Are these original midyear parking lights?

[Chris E.]

[Russ S.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Chris, I have an original one out of my 66 that looks like yours except the flattened area doesn't have the two ridges caused by the shape of the wire. My original is completely flat-smooth. I also have a NOS light purchased from GM in 1980 and that one has the two ridges like yours.

[Michael M.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Chris, the first picture is not typical. The second and third picture is the way the original parking lights were crimped. It is possible that in the first picture the heat molded crimp has lost its shape over time.

[Chris E.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Chris, the first picture is not typical. The second and third picture is the way the original parking lights were crimped. It is possible that in the first picture the heat molded crimp has lost its shape over time.

Michael, the three pictures just simply show both sides of the SAME parking light.

[Russ S.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

I guess I need to elaborate a liitle on my response. My original is heat crimped tighter or flatter than even your first picture.The crimp therefore is wider. On one side there is a slight outline of two wires and on the other side a little more pronounced outline of one wire.
On the NOS lamp the crimp is almost pressed as tight(therefore as wide) as your first picture and has three very pronounced outline of the wires on both sides.


I just found my second original and it varies from my 1st original in that the one side has all three wire outlines very pronounced. Reverse side is flat as per the 1st one.

[Michael M.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Sorry Chris I thought that the three pictures were different. Another way to tell is the order of the color of wires. The colors of the wiring is white in the middle and purple and light blue on the outside. Your crimps and color of wiring look original to me.

[Alan D.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

I nave seen many crimps and no two (almost) are the same! By 67 the wire color was well establish and it appears that was also the light (late 65) used for the NOS, pn 910552.
So your colors are what is expected.

As for the order at the crimp, again I've seen all combinations here so do not worry - the only place the color matters is at the connector and that must be all the same to work.

What does rest of light look like?

[Ray K.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

All,

My 1965 original park lamps only have two wires crimped into the plastic conduit, the white wire is loose on the outside.

Ray

[Chris E.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

What does rest of light look like?

Horrible.

[Alan D.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Chris, those look original to me. Just clean up a little and you're good to go!
Are the lens screws metallic & what color is the lens gasket? Be very careful if you remove the lens lots of times they will break around the screw, suggest you soak in some penetrating oil.

Ray, even through yours has the white wire outside the casing its probably the real deal also During 65-66 time period GM was attempting to change the wiring due to a grounding problem at the socket. Various methods were tried and one can find that outside wire in a few different colors. Have a club member that has a low mileage 65/396 with two different colored external wires. I would like to get some pictures of your lights so send me an email.

[Stephen L.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Chris, This is my original 67 parking light cleaned up.....Southern car

I'd say yours are original except for the dirt.....

[Chris E.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Alan, thanks but the chrome is is worse condition than the picture shows, and the threaded rod to hold the light onto the car is snapped off. Too far gone in my opinion. Mind you, I'm not throwing them away or selling them, just putting them on the shelf until I feel like fixing them.

Steve, WOW, thanks for the pictures. That light is amazing! And the crimp looks like what I have.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Here's another variation; smaller dia. wire in the middle. Crimp pattern same on both sides. This NOS lamp (in GM blue & white box) was purchased at Bloomington in late '80s to early '90s.

[Alan D.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Wayne, Could you measure the length of the wire from end of chrome to end of round black plug, please.
Additionally, what bulb does it have in it? Or simplier - what does tag say?

My notes show that a 1980 NOS was different than the earlier 67 and NOS stuff however I know very little about these.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Are these original midyear parking lights?

Wayne, Could you measure the length of the wire from end of chrome to end of round black plug, please.
Additionally, what bulb does it have in it? Or simplier - what does tag say? ....

16_5/8" from where the copper-colored fitting is pressed into the chrome housing, to end of black plug / tip of terminals. 10" from chrome to end of black sleeve. This one has no tag, although I know what you're talking about. I can't imagine I would have removed it, though. The bulb is a 2057, with ink stamp above bulb number "EP9" (the P is a larger font).