Topic: 68 Blinker hood light tab

[68 S Code]

I have 4 sets of light fixtures for the turn signal hood option. One set (original to my car) has one of the lamp housings with an unusual tab screwed to the back of the housing. Is this an original piece? The other one off the car doesn't have it and the other sets I have dont have them. I've even looked on ebay to see if any set for sale had them and didnt see one. Since I only have one and as you can see it doesnt look too great how do I refinish it and does anyone have another one i could get from you.

[dave6768]

I need 4.  Looks like a real easy part to repo.  As far as I know it's not repoed yet.

Dave

[craig429]

My original 67 Mustang have those tabs to hold the lights in place.

[68 S Code]

So 67's had them and my late 68 had one. How where they finished? Phosphate? Looks to have rusted pretty bad in the short time it was on as the car has been off the road and out of weather since 85.

[craig429]

My is finished in a silver zinc, just like the rest of the light housing.

[gtamustang]

Those tabs are a Dearborn plant items. San Jose and Metuchen did not use them. The hole that is used for the tab actually is the weep hole for any water build up.

Regards,
Pete Morgan

[craig429]

My 67 Mustang was purchased by my grandfather new in Hollywood, CA.  I have had it since 79. It was built in San Jose.  The car is unrestored and original. By the way, this car has received an gold award in the unrestored class at a Grand National show.

[ruppstang]

Not all used the hold downs. Don't remember seeing any on SJ car some on Dearborn and NJ cars. When I judge a car that does not have them I only would deduct if I could see there had been a screw threaded in the hole. Others have no holes at all. Some housings were plated with zinc dichromate. It is best to check under the nut or gasket to see how it was originally was finished. Here is a picture of a 67 SJ car with no holes, gaffers tape was used to help secure the socket. Marty

[68 S Code]

good to see so many different people respond to this one. So Marty if it has no hole than tape for sure? What about it has a hole but no evidence of a screw going through it. Tape or no tape? Now if the housing is ZD than is clip ZD or just Z? Final question a bit off topic but the pics make me ask. The studs holding the hood inlay piece all seem to have some level of paint on them. The Highland green car you included a pic of almost makes it seem that the studs were touched up after installing the nuts as the threads are nicely painted. Were the inlays already mounted to hood when the hood got painted? Thats the only way the studs would have paint on them. If thats the case then wouldn't the nuts have been on there as well to hold it all together? I know that at the light housing the nuts would have been added after the light housings were mounted but look futher down the line and that nut is also unpainted. 

[ruppstang]

I saw a unrestored one that still had tape, most tape would be long gone. The plating on the clips I think was phosphate.The plating on the housing deteriorates very quickly under the hood so as I said above check under the nuts and gaskets. I would not be supprised if the original car pictured above was dichromate under the nuts since it is a SJ car but don't know what to think of the clips.
It is my understanding that the hood insert was painted off the car and the studs as well. The paint on the studs should show damage after the nuts were installed. Marty

[68 S Code]

Thanks for clearing up the questions I had. Just for grins I intalled the wiring harness with socket into the housing I  had with the clip. The clip doesnt even engage the socket. From what I see it was a good idea but may not have worked as intended and designed. i guess i need to keep looking for at least one clip and try to evaporust the one I have to see what I'm going to be left with. By the way do the nuts which hold the insert to the hood have the red gasketing on the back side. Looking at the pic of the lime gold hood I see a trace of red.

[craig429]

I just checked and all the nuts do have red gasketing.

[68 S Code]

Thanks.

[68 S Code]

Here is a pic of evaporust cleaned tabs from a 68 Deaborn car. Definately ZD.

[MaserGT]

Those tabs are a Dearborn plant items. San Jose and Metuchen did not use them. The hole that is used for the tab actually is the weep hole for any water build up.

Regards,
Pete Morgan

Additional anecdotal to Craig429 above, I have two unrestored 1967 San Jose cars with the turn signal hood.  The November '66 build car has metal light sockets with the tabs on the housings. The April '67 car has the same style socket as Craig429 with tabs.  I have seen a lot of variation in the bulb sockets on original hood turn signal harnesses.

The tabs are easy enough to reproduce but those original screws...