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Topic: Taillight resto....py pic included (Read 4410 times) previous topic - next topic

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #15 –
That's what these lights looked light.Tons of red dust.Here in Oklahoma,we have a lot of red clay as well.I hate it,but not enought to move away.LOL.I may check into the glue gun stuff.I need to make sure it's weather proof and pretty strong.I don't want to lose my lenses at 90mph down the interstate..............if I were to ever drive that fast...................which I would never do because that would be illegal and wrong.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #16 –
Make sure you get all the compound out of the crevices below and above the fins...its a huge pain and looks awful in the sunlight. When you put them back together, seal the inner and outer lenses together so dust never gets between them again.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #17 –
I too had a problem with gravel road dust getting in the tails....took my lenses apart 3-5 times, only to later find I had a small rusty hole in the trunk, allowing dust to coat everything back there, including the tails.
It was coming in the tails around the bulb sockets.
Looking for a nice good set when money allows, btw..:hick:
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #18 –
I'm wondering ehat would make a goodgasket between the bulb sockets and the lights.Perhaps I could find a sheet of thin rubber gasket material and cut some out as a "just in case".
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #19 –
the best thing i've found to make those bulb socket gaskets out of are computer mouse pads. they are cheap and seem to be the same type of foam.
84 Turbo coupe 2.3T Modded with 88 upper and lower intake, 88 injectors, E6 manifold, T3-4 AR.60 turbo, 31X12X3 FMIC, Homemade MBC , Greddy knock off BPV.
4 eyes see better than 2! 
Da Bird!

FreeBird

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #20 –
o0o i like the mousepad idea.  i definatly need to open them up and clean them, but the mouse pads are cheap!  did you use 1 or 2 "ply" (doubled up) pads for each hole?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
:america: An American Restoration. :birdsmily:
1987 Ford Thunderbird Sport (resting)
1993 Mazda Miata 1.6l (daily driver)

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #21 –
Mousepads.Good idea.I'll grab a couple of cheap ones and start cutting.I needed a reason to get the good ol' Exacto knife out anyway.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #22 –
BTW- when I sealed up my lights with the silicone, I put rags around them and then some small camlock straps like you'd use for hauling, and cinched them down to make sure it all stayed together while the silicone cured.

Garrett H.
'94 F250 XLT- 4x4, 5 speed, 7.3 IDI Turbo Diesel, 4" intake, 4" exhaust, 5" turnout stacks, manual hubs, etc.
'87 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
Engine, wheels, tires, etc!
Exhaust sound clip
Another clip

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #23 –
ford actually used butyl tape for putting the lens and
housing together.if you bought the lense through parts
they would include enough to do it. 3M has 1/4- 5/16
and 3/8 tape kits .years ago thats what held in a front
or back window in cars. now its all urethane.

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #24 –
Thanks Irv.I just got some adhesive at Autozone.I'm getting ready to give it a try.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #25 –
I don't think dust between the bulbs and inner lens would look nearly as bad as dust between the inner and outer lenses so I'd first focus on sealing those two together. I used tons of rtv, some sound dampening mat I had left over pushed into the silicone, then more silicone on top. I didn't worry about sealing the bulbs against the inner lens as it can't be seen and if anything gets on that side, it washes right off (the rough side of the lens with the red/white inserts melted into place). If I ever get a set of NOS tail lights, I'll just fiberglass the inner and outer lenses together - paint it for moisture and problem solved.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #26 –
i used only one layer of the mouse pad. works great if you want to use 2 layers i would make sure to glue them together
84 Turbo coupe 2.3T Modded with 88 upper and lower intake, 88 injectors, E6 manifold, T3-4 AR.60 turbo, 31X12X3 FMIC, Homemade MBC , Greddy knock off BPV.
4 eyes see better than 2! 
Da Bird!

FreeBird

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #27 –
I'll grab a black mousepad after I drop my little man off at school.Then,I'll finish my taillights and the world will be a better place because of that.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #28 –
Quote
If I ever get a set of NOS tail lights, I'll just fiberglass the inner and outer lenses together - paint it for moisture and problem solved.

Mmmm...that might not be a good idea. No matter what you do, air and dirt and dust will always find a way to get inside taillight assemblies, and if you ever need to disassemble them, the fiberglass would really hinder that. Now a full coat of silicone, that's a very good idea. The principle is that if you ever NEED to crack open the taillight assembly to clean, replace, polish, etc. then you have to have some kind of access to do that. Silicone is easily removed and replaced, plus provides a watertight seal at the very least. Fiberglass = permanent. :)

Taillight resto....py pic included

Reply #29 –
True Dat.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..