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My 1975 rear bumper has no license plate light housing or any opening for one. the light is hanging loose behind the bumper and its on when my lights are on.. Either the guys that painted it around 2003 fiber glassed it over or they put on a new bumper and didn't cut it out. Also the steel bumper behind the fiberglass is against were Im thinking it might go. but Im not sure just how its supposed to be mounted. I got a new housing,,, does anyone know where I can get info on how it s to be installed?
l bet that you have the late C3 rear bumper, with the little spoiler coming off've it (versus the original slant back). When the original rotted off (which happened often), a lot of people swapped out the slant back, for the 'flip tail' with the spoiler lip. I ran into the exact same problem on my '74. The original metal bar from the factory, blocks the holes for the license plate lights. Without cutting into that metal and all the consequences of weakening that bar, I instead, used license plate fasteners that both have an LED built into each one. Much simpler and it illuminates the license plate, just fine. The only negative, is that they emit a cold blue light, versus the warm light of the incandescent, but then again, my '74 is not original in many ways. If you look closely at the license plate, you'll see the two small LED cylinders that replaced the top two bolts on the license plate. The ones on Amazon below are black. If you keep looking, you might find them in chrome.
PS: When you're wiring this up, make sure you use the waterproof 3M crimp connectors that can be heat shrunk after a good crimping. The blue ones are the ones you'll likely use (14-16 ga).
Where I circled it in orange and the arrow pointing is where you want to take the photo angle at. You want the underside of the top opening for your license plate.
Wow, so you do have the slant back. And I find it amazing that there aren't any holes for the license plate lights. Mine, actually has the holes! And the steel beam is blocking it, but looking at yours, the upper surface is far deeper in depth, than mine. If you measure the width of the beam, versus the depth of the upper surface, is there any room, in front of the beam (or towards the front of the car) for you to mount your license plate lights?
This is obviously an aftermarket fiberglass bumper cover that no one used the template provided and cut out the hole for the license plate light.
There is only ONE license plate light for a1975. A 1974 has TWO license plates lights and they are mounted on the sides and not the top.
The the license plate light housing gets installed through the hole for the license plate light itself that has been cut out. It CANNOT be accessed from the top due to the impact bar.
I have seen that on some aftermarket fiberglass rear bumpers ...the top surface for the license plate light is different than that of a factory bumper. So the width of it was changed....so when laying up the template...considering this change in width can be a factor. I always use the outside edge as my control surface so I know that the light is set back far enough.
I know American Custom Industries ( ACI) sends a template along with their rear bumpers so you can drill out your taillight housings and also the license plate light.
Its hard to see in the pic I posted but it looks like the mounting holes were filled and painted over. the steel beam is touching the fiberglass so no way to get to the top to install the housing or change a bulb,,,that I can figure, without removing the bumper. DUB says its aftermarket so Im guessing a factory bumper would have enough room to access for install and bulb replacement.. Your LED fasteners are looking better all the time.
if the wire is hanging thru the bumper bar where its suppose to be. it is possible to get it where you need it without removing the bumper cover. i have done it you need to make a hole wher the license plate light will be. or a hole big enough for a 194 bulb socket to fit.
If you can reach under the driver side edge of the license plate box.
there is a hole in the steel bumper bar where the license light wire comes thru. it should be between the little vertical bumperette and sidewall of lplate box.
If you can reach up higher there is space between theJ-bumper bar(cross section).the wire is suppose to come down the hole in the bumper and turn right thru the bumper bar gap and drop out the license plate box hole.
If you can confirm the wire is dropping down where its suppose to, and not caught on anything... You can make your hole in the plate box. and fish out the wire with a coat hanger.
On my 77 Im like 95 percent sure this is how i did it. because i put my bumper on and forgot to pull the wire thru the license hole. i think it should be the same
Sorry....but....the photo and drawing in POST # 16 is not correct and a bit misleading.
The license plate light housing is not where the drawing shows it to be. It is tucked up under the impact bar where you cannot get to from the back of the bumper.....which is WHY the hole cut for it is made so you can install it through the hole you cut out.
In order for this drawing to be correct. The outline for the license plate light would not be a solid line but broken up to show it is under the impact bar ledge.
NO NEED to take your bumper off to do this. Or at least I know if you wanted me to cut out the hole for the license plate light and install it...I would NOT remove the bumper to do so...and that also means running the wire THROUGH the impact bar if needed.
Yes thanks DUB, I checked with what NON was helping me with and my wire is already ran where its needed, Im going to try how you told me to cut out for the light housing opening, Im looking for a template to cut it out with, havnt had any luck searching online yet but may call ACI monday to see if they'll send me one .
licence plate light
