Tail light housing clips

[Synister3]

I am looking for a little help finding the clips that go on the tub where the tail light housing would screw into. Not the lens but the housing itself where the bulbs are attached. Thanks

 

[DirtDonk]

As far as I can remember, the unusual spiral shank screws, screwed right into the metal of the body.
There are small square plastic insulating pads over the holes, presumably to protect the paint and keep dissimilar metals from reacting.
With the pads, the housings did not ground directly to the body, but instead used the screw attachment as the ground.
The only ground wire was a separate one from the back up lamp portion of the housing.

 

[Synister3]

Ok, I have seen a picture of the pad over the hole. That’s what I was referring to. My question now is do I need something there, whether it’s the pad or some other material placed there? If I do need that pad or clip where can I find them?

 

[DirtDonk]

Well, by now somebody probably reproduces them. But you can literally use anything you want. Piece of plastic and some glue or double-sided tape. They weren’t very thick, and they tended to come off after a while. Shockingly, many of them are still stuck on their good 50 years later!
In the modern era, the manufacturers would probably just place a bit of clear paint protective material on top. Like a wrap or decal.

It’s not 100% necessary, but not a bad idea.

Speaking of taillight housings… If you’re doing a restoration or simply just heavy maintenance, check out your tail light buckets, and see if they are just silver or have a full white coating inside. If they’re all silver, or the coating has worn off, or there’s just a tiny spritz of the white stuff, a flat or matt white paint on the inside surface does wonders for the light reflectivity.
Gloss white works too, but white is the key. It’s better than shiny materials or chrome plating or silver.
The factories used a matt finish if I remember. Probably because there was more titanium dioxide? That’s the white pigment with good reflectivity characteristics.
Might as well give it a quick paint job on the inside while you’ve got them apart. Leave the area around the screws clean though for a good ground connection.

 

[Synister3]

Thank you for the advice and help. I don’t remember the housing color but they are pretty old. Thanks again and have a good evening.