joints:

 

Yes, Ames has been great over the years for Pontiac parts. They were of course my first go to for the Upper Ball Joints for the '64 Bonneville. They said there were two sizes and they just had one of them. I had my mechanic (I can do some stuff myself, but leave safety issues to the pros), Donald, measure the sizes, and my size was different that what Ames has, so still looking:

 

I have Donald's image that shows a triangle (I assume the base/"top") with 2 1/8" between bolt centers on two sides, and 2 1/2" on the third side. Then on the section drawing, he shows a mushroom shaped sketch that is 4" top to bottom; 5/8" taper; and he wrote "thread size 1/2" fine thread". (I will try to post the photo of the sketch when I learn how to do that!). That's all I know so far . . .

 

Convertible Rear "Vinyl" window:

 

I will try your suggestions and report back! I discovered that there is actually a zipper on three sides of it, but the fourth side (bottom) is affixed to the rest of the top (So I would have to cut the fourth side  to replace it??). I agree that most people would just replace it all, but I am trying to do all this on a more limited budget, so trying to do home remedies when I can!!  . . thanks for the suggestions so far!

 

Tires:

 

As I don't put very many travel miles on Bonnie, the tires' treads are fine, but the mechanics are saying that since the (Kelly or Toyo Spectrum, or Kaufman - invoice is misleading) 215/70/14 tires were installed 05.08.2003, (they were each $55. at that time!), with a 50,000 mile warranty (supposedly a Kelly warranty), that now they should be replaced simply because of the age (now the tires would be 16 years old) they are unsafe to drive any more than around the block, that they could just blow out. Does that sound right? Are regular tires fine for our only slightly older automobiles or do we have special sources that are better or less expensive?

 

the cast Aluminum lights:

 

Interestingly, I acquired the two lights as samples from the manufacturer when my NYC architecture firm (with fun discotheque era name, Proposition:Architecture!!) was hired by the Navy to design a nuclear submarine base on the north side of Staten Island!! It didn't take too long for people to realize that an accident from one of the two submarines would wipe NYC off the planet so that project was scratched of course!! . . . now that I think about it,  I now live not too far north up the Atlantic Coast (Saint Simons Island, Georgia) from a live submarine base called Kings Bay, just north of the Florida border). I guess we must have asked for the "cheap" light fixtures, and not the solid brass ones! . . . I am still going to try to unscrew them and restore them for sentimental reasons I guess!  I am thinking to try the vinegar first, then the heat and wd-40 unless you have better ideas! Will report back!

 

As you can tell, I am a newby on this site, but hopefully I will be able to give back too one day! Thanks for your advice!! Huntley on Saint Simons Island