Short
version: Most used teardrop lights are horrible,
disgusting, ghastly! (but repairable...)
Long
Version: After 40 years; most of the used teardrop units
have suffered from moisture and dirt from living their
lives with no protective boot on their backsides; under
the fender.
It is getting rare to find one in good condition. Most
can be restored. There are two primary problems. The
sockets tend to rust up just from the condensation under
the lense. Some just cause the bulb to stick in place;
some completely disintegrate. Second problem is the
mounting studs are fragile and can snap off during
removal.
The
sockets can be reworked or replaced by someone with the
necessary skills. Some of the internal pieces are found
in other roadster lamps and many other Datsuns and
Japanese cars of the era.
Unless
we can remove the bulb easily and see everything is in
order; and describe it as such; ASSUME THE SOCKET IS BAD
or will be bad. I've had too many of these where I"ve had
to dig the bulb out in pieces to think otherwise.
If
the posts are gone; you can drill the stud out and use
stainless steel screws and nuts to mount the lamp to the
car. Small rubber washers to help seal the unit would
also be good.
IF
we do find one that is great we will list it as such; but
we have found with all the used parts we sell it is
better to describe the parts at their worst. It isn't
worth selling something and having someone unhappy. A
decade ago we just dealt with restoring cars; now we are
arriving at a point where "part restoration" is becoming
necessary.
Assume
the wires are as hard as stone (they usually are) and/or
need to be replaced and/or reattached.
Lenses
vary from clear to slight crazing (small lines in
surface..."crackles"!) to heavy crazing. Sometimes the
lenses fade as well; but these original lenses are
remarkably durable.
The
lamps come with or without the inner lense gasket or the
outer "to-fender" gasket. The inner lense gasket can be
replaced by a narrow bead of silicone. The outer one
you'd have to make. Even if the gasket(s) are there they
may be hard as stone.
Originally
there was a left and right outer gasket. Nissan also
manufactured some gaskets that were universal. There is
barely a difference between the original right and left
gaskets; we use both as just gaskets neither left or
right. The lamps we do not sell as left or right either.
