A long and expensive tail light saga

[GlennBrittain]

I put my 69 SWB work truck in the shop to fix a license plate light, tail lamp and turn signal problem. I decided to find and repair an exhaust leak first. My son had removed my stock exhaust and installed cheap headers with Flowmasters. To loud to find a leak by listening. I found a cracked header collector. One set of Hedman Elite’s about $325.00 later (misplaced receipts) exhaust leak is fixed. Now the headers are interfering with my auto shift linkage, motor is in I6 position. I decided to just install a floor shift, that I have been wanting, $187.00 later I am the proud new owner of a B&M light truck magashifter. On to the turn signal. Took my auto shift column tube and other parts from a floor shift column, and picked up and ordered parts totaling $322.00, installed a rebuilt and painted floor shift column, that resolved part of my turn signal problem. I am now $834.00 into this ordeal and still do not have a right turn signal, taillight or license plate light. I used a trailer plate light that I found in the shop, to solve the license plate light problem. I started at the column connector with volt/ohm meter for the passenger side tail and turn signal working my way back to the light assembly. I found the socket was full of sand and gunk, after a cleaning with WD40 better contact was made with the bulb. So $834.00 later I have lights, but I have not been to the muffler shop yet, still open headers.