65 backup lights

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
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billybob
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Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 6:23 pm

65 backup lights

Post by billybob »

Did all 65 Mercury Comet Caliente's come out with back up lights and trunk lights? They seems to work like tail lights. The lens on the left is white and the lens on the right is red. Thank you.

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poboyjo65
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by poboyjo65 »

Not all . the back up & trunk lights were options.
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Johno

fair67
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by fair67 »

On our 65 comet 404 the left corner tail light is white the right corner tail light is red does anyone know how it should be from the factory. I am leaning towards I thought they both should be red or white not one of each. If the left was originally white would that not be a reverse light and if so why only 1. I am confused any help appreciated because I am now on that part of the car to restore. Do any of you have the same color of lights on the left and right small corner. Please let me know what is correct thank you.

Lou's Comet
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by Lou's Comet »

As John said back up lights (white corner lens) were a option, if your car had this option then both corner lens should be white. If your car did not have the back up light option both lens should be red.

You need to find out if you have the option or not to determine which color corner lens you have. If the corner lights come on with your tail lights or brake lights then you do not have the back up light option, and corner lens should be red.
If they come on with the key on and car in reverse then you have the back up light option and the lens need to be white.

This is assuming your lights work and wiring is still there.

Another thing to look at are the sockets on each side tie into the same wire or are they feed off of different wires.

Lou

billybob
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by billybob »

Thanks for the help guys.

comethead
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by comethead »

Also, before you start chasing ghosts, be sure there’s a switch on your transmission. Over the years things tend to disappear.
It has a specific adjustment in the shop manual.
Joe
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
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Jims65cyclone
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by Jims65cyclone »

You might have one lens of each color due to a close encounter of the rear kind that your car may have had in the past, resulting in a replacement lens or assembly. Seems odd that it would have been replaced with the wrong color, but maybe it was a junkyard replacement and that was all they could find. You might do a close inspection inside the trunk of the rear panel and quarters for any tell-tale signs of past body work.
Jim
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fair67
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by fair67 »

Jims65cyclone wrote:You might have one lens of each color due to a close encounter of the rear kind that your car may have had in the past, resulting in a replacement lens or assembly. Seems odd that it would have been replaced with the wrong color, but maybe it was a junkyard replacement and that was all they could find. You might do a close inspection inside the trunk of the rear panel and quarters for any tell-tale signs of past body work.
Jim
Thank you for the reply I only mentioned my car because billybob has the same tail light one red other white as mine. It left me to wonder because this is 2 cars with the same set up for whatever reason. I looked in the trunk and there were not even any sockets in the corner tail lights on either side and no sign of wires to it. I will have to look closer but am thinking of just going with red on each side and wire it to brake lights. It is my daughters car so I figure the tail lights will be redder when she goes to stop. I am pretty sure the car has never been hit in the rear end we are second owner.
Thank you again

fair67
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by fair67 »

Well I spent a couple days messing with these tail lights. I am sure someone in the past butchered this up for me to have to deal with. I got a couple of sockets from my Fairlane parts car to replace the corner sockets that were not there including missing wires for the sockets. I ended up wiring them in for red lights so they will work with the tail lights turn signals brake lights. I found that someone hacked in there and even the tail lights on the drivers side was wired wrong. I believe I got it worked out now and my daughter has working tail lights now. She is 3D printing out red corner lenses and she is very close to getting them right the first one was a little big but she is very close to getting it done.
Thanks Luke

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Jims65cyclone
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by Jims65cyclone »

fair67 wrote:She is 3D printing out red corner lenses and she is very close to getting them right the first one was a little big but she is very close to getting it done.
Wow, that's impressive. Is she doing this through school or work or do you have the printer? Could you whip out an instrument cluster with this thing? :idea:
Jim
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fair67
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Re: 65 backup lights

Post by fair67 »

Jim
She is 15 and and has been messing around learning to 3d print and program it at the library and now is taking a high school class. The tail light she started at home and has now took it to school to get it right. A dash cluster would be too big for the 3d printer but I would bet she could do it with a bigger printer. She measures the part and writes the program herself she is learning fast.
Luke

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