Yesterday I noticed I had no tail light bulb on the drivers side of my '82 Stepside..in fact,none worked--no stop,tail or turn signal!--just the back up lamp worked..
It has the lamps like CJ Jeeps use..the typical stepside ones..
Figured that had best be fixed,before I get pulled over..
I hoped it was just a bad bulb,or a wire came off,etc--but things are never that easy when its MY truck..
The inside of the lamp where the socket is,was completely rotted away,the socket crumbled into dust as soon as I touched it...
..
I had kept a "spare" OEM lamp I bought used at a flea market,but that one I had already had to cob a "universal" socket into it,that was a POS,and unreliable --I mostly kept it just for the lens...so that was no help..also,the housing had a side marker light as do OEM ones,and it was for the passenger side--I needed a drivers side..of course..
Also,when I went to remove the 3 nuts holding the now junk lamp on the bracket,all 3 snapped off,par for the course...
I have a cheap new pair of trailer lamps that look similar I could use on it,but they lack the side markers,back-up and license plate lamp,and look different than the originals..decided to keep those for a trailer, or some other use...
I also have a new pair of tractor trailer type stop & tail lamps,the kind that just push into a rubber grommet,with new brackets...almost put those on it,but they looked goofy,and I'd still have no plate lamp or back up lamps..
Rather keep those for my old flatbed,if I decide to resurect it someday..
Went snooping on google last night looking for some OEM tail lights,they do sell some that lack the side markers for as low as 8 bucks at Walmart,anything else like "Grote" ones that have the same OEM side markers are 25+ bucks everywhere...
..or you can get LED ones for 40 bucks each..(not happening!)..
I remember selling these lights for less than 10 bucks some years ago,and have seen some for cheap money "somewhere",but cant remember just where--probably Walmart,and I did not notice the lack of side markers..it's not that big a deal not having side markers I suppose--I could just put refletors or tape on them instead..and I may as well buy a "matching pair"..no doubt the other tail lamp is no better inside..
Now I'm torn between spending money on new tail lamps--or just ripping the whole Stepside bed off it and putting my old flatbed on it with the crane,I had on my 77 GMC...and using my new tractor-trailer lamps on it..the floor on the Stepside and the steps are rotted to death...fenders are too..
The flat bed needs a new wood floor,paint,light etc too though,and I'm not really "up" to doing that kind of a job...funny how a bad tail lamp,can make you feel like changing the whole truck around,isn't it?...
..
Most likely I'll just throw some cheapie new tail lamps on it and the heck with it...but I know I'll be saying "you should have swapped the bed last fall"...
Rust sucks,thats the bottom line..every single fault with my vehicles is rust related...
It has the lamps like CJ Jeeps use..the typical stepside ones..
Figured that had best be fixed,before I get pulled over..
I hoped it was just a bad bulb,or a wire came off,etc--but things are never that easy when its MY truck..
The inside of the lamp where the socket is,was completely rotted away,the socket crumbled into dust as soon as I touched it...
..I had kept a "spare" OEM lamp I bought used at a flea market,but that one I had already had to cob a "universal" socket into it,that was a POS,and unreliable --I mostly kept it just for the lens...so that was no help..also,the housing had a side marker light as do OEM ones,and it was for the passenger side--I needed a drivers side..of course..
Also,when I went to remove the 3 nuts holding the now junk lamp on the bracket,all 3 snapped off,par for the course...
I have a cheap new pair of trailer lamps that look similar I could use on it,but they lack the side markers,back-up and license plate lamp,and look different than the originals..decided to keep those for a trailer, or some other use...
I also have a new pair of tractor trailer type stop & tail lamps,the kind that just push into a rubber grommet,with new brackets...almost put those on it,but they looked goofy,and I'd still have no plate lamp or back up lamps..
Rather keep those for my old flatbed,if I decide to resurect it someday..
Went snooping on google last night looking for some OEM tail lights,they do sell some that lack the side markers for as low as 8 bucks at Walmart,anything else like "Grote" ones that have the same OEM side markers are 25+ bucks everywhere...
..or you can get LED ones for 40 bucks each..(not happening!)..I remember selling these lights for less than 10 bucks some years ago,and have seen some for cheap money "somewhere",but cant remember just where--probably Walmart,and I did not notice the lack of side markers..it's not that big a deal not having side markers I suppose--I could just put refletors or tape on them instead..and I may as well buy a "matching pair"..no doubt the other tail lamp is no better inside..
Now I'm torn between spending money on new tail lamps--or just ripping the whole Stepside bed off it and putting my old flatbed on it with the crane,I had on my 77 GMC...and using my new tractor-trailer lamps on it..the floor on the Stepside and the steps are rotted to death...fenders are too..
The flat bed needs a new wood floor,paint,light etc too though,and I'm not really "up" to doing that kind of a job...funny how a bad tail lamp,can make you feel like changing the whole truck around,isn't it?...
..Most likely I'll just throw some cheapie new tail lamps on it and the heck with it...but I know I'll be saying "you should have swapped the bed last fall"...
Rust sucks,thats the bottom line..every single fault with my vehicles is rust related...
