Thread: GT Hawk fender light education

Hello everybody-

I decided to start on something "simple" to fix on my recently purchased 63 Hawk, and chose to go after the non-working fender lamps. The old plastic inserts were intact but yellowed and cracked, and of course did not light up as designed. What I found when I got both sides disassembled was similar to others' experience -
https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...=fender,lights
- heavy corrosion of the light sockets (along with the plastic insert epoxied to the moulding on one side, and missing gaskets). However, there was voltage at both sockets if I tested against a good ground. These assemblies consist of a light bulb socket attached to a 90-deg angle bracket which screws into the fender molding, with a long cable back to a connector.

The issue appears to be that whatever means were used to attach the bracket to the socket has gone non-conducting over the years, so there's no path to ground. When I removed some of the corrosion from a socket and provided a good ground, the bulbs would light up - even the old ones (with matching patina ). So I soldered a bit of wire to the shiny spot of one socket and wrapped the other end of the wire to the screw in hopes that mounting all this back onto the fender would yield a workable ground. However, there was no joy resulting. I expect that now I will have to run ground wires out with the 12v leads and find some solid place to ground to.

The Stude part # for the socket and cable is 1353741, and as near as I and the Internet can tell are made of unobtainium. Although mine appear to still be conducting at least to the sockets, does anybody have a source?

Thanks in advance-

Jim K.
63 Hawk

Jim,
I have a 62 GT, and got a wild hair to light up my fender spears. I should have taken pictures of this, but what I did was to take a flat file to the back of the plastic spear, and make a pocket. I did not drill a hole in the fender, but took about an 1/8" out of the middle of the plastic insert.
I found a strip of LED lights at Pep Boys that is about 1/8" thick, and was 5 lights long. They come in blue, red, yellow, and white(which might as well be blue). There were no yellow ones to be found, although they can be ordered. I cut the strip of lights down to three lights, and they came with a tape strip on the back. I taped them to the fender, and installed the spears. Ran the wires down the hole that holds the spear on. Fit like a glove. I took thin wire and ran the passenger side light to the drivers side, and then thru the back of the clips, that hold the stainless trim to the top of the fenders, to the firewall, and to the back of the clock, and attached it to the light in the clock.. There is so little current draw with led's that you don't have to worry about overloading the circuit. If I had it to do over again, I would order the yellow lights, to go with the parking lights, as the white led's are a little blue. The effect is great. And, it is no hassle at all to return the whole thing to orig. For your situation, the leds might take care of your problem.

I acquired a couple of sockets with right angled brackets attached several years ago from Canadian Tire, a local flaps that would substitute very nicely. The bracket is angled under the socket but could be easily bent to the reverse. Check your flaps in the electical section and you may find a suitable substitute. I also have several NOS GT Hawk parts including a pair of fender light assemblies, part #1355131 or something like that (my memory isn't infallible). The assemblies have everything above the fender, incuding the gaskets. E-mail me if you are interested.

Radfo Shack had similar sockets

Guys-

Thanks for the tips.

WCP: I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

Jim K.
63 Hawk

Maybe it just has to be dark!

I did solder ground wires to the bulb sockets and ran the grounds to the horn mounts on each side. The little lights would definitely work before I bolted the moldings down, but I did not see any light on the left side after everything was back in place. I let it go...

I drove the Hawk into work today, leaving while still semi-dark outside. Both fender lights were working [:0]. Maybe I managed to put in an intermittent connection [:I] but I've also noticed if you stand right behind the little fin (like reaching through the driver's window to flip the switch), it's really hard to tell that the left-hand light is on. Looks OK from the front or side.

Whatever works, I guess. Now on to that tach sending unit.



Jim K.
63 Hawk

When you said the plastic inserts were yellowed & cracked it jolted one of my pet pieves on our reproduction Stude pieces. I had talked to a friend of mine about this & showed him my Hawk & how the original lens was cracked but clear as day while the repo was all yellowed & hardly shows the light. (his business is making & producing injected plastic parts) He said that just changing the material used would correct that. I know so many of us a caso's, but why skimp on the basics like this? Same goes for the screws that retain the ball socket on my Champ mirrors. They rusted in weeks looking so ugly. Why not spend a few cents more when they are made & use stainless screws so they look right for years to come. I hope those that are making these & all our parts dont take this as a bashing, but as constructive.

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

Just wondering - how difficult would it be to covert the lighted spears into turn signals?

quote:Originally posted by Warren Webb

When you said the plastic inserts were yellowed & cracked it jolted one of my pet pieves on our reproduction Stude pieces. I had talked to a friend of mine about this & showed him my Hawk & how the original lens was cracked but clear as day while the repo was all yellowed & hardly shows the light. (his business is making & producing injected plastic parts) He said that just changing the material used would correct that. I know so many of us a caso's, but why skimp on the basics like this? Same goes for the screws that retain the ball socket on my Champ mirrors. They rusted in weeks looking so ugly. Why not spend a few cents more when they are made & use stainless screws so they look right for years to come. I hope those that are making these & all our parts dont take this as a bashing, but as constructive.

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

Warren,

I know what you mean about some of the repro plastic parts. Less than 2 years ago I purchased a repro turn signal stalk tip for my '63 Daytona. Car is an on-and-off daily driver.

The tip is already crazed and cracked all over, and tiny pieces are falling off of it. It looks worse than most original tips that are 45 years old!!

The vendor shall at this time remain nameless, since I am planning on sending them a few pics before I remove it so they can see what is going on with their part. I have since purchased one from another vendor who says his are a better material.....we will see.

Paul
Winston-Salem, NC
Visit The NEW Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: www.studebakerskytop.com

quote:Originally posted by studecruiser

Just wondering - how difficult would it be to covert the lighted spears into turn signals?

I've considered the same thing, only I like them "on" when headlights are on, as well. Perhaps connecting to the tail light circuit would light them in all conditions along with headlights OR parking lights and turn signals.

...though I'd rather not have them go on every time the brakes are applied. Maybe that wouldn't be an issue in daylight anyway. What do you think?

Andy
62 GT

Not very well versed in wiring, but what if you wired them into the front parking/turn signal circuit? Would that work and if so how would that look on a wiring diagram?

JimK

Try the link below for help in setting up your lights as flashers.

https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/tech.html

...Dick Curtis

Hi Guys
I modified my spears some time ago.
The turn signals on the Hawks are buried in the side grills and are not visible from the side.
I have only just had time to take one off to take the pics.
Here is a link to the diodes I used https://www.jaycar.com search for ZD 0285.
Below are all the details you need.
I drilled 5 holes in the base of the spears and pushed in the diodes. Watch the polarity of each one so the pins can be bent over
and soldered in series. The current limiting diode is soldered in series also.
The array is then encased in glue from a hot melt gun.
You can see the resistor in the pic below.
I then connected them up to the turn signals. They draw very little current so they don't upset the flasher can.
When installed in the holder the diodes are invilible.
They are a bit on the orange side so if I was starting from scratch I would try 3 orange and 2 yellow (ZD 0284)
This link is also helpful https://led.linear1.org/led.wiz
These things are really bright, No one can miss my turning intentions.











Allan

JimK
I had the very same problem on my 63 Hawk. I simply made up a wire with loop connectors on each end, placed oneloop on the post that holds the light spear to the fender and the other on the the nut that holds the fender spear, about four inches long, now they both work fine.
BrianC