71 taillight restoration

[ipstrategies]

I am restoring the taillight assemblies for my 71 Charger and am a having problems getting the bulbs out of the sockets and the sockets out of the taillights. I do not want to crack any of the plastic so if there are any tricks to do this please post.
The sockets turn but do not want to come out. Thanks for the help.

[Chryco Psycho]

the sockets are peened in & doo not remove  , you need to remove the lens to remove the bulbs , use penetrating fluid & break them if nessisary

[ipstrategies]

So the sockets and wiring harness dont detach from the lens housing? I got the lens covers off so I will spray around the bulbs. Thanks for the help.
Russ

[71charger_fan]

For all practical purposes, there is no non-destructive way to get those sockets out. If you had one that was too far gone you could, conceivably, pry up the lip of the socket where it's swaged to the plastic housing but, given the age, I'd bet on a cracked housing. Then, I suppose, you'd just have to glue a replacement socket into place.

[ipstrategies]

Thanks, It seemed like they would not come out without cracking. I am going to change the bulbs, clean the lenses real good and put it back together. It is not in bad shape color wise once I got the dirt, dust and grime off.

Russ

[Nacho-RT74]

I am pretty sure you can unjoin the socket from the housing. Once I remember have remove them some how without bend the lips. I think the lip is part of somekind of cup inserted on the exterior part of the socket making like a "sandwich" with the housing, but rust and dust make it hard to remove. I have some tail light housing to try and make sure about that. I did know that after broke a tail lights housing

[ipstrategies]

Nacho any help would be great. I have a set I am using on the car and was restoring the original that I do not want to break. If you have one already broken that you can test on please do. But do not break one on my behalf or I will feel I need to locate one to replace for you.
Russ