Removing reverse lights - help for a newbie

foothilltom

New Member
Nov 14, 2007
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Hi folks,

Much gratitude for anybody that takes the time to respond.

Am knee-deep into my father-son restoration project of a 69 coupe and this afternoon, we were trying to remove the rear valance to complete our sanding.

Alas, when trying to remove the reverse lights, there appears to be no way to remove the "socket" from the reverse light fixture itself. Unlike the marker lights, tail lights, etc., the socket appears to be "hard wired" to the fixture. The socket that holds the bulb can "rotate" inside of the fixture, but there is no obvious way to remove it entirely -- allowing the fixture to separate from the electrical.

Upon staring at it a few hundred times, it appears as though the socket and the fixture are a single unit. Oddly, there is no "quick connect" anywhere either. I'm basically scratching my head wondering how the heck I can remove these lights to complete the removal of the valance.

Right now, the lights are dangling out the cut-out in the rear valance, blocking my progress.

I realize this is a stupid question, but I've scoured my Chilton's manual and there is nary a mention of reverse/backup lights anywhere.

Help is MUCH appreciated! Thanks fellas!

Tom and Tommy

I don't want to cut the wires as that seems totally wrong.
 
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Once again, this forum has saved me hours of frustration! Thanks to you both for responding. There was, indeed, a bullet connector hidden down in the bowels of the trunk and a rubber "grommet" that water-proofs the wire coming in from under the car into the trunk. Separating the connector and removing the grommet allowed the entire mechanism to come out from the trunk and through the hole in the rear valence.

Whoo!

Back to sanding!!!

I sincerely hope there will come a day when I can actually ANSWER a question on this forum...but until then, I am so grateful for the answers I am getting.

Thanks!
Tom and Tommy
 
Tom, a word of advice. Get yourself the ACTUAL Ford shop manual for your 69. The thing is like the Bible for your Mustang. Those Chiltons and Hayens manuals are, IMO, good for nothing but kindling. They have caused me too much pain in the past and I no longer consider them to be acurate sources of information, ESPECIALLY when it comes to wiring. Geting the REAL Ford manual is not THAT much of a monitary investment and it is an absolute neccissity when doing major projects. You can try www.books4cars.com. Thats where I got mine as well as the manual for my friends 65 Barracuda (yes its not a Ford, I know but it will be a kewl car and it wont be mine so...). Not sure where you are located but some times the local classic Mustang restoration shops will carry reprints. Some of the ones here in LA do.