Got a burned out turn signal light bulb? Stubborn removal or difficult installation?

After spending more than 15 minutes trying to get a 1157A bayonet light bulb to go in and turn clockwise a few degrees in my Mustang, I was determined to figure out a Tech Tip. Some turn signal buckets are tight and its hard to get your fingers in there to do any push-and-turn maneuvers.

Solution: use a brake drum shoe clip holder and a spark plug boot (distributor cap end).

1) Position the bulb in correct orientation to engage the socket connectors.

2) Place spark plug boot into end of brake shoe clip holder and push up against the bulb.

3) Turn in correct direction to engage and lock the bayonet bulb.

4) Test the connection.

It took me about 4 seconds to do this.

I got this tandem from a friend’s sister’s boyfriend who owned a VW way back in 1994. He got it from a Goodwill store in Orange I think. Anyway, I told my friend “that guy’s gonna need some dough for that VW, cuz it’s gonna breakdown.”   Either that or they’d break up since they were like 17.

A few weeks go by and then I got word it was for sale. I grabbed it and somehow got it on the back end of my Mustang.

The rear bike wheel was about 3 inches from the street. Anyway, I got it home and tore it apart. I had the sprocket and cranks rechromed, replaced the seat posts, front handlebars. The front S-7 Schwinn wheel had a hole through it like it was shot with a bullet. I opted to make it a fat tire, single speed.

Time passed, I then decided to make it original. I found a replacement front wheel and correct style fenders. The 5-speed was back in shape. Red, white and blue streamers and flag post for the neck were in order for the 4th of July parade in Huntington Beach sometime around 1997.

Still works great.

Royce Union drum brake

original cranks.

A good coat of primer…….

the $40 chainguard.

Reassembly.

With the fat tires and fenders.

As it is today. She still needs the decals, next Vets swap meet for sure.

The PrimerPodcast decides it is time to fire up William’s  1968 Galaxie500, as mentioned in Episode 4.  Good times.

The Ranchero will be prepped for this Sunday’s Edelbrock car show.