Fixing/Restoring 79-86 Map Light

[negusm]

OK, I got around to writing up another tech article. LMK what you guys think.

http://www.ascmclarencoupe.com/Projects/MapLightRestoration/

I will be ebaying the maplight shown at the end of the article soon.

-Mike

[TL TTop Coupe]

Great Write Up!! Too Bad i dont have a map light to fix or i would. TL

[jeffascmclaren]

I have tried to re- heat solder mine back down a few times, but i was impatient and thought the spring had to much tension, so i cut it down, so it wouldn't put so much tension on the crappy heat welds, but then it didn't have enough tension to hold it to the contacts when i was done. Oh well i will get to it soon enough, and your write-up looks very helpful. Although i wont need to tear mine down all the way. Needs paint though.

[negusm]

I have tried to re- heat solder mine back down a few times, but i was impatient and thought the spring had to much tension, so i cut it down, so it wouldn't put so much tension on the crappy heat welds, but then it didn't have enough tension to hold it to the contacts when i was done. Oh well i will get to it soon enough, and your write-up looks very helpful. Although i wont need to tear mine down all the way. Needs paint though.

On all three that I have done (soon to be four), the heat welds have not been a problem. Even on ones where somebody tried a repair and used ALL the heat weld points, reusing the heat welds seems to still be enough. Do you have a very pointy tip on your soldering iron? Mine is a pencil tip, very pointed so I can stick it deep into the center.

I would not cut the spring down because then it won't make contact as well.

-Mike

[negusm]

Well, from the activity in this thread it seems I must be one of the few that has never had a working map light. 8O

It appears the same map lights were used on the last few years of the Mustang IIs as well. They probably made these things for a good 15 years.

-Mike

[futurexdesign]

w000t my method of fixing the switch is now the prefered method of map light repair. I feel so special now :D

My only suggestion is this:

You might want to put a warning about that god aweful smoke that comes off the plastic as you reweld the switch back into the maplight.

[negusm]

w000t my method of fixing the switch is now the prefered method of map light repair. I feel so special now :D

My only suggestion is this:

You might want to put a warning about that god aweful smoke that comes off the plastic as you reweld the switch back into the maplight.

That was you? I will update it in the write up. That was a great tip.

-Mike

[futurexdesign]

yep, http://www.foureyedpride.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12750&highlight

[merkerguitars]

The biggest problem I've seen is the latch breaking on them :/

[negusm]

The biggest problem I've seen is the latch breaking on them :/

Really? Weird. I haven't seen one with that problem yet.

-Mike

[rnjstel]

The biggest problem I've seen is the latch breaking on them :/

Really? Weird. I haven't seen one with that problem yet.

-Mike

I have had two T-Top cars where the front latch clip has broken.

[rnjstel]

OK, I got around to writing up another tech article. LMK what you guys think.

http://www.ascmclarencoupe.com/Projects/MapLightRestoration/

I will be ebaying the maplight shown at the end of the article soon.

-Mike

Thank you!

On a side note, how successful has everyone been with finding non-pitted necks?

I have not been able to find one that does not show pitting!

[negusm]

For me 60/40 I guess. The one I have on ebay was not "bad" but not perfect before I swapped the chrome. The black early one I have has the same tiny "pin bumps" on the underside. When up, the chrome looks perfect.

Maybe I have been lucky?

-Mike

[roadburner]

I haven't taken one apart myself so I don't know if this is feasable or not. But couldn't you have the neck rechromed if it is pitted? Can it be disassembled far enough for this? Something that small i wouldn't imagine would be horribly expensive. Sure, it's cheaper to find a nice clean new one maybe...if you can find one you are happy with, but at least this way it would be perfect again.

Also, the bottom 'hinge' that is riveted to the plastic housing. Couldn't you remove this as well and replace the rivets? I'm not sure how those rivets are installed in the first place, but if you had the proper tools, couldn't this be done as well w/out too much more work?

[negusm]

I haven't taken one apart myself so I don't know if this is feasable or not. But couldn't you have the neck rechromed if it is pitted? Can it be disassembled far enough for this? Something that small i wouldn't imagine would be horribly expensive. Sure, it's cheaper to find a nice clean new one maybe...if you can find one you are happy with, but at least this way it would be perfect again.

Also, the bottom 'hinge' that is riveted to the plastic housing. Couldn't you remove this as well and replace the rivets? I'm not sure how those rivets are installed in the first place, but if you had the proper tools, couldn't this be done as well w/out too much more work?

Yes, if you read my writeup, I make mention of sending the neck to be rechromed. Honestly though, I think you can get a non-working one off from ebay with good chrome for cheaper than a rechromer would charge you.

The rivets you speak of....I do not know if you can buy those. They are not normal rivets. You could replace them with flat headed bolts if you needed to....but then they would have a phillips head or slotted head...instead of perfectly smooth.

The earlier map lights appeared to not use rivets at all but sheet metal screws.

-Mike

[Kyle]

Great write up, I'll be sure to do this when I get home, I have never seen a working map light on one of these cars. My front latch is broken also, same as with my old capri, but I have an extra one. Also the plasitc housing is always discolored, was it a different color then the rest of the interior, or does it just discolor easy?

[negusm]

Great write up, I'll be sure to do this when I get home, I have never seen a working map light on one of these cars. My front latch is broken also, same as with my old capri, but I have an extra one. Also the plasitc housing is always discolored, was it a different color then the rest of the interior, or does it just discolor easy?

How is your front latch busted? All the ones I have obtained seem fine. Does the sprint die?

The color musta fade out badly I should think....but I don't know if maybe they were a shade off anyways.

-Mike

[79mustangcobra]

Mike, I have a question. I tried to dye a plastic piece a year ago using a spray rattle and it came out "gritty" to the touch. I was hoping it would be smooth. I did not prep the piece with "Bulldog" or anything. It looks like when you dye something it comes out great - is it smooth too?

Thanks!

[negusm]

Mike, I have a question. I tried to dye a plastic piece a year ago using a spray rattle and it came out "gritty" to the touch. I was hoping it would be smooth. I did not prep the piece with "Bulldog" or anything. It looks like when you dye something it comes out great - is it smooth too?

Thanks!

Very smooth....with a satin gloss. The only bumps is the grain.

I don't think the adhesion promotor (bulldog) would have made a difference though. Did you thoroughly clean the part? What kind of paint did you use?

-Mike

[79mustangcobra]

Mike, I have a question. I tried to dye a plastic piece a year ago using a spray rattle and it came out "gritty" to the touch. I was hoping it would be smooth. I did not prep the piece with "Bulldog" or anything. It looks like when you dye something it comes out great - is it smooth too?

Thanks!

Very smooth....with a satin gloss. The only bumps is the grain.

I don't think the adhesion promotor (bulldog) would have made a difference though. Did you thoroughly clean the part? What kind of paint did you use?

-Mike


Mike - I got the paint from Texas Mustang. Maybe the paint was not good. When it warms up I am going to repaint and follow your instructions step by step.

One other thing - what grit of sandpaper would you use to remove the old paint? It is just peeling off now. I would like a good surface to adhere the paint too without having sanding marks.

[negusm]

Is it just plastic? or a whole unit like a map light base?

If the part is not too big, you can get Bleche White, put it in a container, like the bottom of a milk jug and submerge the item. In 2 days the paint will be removed with NO harm to the plastic/rubber. No sanding required.

You can also add 50% water to it for larger parts if you need to use a bigger container. It will just take longer.

-Mike

[oldpaint]

My latch broke too...its held in by plastic parts and the welds broke. I got another one (after YEARS OF SEARCHING) from a j/y. It doesn't work, but I'll be darned if I am taking it apart to try to fix it...I aint fooling with that latch assy.

If ever there was a need for a repo interior trim part, this is it.

[negusm]

My latch broke too...its held in by plastic parts and the welds broke. I got another one (after YEARS OF SEARCHING) from a j/y. It doesn't work, but I'll be darned if I am taking it apart to try to fix it...I aint fooling with that latch assy.

If ever there was a need for a repo interior trim part, this is it.

If you take the tip of a soldering iron and press it in the welds, you can easily reweld it.

-Mike

[oldpaint]

Tried that Mike, didn't work. The plastic pretty much shattered upon reassembly.