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Paint prep for a 72

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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 05:33 PM
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Default Paint prep for a 72

How do I pull the tail lights? They have a strange set up. Popping the lens screws did nothing. I guess the lens are sealed pretty tight by a gasket.

How do I pull the rear alarm keyhole?

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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 06:19 PM
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If you reach up under the inside of the car you will find two studs sticking through per taillight. These studs have two nuts on them because they also hold on the wiring harness and ground straps. You need to take all the nuts off and the taillight assembly will pull out the back. You really don't have to take the lenses out first. Oh yes, you have to disconnect the taillight power connector from each unit.

The alarm key receptor is held on by a sort of "U" shaped sheet metal retainer. Just pull it off and the key thingy will pull out.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 06:23 PM
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Originally Posted by foundvettelifeisgood
How do I pull the tail lights? They have a strange set up. Popping the lens screws did nothing. I guess the lens are sealed pretty tight by a gasket.

How do I pull the rear alarm keyhole?

Those lenses HAVE to come out to get to the socket assembly. The Rear alarm lock is held in by a forked clip and comes out from the inside. Gas tank might prohibit you from reaching up there.
Eddie
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by rponfick
If you reach up under the inside of the car you will find two studs sticking through per taillight. These studs have two nuts on them because they also hold on the wiring harness and ground straps. You need to take all the nuts off and the taillight assembly will pull out the back. You really don't have to take the lenses out first. Oh yes, you have to disconnect the taillight power connector from each unit.
I thought those nuts had to go. Strange how they are at 1:00 and 7:00. The one at 1:00 should be tough to reach. They are pretty corroded compared to everything else back there.

Where is the power connector? Is it under the accordian style rubber boot?
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Silvr77
Those lenses HAVE to come out to get to the socket assembly. The Rear alarm lock is held in by a forked clip and comes out from the inside. Gas tank might prohibit you from reaching up there.
Eddie
I was touching this bracket and thought it might be the wedge holding the keyhole. It's probably not going to be fun to re-install. How does the wiring come off of the lock cylinder?

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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 08:57 PM
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Yes, the power connector is under the accordian rubber boot. You can probably remove it after you get the nuts off and disconect it after you pull the whole taillight assembly out.

The alarm wiring is attached by small screws, if I remember correctly.

I still can't remember why the lense has to come out rather than remove the whole unit from the rear.
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Old Feb 20, 2005 | 10:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Silvr77
Those lenses HAVE to come out to get to the socket assembly. The Rear alarm lock is held in by a forked clip and comes out from the inside. Gas tank might prohibit you from reaching up there.
Eddie
So sorry. My mistake. The lenses DON'T have to come off. After removing the nuts from the studs and the connectors on the inside...the whole assembly removes from the OUTSIDE.
Three studs broke away from the housing on mine....that's why I remember removing the lenses to get them out. If your studs are broken, a carriage bolt JB Welded to the housing works great!
Good Luck
Eddie
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Old Feb 21, 2005 | 08:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Silvr77
So sorry. My mistake. The lenses DON'T have to come off. After removing the nuts from the studs and the connectors on the inside...the whole assembly removes from the OUTSIDE.
Three studs broke away from the housing on mine....that's why I remember removing the lenses to get them out. If your studs are broken, a carriage bolt JB Welded to the housing works great!
Good Luck
Eddie

Eddie,

I snapped the first stud I tried, so I quit. I pulled off the lens from the outside...they just took a little coaxing. There should be plenty of room for the painter with the housings taped.

What is JB Weld? Is it in a tube?
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 12:37 AM
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Originally Posted by foundvettelifeisgood
Eddie,

I snapped the first stud I tried, so I quit. I pulled off the lens from the outside...they just took a little coaxing. There should be plenty of room for the painter with the housings taped.

What is JB Weld? Is it in a tube?
Yea its some good stuff.
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 08:02 AM
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Originally Posted by foundvettelifeisgood
What is JB Weld? Is it in a tube?
It's a two part metal bonding compound. Works well to bond metal to metal on small parts under mild stress. I had to replace three of those studs so I used stainless carriage bolts. (forgot the size...maybe 1/4"-20) It fit perfectly into the hole in the housing.
Glad your off and running with paint....good kuck
Eddie
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Silvr77
It's a two part metal bonding compound. Works well to bond metal to metal on small parts under mild stress. I had to replace three of those studs so I used stainless carriage bolts. (forgot the size...maybe 1/4"-20) It fit perfectly into the hole in the housing.
Glad your off and running with paint....good kuck
Eddie
Do those studs just back out through the lens area?

Is the JB found at Autozone, Advanced, NAPA?

Thanks.
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Old Feb 22, 2005 | 09:23 PM
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Try scrubbing the studs with a wire brush and WD40 before trying to back the nuts off. Also, since there are two nuts you'll have to hold the back one and break the front ones loose first. The corrosion caused by the moisture hitting the studs make them a challenge to get off. Take your time, twist a little "OFF", then twist "ON" and add WD40, then twist "OFF" again. The idea is to break through the corrosion and not over torque the studs.
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