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#1
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Where to find this material?
Over the past month I have been refurbishing many areas of my 68 280sec and I have run into a road block. To finish the taillight assembly I will need to rebuild the contact plate for the light bulbs. Does any one know where I could source the material for the backing plate?
Taillight Assembly Light Bulb Contact Plate This is what I am looking for.
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Britton McIntyre 68 280 SE coupe 'Hairball' 70 280 SL 71 280 SEL - RIP May 2010 Last edited by twinockchef; 09-18-2015 at 02:46 PM. |
#2
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I think you would be fine in using an 1/8 inch fiberboard. Any good lumber yard should have it. Use the correct diameter hole saw to create the sizes needed.
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#3
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1/8" is too thick
The backing plate has to fit in a grove to hold it in place. The thickness needs to around 1/32"
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Britton McIntyre 68 280 SE coupe 'Hairball' 70 280 SL 71 280 SEL - RIP May 2010 |
#4
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Measure the exact thickness, 1/32 is pretty thin. What you have is reinforced fiberglass based. Have a look at some old electronic devices and cut a circuit board apart , sand / peel off the copper traces.
There is a spring under this disc correct? The tab is there only to keep the wire from contacting the housing. If you insulate it well and carefully insert the bulb, not having the tab isn't an issue. And, if there is enough depth slight added thickness over what you have may not be an issue. You can also look as some older style tail light sockets and take the disc and contact out. If you can find a decent older auto parts / truck parts store they will have what you want though the wire will exit through the disc and not on top. . |
#5
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Given that the light pigtails are spring loaded (?), I don't think the thickness of the material will be a problem if it is 1/8" or a little less. The other possibility is to cut off some pigtails from a wrecked car.
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#6
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Sheet plastic (Evergreen brand) in various thicknesses is available in any decent hobby shop. I've used it several times in similar electrical applications.
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#7
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Actually a light weight poster board will work fine also.
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#8
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I am thinking that I could create the backing plate with fiberglass.
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Britton McIntyre 68 280 SE coupe 'Hairball' 70 280 SL 71 280 SEL - RIP May 2010 |
#9
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Fiberglass will work but an awful lot of trouble to create. The purpose of the material is simply an insulator to prevent the bottom of the bulb from touching the bottom of the bulb socket. As mentioned, several materials will do the job very well without needing to buy fiberglass, resin, etc.
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#10
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Saw this in hobby shop too a while back; actually some really cool car application stuff can be found in places like these.
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Current: 1971 Mercedes Benz 250 (Euro Spec) 1972 Mercedes Benz 250 (US Spec) Past: 1972 Mercedes Benz 280 |
#11
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Quote:
Phenolic is the plastic type think "Bakelite" and it has fiberglass strands reinforcing the matrix. Phenolic is much more heat resistant and stable than either polyester or epoxy resin materials. I'll bet the original material is Phenolic based, you could probably test it and confirm it by using Happich Simichrome polishing paste, that's what the Bakelite jewelry buy/collectors/dealers use to confirm Phenolic material. |
#12
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If you're looking for the original Bakelite, from the looks of it, check w antique radio rebuilders online. They're bound to have something close.
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#13
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I second the phenolic
McMaster-Carr
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German autos!!! '67 250se coupe '89 190e 2.6 '05 BMW x5 '59 0319 diesel Omnibus. Italian bikes!!! '64 Lambretta Special 185 hot rod scooter '66 Lambretta SX200 '59 Lambretta 250 race bike '70 Lambretta GP200 '77 860gt ducati '66 ducati monza |
#14
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You can find experimenter's blank circuit boards at Radio Shack. Just cut one to shape.
Radioshack - Products |
Bookmarks |
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