Stuck 1930 instrument light

Mister Moose

Mister Moose

Senior Member
My instrument light is as seen below.

20201118_211059.jpg

It had been working fine (How many threads start out like that!!!) and now the outer housing is stuck. It's usually push in to light the bulb, pull out to turn it off.

I don't want to break it... should I pull harder? Take off the panel and address it from the rear? Will twisting help or will that bend and damage it?

Thanks
 
476162


This is Mister Moose instrument light.
"I don't want to break it... should I pull harder? Take off the panel and address it from the rear? Will twisting help or will that bend and damage it?"
 
I think you're supposed to twist it to a point where it pulls off easily, but I've never found it. I just yank the sucker off and hope for the best. It still works.
 
I would not force it. Remove it, lots of WD 40, work it in and out, twist if need be,
until it smooth's out. Should work after that without sticking. Might use a little
electrical grease to keep it lubed.
 
The one on mine looks identical to yours and twists ~45°. I'm not 100% sure but I think it's clockwise for on/in and counter clockwise for off/out. Doesn't need much force.
 
I bought a repro dash light cover once and it was a little oversized and stuck in the light base. I finally found an original at the next swap meet and it works fine. Those dash lights are so common on e-bay that if you break it you can get another one and have it in a week.
 
Update.

After letting it sit long enough that the gremlins got bored and left, with some pull/twist and canting suddenly it popped right out.

Here's a few photos of the innards. I didn't take photos of everything, there is also a spring that pre-loads the socket, and the socket easily comes out of the holder. Everything appears to be original.

477762

Side view

477763

Side view, rotated 90 degrees

477765

View of the instrument panel casting the socket fits into. Notice the 3 tabs that guide the socket.

The bulb has its own slot the bayonette pins lock into, and then the socket twists and locks (sort of) in the panel housing. I wanted the hood to be easily operated, so since I was topping off my steering box, Penrite grease/oil seemed like a good choice for something slippery that wouldn't run off. I coated just the first 1/8" of the hood, and pressed/turned until it popped in.

Wow.

It has never worked this well before. Mine operates as bavArian describes, twist/in/click and it's on, twist/out/click and its off. I wouldn't have thought looking at the hood it would work this way as there is only one shallow keyed depression stamped into the hood rim. It's silky, it's easy, and it works perfect. Hope it lasts. And yes, I'm sure the bulb will get hot.

Scratch that off the list!
 

Attachments

  • 20211110_173053.jpg
    20211110_173053.jpg
    33.1 KB · Views: 168
  • 20211110_173111.jpg
    20211110_173111.jpg
    30.4 KB · Views: 167
  • 20211110_173247.jpg
    20211110_173247.jpg
    39.5 KB · Views: 166
I really haven't seen a good original since all the ones I've seen are reproductions. They have a small piercing in the base socket that allows a small part of the piercing to be bent inward to hold the light socket in place in the base. If that little piece of metal shears or wears off then the light socket will come out like the OPs.

All the reproductions have to be twisted a few degrees to turn the light on or off. It seems like it has to be pushed in to turn so that it can disengage one set of bayonet lugs and then engage the other set so that it locks in place for on and for off.
 
Last edited:
they are a nuisance.
i would take the dash off and wire it directly to the tail light wire, then leave the light turned on. every time you turn on any of your lights the dash light comes on.
put an LED in it if it gets hot.
 
Another thing is shorting. I had one short out and burn the wire once. It was one of the modern reproductions I'm pretty careful with them now. It also cooked the ammeter.
 
Those pesky little gremlins ! You do have to keep them occupied to keep em around.

It doesn't seem like that lite should be an issue on such a low mileage vehicle.
[ smiley face ]
 
Patrick L. said:
It doesn't seem like that lite should be an issue on such a low mileage vehicle.
[ smiley face ]
Click to expand...
For the restoration, I sent out the instrument panel and light hood for chrome plating. When I re-assembled it, it seemed to work fine enough dry fit. It got cranky, and then stuck. With a little lube it's working better than it ever did. So probably my fault more than the car's.

Generally when I'm driving in the dark it's when the days have gotten shorter and it's cooler out. Hot bulbs haven't been an issue yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top