Lights don't work so I pulled the tail lamp sockets (brake/turn, reverse) very rusted on the inside of all four. Ordered new ones from Rockauto http://www.rockauto.com/info/42/85860-007__ra_p.jpg
Having a hard time getting these in the back of the tail lamp bucket. Do they pop in through the back? This makes sense but the socket is way to wide and not only that but they won't even fit flush on the back because of the round design. Plugging the socket in from the front and folding the tabs down don't work either. getting to late to grab some photos but I can get some later if that would help show you what I mean.

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exoJjL

Sockets are not all the same. Not only are there different installation/attachment styles, but also a bunch of different focal lengths, that all hold the same kind of bulb. This is really critical; the bulb has to be placed exactly where the lamp was designed for. "Close" isn't good enough. "Fits the hole" doesn't cut it. Move the bulb by as little as 1/16" and the filament is no longer where the reflector/lens optics are engineered to see it, so output from the lamp nosedives (reflector no longer lights up, you just get meager light directly from the filament through the lens).

Many of the sockets are no longer available, if they ever were, in the aftermarket.

What year and model are you working on?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Scamp, 1973.

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exoJjL

Those lamps do not have replaceable sockets; I hope you haven't brute-forced the sockets off, because if so the lamps are now broken. You can refurbish the original sockets. You'll need two of these for the brake/tail sockets and two of these for the backup light sockets. Use a small wire brush on a Dremel tool to clean the socket housing/cylinder.

Before you install the new parts, clean the reflectors with alcohol, stuff a wad of masking tape in the socket hole and shoot 'em with "chrome" spray paint. Then
put these in the brake/tail lights and these in the reversing (back-up) lights—do not substitute. You will need to swap in this turn signal flasher to make 'em work correctly.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I brute forced the lamps unfortunately...

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exoJjL

Check your PMs

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65 Dart station wagon slant 6 - now under construction
47 Dodge Custom 4 Door sedan
87 D100 Short Bed slant 6

Retired USAF 1966-1986
Retired US Postal Service 2004-2014

I found Dorman part #85803 (for 1157 socket) and Dorman part #85806 (for 1156 socket) to actually fit the tail lamps per se RockAuto incorrectly does not list these as an "adequate" replacement. Rockauto lists the 1157 socket replacement as part #85860. This is wrong. These fit my lamp, a little loose, but you gotta fold the tabs in to fit the socket then fold the tabs down to secure it. Make sure all the ground areas are clean beforehand (with a Dremel type tool or not even that brand name) I used a cheap "moto-tool" as we called them in the 70's and as we call them by brand name Dremel today or a Crescent wrench to a lock-jaw plier, I was able to grind down such ground areas. The incorrectly listed sockets are convenient in that they have a ground tab on them for connecting 16 guage butt connector, so these will have to be improvised if the socket(s) cannot make a correct ground to the lamp-body. I think the header placement of the bulb in the 85803 is lower than the stock sockets that appear to mount higher.
---These lamps should be refurbished before going this route.
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exoJjL

Not only must the bulb be at the correct focal length from the reflector, but the filaments must be orientated (clocked) correctly, too.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

The focal length is not the problem. These Dorman Universal part #85803 are a direct replacement tail socket. This is as well as Dorman universal part #85806 for the reverse lamp. Yes, S6Dan I understand you said there is no replacement socket for this vheicle, but I challenged you and I made these work, and yes correctly. I was worried about them socket grounding correctly, so as an extra measure I hose clamped a ground wire terminal to the socket from the body and my impossibly new 1973 tail light setup is as good as day one. BTW, I just need some new gaskets for my tail-lights..

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exoJjL

Um…good, I guess? :shrug: I don't post on here to issue orders or make laws. You found a way to make it work, that's fine.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.