1979 Instrument guage lites need bulb holders

[BeachBoyBob]

Hi Guys!

I have a '79 Cutlass with the sweep needle speedo and warning lites (not the rally gauge cluster setup). The lights illuminating the panel have slowly faded, and when I took the assembly out of the dash to investigate, I found the plastic bulb holders had cracked, which results in a open circuit and no light. I glued them back together as best I could, and that has worked for a couple years. Now they have gone out again, and I need a more professional fix.

Is there a complete dash harness for that section of the insturments that can be replaced? How about the holders themselves, which I could connect onto the existing harness?

Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Beach Boy Bob

 

[eocoolj]

I believe the bulb holders are molded into the gauge cluster, so you may be SOL on that, unless you want to replace the entire cluster, which I wouldnt recommend. An easier way might be to just string some lights of your own back there. There are LEDs available now that will last forever and are brighter than stock.

 

[BeachBoyBob]

Sorry for the long delay in responding. My work schedule often does not allow much down time, so I have been unable to get back to the forum. In reply to your comment that the bulb holders are molded into the back of the guage cluster, they are NOT. The bulb receptacles (holders) were made out of what appears to be a bake-a-lite material (what you find on toaster and Revereware pot handles) which is very heat tolerant. These receptacles are a notch-style connector, which allows one to twist and remove the receptacle, replace the bulb, if necessary, then re-insert the holder, which then makes circuit completion with the copper tape which tracks around the back of the guage cluster. As mentioned in my original message, I REMOVED these receptacles once and glued them back together again. However, the super glue has now either broken down, or the receptacles have fractured in a new loccation, rendering the light inoperative.

So, does anyone know where I can find some of these receptacles in good condition, or perhaps even new??