65 c2 license plate light assy

[Ronald C.]

i found myself an original rear licenase palte assemnly with the correct bulb fitting however am having a mind block. after removing the assembly how do you reinstall it. more specfically how do i reacch the nuts on the top side? do i ened to remove the spare tire tub and or the rear valence?

[John H.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

i found myself an original rear licenase palte assemnly with the correct bulb fitting however am having a mind block. after removing the assembly how do you reinstall it. more specfically how do i reacch the nuts on the top side? do i ened to remove the spare tire tub and or the rear valence?

Ronald -

You'll need to remove the rear valance panel, but not the spare tire tub; the license lamp was originally installed just prior to Body Drop, with the body about five feet off the floor in the Body Drop tackle, with the spare tire tub in place, without the rear valance panel.

[Ronald C.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

thnak you for the info... can the rear valence be removed without removing the bumpers and exhasut.... i thought it could but now i am doubting myself.

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

Leave the rear valance in place and remove the spare tire tub. I just did mine yesterday.

[Steve B.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

I agree, that's how I was able to install mine as well.

[Ara G.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

Must be something in the air...I just did mine last weekend. Replaced the light assembly as you are doing. Do NOT forget about the ground wire....ARA

[John H.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

thnak you for the info... can the rear valence be removed without removing the bumpers and exhasut.... i thought it could but now i am doubting myself.

Ronald -

If you choose to remove the rear valance panel, all you need to remove first is the two stainless tailpipe extensions; then remove the valance panel attachments and it will drop straight down.

[John D.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

Less damage to paint, less messing around with the hard to remove exhaust tips if you remove the tub. That's how we did it in my 63, the LWC when I got dinged for a crappy aged light assembly. JD

[Joe R.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

Removing the spare tire tub would be the easiest way to install the license plate light assembly NOW! Installing it as an assembly line item would be great but it's a lot of trouble to remove the rear valence panel NOW!
Many less bolts to remove in dropping the spare tire tub and a John DeGregory says, a lot less chance of scratching a nicely painted Corvette.
We ain't on the assembly line now!

JR

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

Ron,
You should have Tinnerman nuts that clip on the fiberglass, no need to remove panel.

[Ronald C.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

took the advice and removed spare tire tub.... now can get the bolts (internal to the tub)mbac in. are the nuts welded in place? the 4 bolts in side the tub will not catch the nut, is there a trick im missing?

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

took the advice and removed spare tire tub.... now can get the bolts (internal to the tub)mbac in. are the nuts welded in place? the 4 bolts in side the tub will not catch the nut, is there a trick im missing?

There are no nuts. Just holes in the frame and the gas tank support. They are self tapping bolts and are very easy to strip if over tightened. Some repair them using nut inserts, others like myself just hit it with a mig welder and re-drill the hole.

[John H.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

took the advice and removed spare tire tub.... now can get the bolts (internal to the tub)mbac in. are the nuts welded in place? the 4 bolts in side the tub will not catch the nut, is there a trick im missing?

Ronald -

Aluminum Rivnuts are an excellent repair for that issue, especially the forward holes in the closed box-section of the crossmember. I wrote an article on just such a repair several years ago in "Corvette Enthusiast" magazine, but it's a 1.2MB .pdf file, and this system won't allow attaching a .pdf over 293K to a post. PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send the article to you. As you'll note in the article, aluminum Rivnuts don't require a special tool to install in a closed box section, but steel Rivnuts do.

[Tony S.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

It helps to have three wrists in your arm so you can make all of the bends....

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 c2 license plate light assy

There are no nuts. Just holes in the frame and the gas tank support. They are self tapping bolts and are very easy to strip if over tightened. Some repair them using nut inserts, others like myself just hit it with a mig welder and re-drill the hole.

These are the self-tapping bolts. To be safe, I just snug them up. Anyway, the only force on them is when the tub lid is down; otherwise the spare tire is holding the tub in place.