C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

[Keith R.]

The foam ones I removed from the lens fit within the recessed area at the rear of the lens but the new cork gaskets from Corvette Central fit along the edge of the perimeter making the assembly so thick overall that I doubt that the screws have enough length to thread into the housing. Which is correct - the foam or cork?

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

The foam ones I removed from the lens fit within the recessed area at the rear of the lens but the new cork gaskets from Corvette Central fit along the edge of the perimeter making the assembly so thick overall that I doubt that the screws have enough length to thread into the housing. Which is correct - the foam or cork?

Keith------


I believe the originals were of FOAM RUBBER material. However, I have seen some which are PURPORTED to be original which are cork. I don't think they're original, though. The original part number is GM #5948748.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

If cork ever existed I've certainly never seen them. What does the JG say?

If you over tighten those screws......."crack-goes-the-lens"!

I always use the rubber ones, albeit a pain to install. I use black 3M Weatherstrip adhesive around the entire chrome lip. Let it kick-off for 5-10 minutes, then lay the seal down over the glue. Makes a PITA job much easier.

[Keith R.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

If cork ever existed I've certainly never seen them. What does the JG say?

If you over tighten those screws......."crack-goes-the-lens"!

I always use the rubber ones, albeit a pain to install. I use black 3M Weatherstrip adhesive around the entire chrome lip. Let it kick-off for 5-10 minutes, then lay the seal down over the glue. Makes a PITA job much easier.

Thanks Richard. Great tip for fitting the outer lens gasket (the red one) however I think that you misunderstood which lens I was referring to. I am referring to the inner round lens at the inside rear of the tail lamp housing which covers the bulb and socket. Corvette Central sells a cork gasket that is the same diameter of the inner lens while Paragon sells a foam gasket that I believe fits within the recessed area of the lens. I have my old lens which I believe are original and they have a black foam gasket with indentations in the circumference for the lens screws. Thanks again for responding - i appreciate it.

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

Thanks Richard. Great tip for fitting the outer lens gasket (the red one) however I think that you misunderstood which lens I was referring to. I am referring to the inner round lens at the inside rear of the tail lamp housing which covers the bulb and socket. Corvette Central sells a cork gasket that is the same diameter of the inner lens while Paragon sells a foam gasket that I believe fits within the recessed area of the lens. I have my old lens which I believe are original and they have a black foam gasket with indentations in the circumference for the lens screws. Thanks again for responding - i appreciate it.

Keith------


The lens I was referring to is the INNER lens, not the red outer lens.

[Keith R.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

Thanks much Joe. I realize that you were referring to the inner lens. I think Richard was thinking I was speaking of the outer lens.

[Joe R.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

The gasket used between the lens (red) and the housing was cork. The gasket used between the housing and the body was foam. It is very thick and does not compress well when new.

JR

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

JR, Were you referencing '56/'57? Keith's title header icon is '58-'60. I think '56/'57 red round lenses used cork. '58-'60 inner clear round lens used cork, '58-'60 Outer red teardrop lens used rubber/foam.

Keith, Yes I was thinking the "inner" gasket on the red lens. Sorry. For the inner round clear lens, yes those were cork. Yours may have been swapped to foam over the years when bulbs were changed. However, IIRC they should fit inside the outer lip of the clear lens so the cork compresses on the flat surface of the lens not the edge. Can you trim those CC cork gaskets a bit?

I think some of the vendors get it wrong at times and make functional replacements for items with different materials.

Rich

[Joe R.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

Yes, the vendors will sell anything that will fill the hole. Some of this confusion is caused by GM replacing the cork gaskets with a black foam gasket in the replacement assembly's lasting even into the 63-67 years.
We do agree that the years 58-60 originally had a cork gaskets don't we?
Maybe some of these auction barn find owners with original never been touched cars can come forward. Duh!

JR

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

Yes JR I agree that the years 58-60 originally had cork gaskets.

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

Yes JR I agree that the years 58-60 originally had cork gaskets.

Rich------


The GM part number for the 1958-62 inner gasket has always been GM #5948748. Every legitimate NOS example I've ever seen of that gasket has been foam rubber. It's pretty hard for me to imagine that at some point GM changed the gasket material without changing the part number.

The outer gasket was always GM #5948768. I don't know what material that gasket was.

[Keith R.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

There are three gaskets according to the AIM: 1) tail lamp housing assembly to body (my old ones are thin rubber; 2) inner lens to tail lamp body; and 3) outer lens to tail lamp body. To be clear, the gasket I am referring to is #2. To help everyone visualize, I'm posting photos of #1 and #2 which I removed from the car as well as the new cork gasket. I did a cosmetic body-off restoration back in the '80s and can't remember if the old gaskets were reproductions at that time or not. The new #2 cork gasket from Corvette Central fits along the circumference of the lens, not within the recessed area as the foam gasket does


.

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

There are three gaskets according to the AIM: 1) tail lamp housing assembly to body (my old ones are thin rubber; 2) inner lens to tail lamp body; and 3) outer lens to tail lamp body. To be clear, the gasket I am referring to is #2. To help everyone visualize, I'm posting photos of #1 and #2 which I removed from the car as well as the new cork gasket. I did a cosmetic body-off restoration back in the '80s and can't remember if the old gaskets were reproductions at that time or not. The new #2 cork gasket from Corvette Central fits along the circumference of the lens, not within the recessed area as the foam gasket does


.

Keith------


I can tell you this much: that lens is designed for a gasket which fits into the recess.

[Dan B.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

There are three gaskets according to the AIM: 1) tail lamp housing assembly to body (my old ones are thin rubber; 2) inner lens to tail lamp body; and 3) outer lens to tail lamp body. To be clear, the gasket I am referring to is #2. To help everyone visualize, I'm posting photos of #1 and #2 which I removed from the car as well as the new cork gasket. I did a cosmetic body-off restoration back in the '80s and can't remember if the old gaskets were reproductions at that time or not. The new #2 cork gasket from Corvette Central fits along the circumference of the lens, not within the recessed area as the foam gasket does


.

I was recently working on a set of tail lights 58-60 that I believe were all original and they had the CORK inner lens gaskets, HOWEVER as Joe mentioned they fit INSIDE the lens recess. It's hard for me to tell the thickness of the profile of those gaskets from your picture, but the original ones were 1/8 thick so they fit nicely into the lens. Those look too big and won't install properly. If they are not too thick, maybe you could trim the diameter with an exacto knife. Too bad they can't just make stuff that fits properly. Dan

[Keith R.]

Re: C1 Inner tail light lens gasket

Keith------


I can tell you this much: that lens is designed for a gasket which fits into the recess.

I completely agree with you there.