How do you restore light sockets? This is a method that works well for me...

[joeceretti]

So, you have an old Cadillac and you want to, HAVE TO, rewire it. Wires are one thing but the light sockets are a much more complex issue. How do you do it so it is correct AND safe. Most importantly safe. Electrical fires in your vintage car are bad for your pocket book but more importantly, they can be dangerous and life threatening. The key to a successful restoration is a simple 1/8 inch rivet. A 1/8" STEEL rivet to be more exacting. Aluminum rivets are more common, at least around here but don't work out well with the soldering steps required to accomplish this. You can use copper, if you can find them, but I don't think it is necessary.

Here is a photo of an existing dash light socket from my 1938 Cadillac. The insulation is literally falling off and it is in imminent danger of shorting out at the base of the socket. You'll see in later photos the flakes of the insulation all over my work bench. Simply touching the wire causes the insulation to break off.



Here is the same socket pulled apart. You can see the insulation just fell off when I pulled the socket parts apart.



Here is the aforementioned 1/8" steel rivet with the spring and small  insulator.



Here, I have pulled the "nail" out of the rivet backwards and stripped a #16 wire approximately to the length of the shaft of the rivet.



This shot shows the rivet soldered onto the wire and the socket partially assembled. The fit is 100% perfect. I used a small file to work on the solder point on the top of the rivet to round it out for optimum contact with the bulb.



This final shot shows the socket reassembled and a butt connector crimped and soldered onto the other end of the wire. I then wrapped the wire in denim loom tape to give the whole thing a vintage look.



Good luck and happy restoring!

Joe Ceretti

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Joe,

Very nicely done.

Bruce.

[Philippe M. Ruel]

I'm fond of this kind of job

I used to put a big drop of soldering tin on wire end, then file it to the correct shape.
Then I found new brass rivets were available at some harness remanufacturers - as well as cloth-covered wire in original colors.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Another source of either copper or brass rivets is a supplier to the Brake and Clutch industry.

They come in all shapes and sizes, and have a hole in the end, with a solid face.

Bruce.

[Chris Bryant #19358]

Excellent post, Joe! As you know, I have a  '38 60S in the throes of being put together. I'll remember this!

Cheers,

Chris Bryant #19358

[C.R. Patton II]

Hello Joe

Very kind of you to share the educational lesson. Thank you very much!

[markl]

Joe,
Very clear and useful information.  One question; where did you source the "denim loom tape"?

BTW, if someone wants to use copper rivets, they are available.  I'm looking at a small package (25) of copper rivets made by Emhart home products division.  Their number C42.

But unless someone is having trouble getting the solder to bond to the rivet, electrolysis should not be a problem but the original button was no doubt brass.

Mark Lowery, CLC#25216

[joeceretti]

The old buttons in my car appear to be crimped aluminum. It seems fitting with the terrible aluminum wires that were throughout the car. I don't think steel would be a problem. The light bulb actually makes contact with the solder. The steel is just a holder for the whole thing.

[Renato]

Thank you!

[joeceretti]

I am not 100% certain where I bought the tape. It was one of the first things I went looking for after buying the car and seeing the condition of the wiring. I'll search through my papers later today and see if I can find it.

[59-in-pieces]

Joe,
Although I can't see clearly from the photo, is it possible that the tape you used is what we used to call "friction tape".  It is a little harder to find than the plastic tapes of today, but it is still available.
Have fun,
Steve B.

[joeceretti]

It's not friction tape but similar. This tape has a very light adhesive so you can easily unwrap for servicing or adding splices later on. It has the look of denim. I can't find the receipt for it yet. I know I googled "wire loom tape" when I found it. It is meant specifically for automotive harnesses.

[Jay Friedman]

Restoration Supply, Escondido CA sells a lot of these re-wiring supplies.  I recently did a tail light on my '49 with their stuff similar to what Joe did.