Swivel Lights

[nellie the elephant]

Anyone know where I could get my hands on three of those vintage brushed metal swivel lights on the interior? On my '66 Safari, they are worn out and just hang limp...so that I am unable to point them where I want them when reading. Grant it they work perfectly, put the swivel is worn out. Anyone have an idea on how to fix the swivel in case I can't find any replacements?

Thanks for any advice.

[Lee Pace]

You might try the fix I used on our Antenna. Get a rubber washer,(it might take two) clip the bottom into and slide it over the light.

This really worked well on our antenna. Won't hurt to try.

Gloria & Don
WBCCI 7287
Greenville, Texas

[53flyingcloud]

Nellie..

As perfect as mine are...The thing I worry about is replacing the bulb..As I recall, A/S wanted a huge price for the replacement..
So, as a result, I almost never turn mine on...lol
I've bought a cheap lamp from Wally and, use that instead..
You might try as an after thought one of the salvage yards...One in MO comes to mind..Colaws..I believe it's called
Colaws RV Salvage at Carthage, MO.

ciao

[Tin Hut]

I have some of the cone lights from a '67 Tradewind that I plan to ebay soon. A couple are in good shape, another has been modified with a new stem, the other has the ball joint cracked and needs to be fixed. I also have replacement bulbs. The last cone light like this on ebay went for approx $155 (you might do a search just to check the final bid) I don't know if this is the same style light that you need or not. Unfortunately I don't have a dig. camera to upload a photo. I should be able to in a week or so.

[nellie the elephant]

Thanks for the tip Flying Cloud. I've got an email out to them, so we'll see what they've got.

Anyone else have a fix? I was actually even thinking about drilling a small hole in the shaft, and putting a rivet through it, which would keep it still, I just couldn't ever swivel it.

[nellie the elephant]

Tin Hut,
you mentioned that one was modified with a new stem. Did you modify it? If so, how?

$155 each would be too steep for my blood to buy three. I think I'd do the rivet thing before spending that much on ebay, no offense. They are beautifully designed little cone lights, and the light is quite bright for reading.

[rluhr]

Nellie, I'm just curious, which light are you talking about?

I have two types of interior brushed aluminum lights. Both types swivel and have cones. There are a pair of reading lights above the dinette which take frosted 1383 bulbs. One of these is pictured on the left, below.

I also have a single reading light just rearward of the side couch that takes (I think) 1141 bulbs and has three intensities. This is on the right in the picture below.

The couch light on mine has also given up the ghost, partially. It still swivels but the swivel ball falls out during travel, leaving the cone portion to dangle by the wires and scrape the woodwork. Still haven't found a fix.

But at those prices ($155 ea!) I can get pretty creative before I break down and buy an "original" replacement.

-- RL

[airstreamcaravel]

I bought replacements in GREAT condition from Tad Taylor

Click Here for his web site !!!
Scroll down towards bottom of the page.

(I guess I just let this somewhat secret source outta the bag)

They are resonably priced and Tad is a gentleman to deal with.

Very interesting site also !!!

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Dave

[Tin Hut]

I thought about bidding on those on ebay a month or so ago also but didn't want to pay that to stay original. I purchased 4 alum. cone lights and mounted them on a round metal mirror-finish backing plate. They have that airstream look but only nicer and they don't dangle around anymore. Lights were about $25 each plus the other stuff and I'm happy with the results. Since there are some that prefer to stay original I'll go ahead and part with my original cones. I'm also thinking of replacing the ceiling dome lights with some of the newer "cold" florescents that draw very little juice but reportedly give off light in the halogen range.

[Tin Hut]

To answer your question Nellie, the PO modified the cone light. Evidently the ball area was cracked so he took the stem from another light that is about the same size and attached the cone to it and screwed into the base. I probably wouldn't have noticed it but laying on the twin I looked closer and the stem he used is from a brass lamp, not aluminum. I had another cracked one that I kept duct taping so I decided to just get 4 new ones and install. I'm less focused on originality than practicality.

[nellie the elephant]

rluhr wrote: "Nellie, I'm just curious, which light are you talking about? "

rluhr, In your photo, it is the one on the right that I am looking for. The problem you have with the ball part popping out of the stem, is exactly what I am talking about. Mine on occasion does that same sort of thing....just dangeles by the wires. I can pop it back in temporaily for reading or for ambient light, but it with eventually pop out again.


airstreamcaravel:
That is a great site, thanks for the forward. I am impressed with his prices on a lot of 60's parts that are hard to find. I think the best solution for me (and maybe rluhr), is to buy the $35 replacement. I am into the originality and I don't like micky mouse repairs. Short of putting a rivet through the stem, the other thing I was thinking was possibly taking it apart, and brushing some sort of shellac or urethane on the ball to give it more thickness. I guess it is worth one last ditch effort, since it wouldn't cost anything.

Thanks guys.