The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs '57 taillight questions.

Below is a pic of my left tail light housing. I have the following questions:

1. What type of socket connects to it? Mine is missing.
2. Does it hold on from the back?
3. Is 1157 the right bulb for this?

Probably THIS

Thanks! I'm just trying to make sense in my head now of how that thing hooks on to the bulb if the housing is already installed in the truck.

The plastic insulator has bayonet pins that fit the rear of that socket. just like the bulb. Once it is installed from the rear and locked with the bayonet pins, it's spring loaded contacts are ready for the bulb to be inserted in front. The pins of both the bulb and the contact insulator hold them in place and key them, so that bulb contacts align with insulator contacts. The boot fits over the stick out brass receiver. 1157 is the correct bulb.
Jim carter, who sells that light in pairs, shows a pic with wires included? Did you get the wires????? He shows a metal rear contact/wiring scheme. Contact them for suggestions on the part you need.

Thanks. I got the housings used at Carlisle. They had no wires, which is why I'm fumbling on this

Ok understood. They are $100 new for the pair. They were mounted to the body using tinnerman clips. (spring nuts). With pan head sheet metal screws.
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Thank you. I will definitely check out what you posted.

In the meantime, I scored a pair of LED taillights from Wal-Mart today that look similar to OEM, and may work to get me over the inspection hump for the time being

What you are missing is a light socket pigtail. Less than $5 at most FLAPS. Your socket looks like the pins slots are even. Which would translate to a single filament 1156 bulb. I have cheated in the past by sanding one of the pins off of an 1157 bulb, and using a double filament repair pigtail.

These repair pigtails slide in from the bulb side.

I believe he is showing the contact insulator end of the socket. You can't see the bulb end. Two sets of bayonets. Maybe he can post a pic of the inside of the housing. Tail light has one bulb. Tail and turn/stop.

Thanks guys! I will happily get you some more pics in the AM. I am not going down to the garage now bc it's flippin COLLLLLLD!!

102 here today.

Additional pics:

Now that I am seeing these at Jim Carter like bartamos has said, I wonder if I should just buy the repops and call it a day:

http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/cart/product.asp?prodid=LG178C&i=19456|||||

I went ahead and ordered them. Extra harnesses are going to cost more money regardless, so I may as well get an all-in-one that fits! Thanks, bartamos!!

I do think the $5 pigtail I posted does work. That's all you need.

With my luck it's $5 for the wire and 15 to ship it, lol.