John Lee gets Blue Dots out back, out front coming soon....

[Sharps40]

I spent good Christmas money on Genuine GM Restoration Parts. Imagine my pleasure when they arrived....beautiful and labeled Genuine GM Restoration Parts. Gorgeous, even marked DOT/Guide.

Imagine my horror when I noted the bag tag...made in frackin china.

But nice enough to move forward.

The old ugly lenses out back. 49 years is plenty of service....oh how I wish for the days of 1937 Dodge and its gorgeous ever sparkly red glass lenses.....

[Sharps40]

Gather my tools and off to the wood shop.

Mike the diameter of the lip of the blue dot ring.....close to 15/16", just a squid smaller.



A series of test holes in scrap hardwood indicates 15/16" bit is the bomb for this job.

[Sharps40]

High speed slow feed, small bit, backed up with wood and center drill the convenient dot in the back of the lens. The dot is perzactly over the bulb.....perzactly where I want the blue dot.



A wee lil tiny pilot hole in each lens to guide the big bit later.....whew! Didn't break em or tear out chunks.

[Sharps40]

Readjust the drill press from 3thousandy rpmers to as slow as it'll go. 100ish rpmers would be best for a big hole in brittle material but 250s what I got, so, "Send It".



Swap bit, back up the work on wood, slow rpmers and real gentle feed into the face using the tiny predrilled pilot hole as a guide.....it wiggles but as soon as the point touches wood, it firms up and guides perfect.

I slowly cut, scrape, melt my way about one third of the way thru the lens....gently....don't smush in a crack.



Flip it over, drill from the back, again about 1/3.

Flit it back face up, finish the drill and the instant the core plug pushes down, release the down force and kill the drill.....done. No cracks no brakes, nice round hole.

[Sharps40]

Two down, none to go for the back end.

Whew, the lens holders will fit well once the ragged melty edges are smoothied up a touch.



A little 120g clean up of the holes and the test fit is a success.

[Sharps40]

The Blue Dots snap firmly into their chrome like holders.

I bend two of the two retainer tabs inward over the Blue Dot to secure them forever.



Placing the face of an installed Blue Dot into the properly sized test hole previously drilled in hardwood, I ever so gently bend the remaining two tabs out and down to secure the entire Blue Dot assembly into the freshly drilled lens.

Carefully, don't slip and don't smush with vigor, miss the tab and hole the lens and start over with a reorder. Smush em flat to the back of the lens. They are just long enough.

[Sharps40]

Looks good. Bit dusty from bein in the shop but looks real good.



I like to flip em over and seal em up with a bit of clear silicone adhesive. Don't have any clear but I do have you know what.....the ever versatile Blu Goo. Clean up the edges wiff q-tips before the Blu Goo kicks over and firms up.

I love Blu Goo....wish I invented it.

[Sharps40]

And the install. Nifty neat-o. Lookin sharp John Lee!

[Sharps40]

The acid test....yep, even looks good lit up in mid day. Very nice. Gotta get the lucas tribar blue dots from Bow Tie bits for the headlamps.....cool.



Thanks to GM Restoration for getting a nice part from the LongDuck Dong plant in Tiawan China and havin it shipped over here to me on the Peoples Ship WhoFlung Dung. I'm impressed, came out nice for China parts.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Nice job. Thanks for sharing.
One side note: will those pass NC state inspection, or do you run YOM tags?

[truckdude239]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Nice job. Thanks for sharing.
One side note: will those pass NC state inspection, or do you run YOM tags?

It does not matter any vechial 35 year or older in nc doesnot have to be inspected the are exempted. I been inspecting cars in nc for 6 years now.

[Leverhead]

I'm digg'in the license plate...Oh and the blue dots are cool too!

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by Leverhead

I'm digg'in the license plate...Oh and the blue dots are cool too!

Plate was $9.95 on slaybay.

[Sharps40]

edited

[Sharps40]

Well, finishin up this job, my license plate bracket ain't been lit for years and it fell off ridin down the road an was draggin by the wire so I ordered another part wif Christmas money. Don't spect its 'Merican but it ain't labeled Chinese neither so its prolly from El Gordo Steel Plant cross the river way west and south but it seems pretty good quality so here we go. ....

[Sharps40]

It comes painted, has a Glass dome lens like original, a good seal and plenty of wire on it. Seems okay, got it from LMC Trucks. And, it ain't broke so it should stay on for a while.

[Sharps40]

But it ain't no concours part neither. New and old side by side.

New is a bit lighter gauge but adequate. New has rubber bumper where the wiring clip should be, in the middle. And new has no rubber pad at the top. Shape of the new is a bit off too.

But this ain't no Riddler truck neither so I'm putting it on my bent bumper.

[Sharps40]

I didn't solder the wire, just a crimp and a double shrink wrap. We'll be pullin out the tail harness in a month to make up a whole new rear harness and incorporate a proper ground lead and stud for all the outback stuff and a junction box so I can swap out the Flat Four Trailer Connectors that corrode to uselessness on an annual basis with out having to chop and rechop wiring with each repair.

But, first light on the back end of John Lee in a longish time for sure.

[Sharps40]

I'm wondering if I can get a nice box in there behind the plate with a flat 4 and a round 4 and have lil doors on each side so they stay dry.....hmmmmm......

[Sharps40]

And finally, can't wait for it to get dark. Gotta put on the PS side mirror modification and if the wind and rain stops blowin 86 mph I might go for an evening ride and see how it all looks and works in the dark.

But its a durn site more visible out back now than it was....them ol red lenses were just about fogged shut.

[TJ's Chevy]

Looks good! Now you need to chrome yer tail lamp housing and chrome yer tail lamp holders and you'll get an extra 150 hp.......

[Sharps40]

I think I'm gonna rebuild them buckets with new lamp sockets when I wire it and strip em and paint em black to match the mirrors up front.....more of that good ol bilateral symmetry.

[gulfcoast66]

Nice looks Really good!! Love them Blue Dots.....

[tincan1966]

Never seen anyone do blue dots up front, unless I misunderstood the title.

Wouldn't take long to get pulled over here- it's illegal to have ANY forward facing red or blue lights in KS

[Sharps40]

Yep ya read the title right. Headlight blue dots in Lucas tribars comin soon as I can order em. Bowtie bits has em. Looks like the 60s all over