Does anyone sell a kit to repair the dash light wiring?

[Tim Ayers]

Hi All:

Does anyone sell a kit to repair the dash light wiring? I have a good dash light, but the pigtail for the bulb socket is damaged beyond repair.

I look at Snyder's but I didn't find anything.

Thanks,

Tim

[katy]

What year?
Can you not restore the one you have?

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by katy

What year?
Can you not restore the one you have?

'28. I'm hoping to restore it. I just need a new socket harness I guess. That's what I'm hoping to replace. I haven't taken it apart, so maybe it can fixed with just a new wire.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

'28. I'm hoping to restore it. I just need a new socket harness I guess. That's what I'm hoping to replace. I haven't taken it apart, so maybe it can fixed with just a new wire.

Restoration Supply Company has pigtails of different sizes. You may find what you are looking for.
www.restorationstuff.com

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Restoration Supply Company has pigtails of different sizes. You may find what you are looking for.
www.restorationstuff.com

Thank you. This just may do the trick.

[bobbader]

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The 28-30 dash light can be rebuilt but it is a tedious little job. Since the socket is a special piece that has a built in mechanism for the light being turned on, it is a one of a kind item and there is no common replacement available. The wiring and pigtail, can be replaced but it takes some delicate repair work to do so. The pigtail and it’s round fiber insulator are held into the back of the light assembly with 4 tabs that are bent over to secure them in place. This is the delicate, tedious part of the operation. The fiber insulator and the brass stem that the wire is soldered to are usually in reusable condition and only need a new wire soldered in place to make the light functional again. But, you have to carefully undo the four tabs to release these pieces from the light and do it in such a way that the tabs can be re-clamped once the new lead wire is soldered in place. NOTE: The light assembly and the tabs are brass and are very fragile. Breaking even one of the 4 tabs will result in difficulty of holding the pigtail in place properly in the light assembly.

So, while the short answer is YES, IT CAN BE DONE (and you’ll need nothing more than a short new piece of 14-16 gauge wire with a loop terminal at the end and some soldering skill. Just know, going in that it is a delicate operation and you need to exercise caution and patience in removing the pigtail from the light.

Good luck. Bob Bader

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by bobbader

The 28-30 dash light can be rebuilt but it is a tedious little job. Since the socket is a special piece that has a built in mechanism for the light being turned on, it is a one of a kind item and there is no common replacement available. The wiring and pigtail, can be replaced but it takes some delicate repair work to do so. The pigtail and it’s round fiber insulator are held into the back of the light assembly with 4 tabs that are bent over to secure them in place. This is the delicate, tedious part of the operation. The fiber insulator and the brass stem that the wire is soldered to are usually in reusable condition and only need a new wire soldered in place to make the light functional again. But, you have to carefully undo the four tabs to release these pieces from the light and do it in such a way that the tabs can be re-clamped once the new lead wire is soldered in place. NOTE: The light assembly and the tabs are brass and are very fragile. Breaking even one of the 4 tabs will result in difficulty of holding the pigtail in place properly in the light assembly.

So, while the short answer is YES, IT CAN BE DONE (and you’ll need nothing more than a short new piece of 14-16 gauge wire with a loop terminal at the end and some soldering skill. Just know, going in that it is a delicate operation and you need to exercise caution and patience in removing the pigtail from the light.

Good luck. Bob Bader

Hi Bob,

Thank you. I did notice the little tabs and assumed they'd need to bent to access the pig tail.

I'll give it a go. I'd rather not get a new one since I'm trying to preserve the patina of the old one.

[Brentwood Bob]

Pm sent.
I haven't attempted a repair yet, the cover, or hood on the repos only fits the repos.
Will be interested in how the repair/rewire goes.
Guess the light could be on all the time the ignition switch is on if the switch on feature is not repairable. Might get too hot for that to work.
Remember Marco mentioned one time heating the tabs to anneal them on some part to avoid breaking off a brittle tab.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Brentwood Bob

Guess the light could be on all the time the ignition switch is on if the switch on feature is not repairable.

I would not recommend wiring the dash light to the ignition switch unless you rewire the ignition switch so it is before the coil unless you want a blinking dash light...

Best to wire the dash light to the light switch if that is the case. Then it is only on when the headlights are on.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

I would not recommend wiring the dash light to the ignition switch unless you rewire the ignition switch so it is before the coil unless you want a blinking dash light...

Best to wire the dash light to the light switch if that is the case. Then it is only on when thr hradlights are on.

OK, thank you.

[burner31]

Do you have a soldering iron?

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by burner31

Do you have a soldering iron?

Yes

[jm29henry]

Not a big deal ,you will be glad that you did it yourself very rewarding

[Tim Ayers]

Update. The original dash light works! Turns out I just didn't have it grounded correctly when I tested it originally. It's installed and works well.

[katy]

Thanks for the update.