1967 FJ-45 Taillight Restoration

[Unimogguy]

First off I’ve got a couple questions for those of you who have restored the rear taillights. I searched for threads on taillight restorations but didn’t find anything answering the following questions. I know @Bear restored a set so I’m hoping he’ll chime in as well!

I have the opportunity to purchase a set of ‘67 Stout taillights. But they seem different than the (first pic) of the ones John @Living in the Past posted back in 2010. His have a separator between the 2 bulbs. I don’t know if that is an earlier or later version of the 45 taillights?

Does anyone know of a socket and wiring replacement for the taillights?

What are you guys using for gaskets?

What lense color is correct for ‘67? Red/Red or Orange/Red?

Do you guys have a preference on a vendor to do the plating?

Which type of plating did you use? Yellow Zinc or Zinc Chromate or something else? @Blastservices

 

[tahoe40/45]

I think yellow zinc is what they were originally.

Gaskets

Tail Light Gasket for Early Land Cruiser FJ45 FJ40 - Set of 2

Set of 2 reproduction tail / rear combination light gaskets for early Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 and non-U.S. FJ40. Corresponds to OEM part # 81552-36010. Left side and right side gaskets are identical. Note: The gasket is slightly thicker than the original for increased longevity. It may be...

www.cityracerllc.com

 

[Bear]

Since you mentioned me--

Since I'm not a Stout enthusiast, I know little about them. Over the years some of us have heard that the Stout tail lamps were the "same" as those on the pre-1968 LWB trucks, but I personally have never had one to side-by-side compare with the FJ45 lamp. The 45 tail lamp did have a removable thin clear/blue zinc-plated sheet metal divider between the two bulbs--missing on most used lamps found nowadays. The bulb sockets use a thin round phenolic disc with either one or two wires attached with a blob(s) of solder as a contact point, and a small light-duty spring to keep pressure against the bulb--just as on later 40/45 series lamps.

The specific gaskets have been reproduced by several folks over the years, some better than others. The lens-attaching machine screws were stainless with a very tiny rubber washer under each head. Various lenses were used over the period: some were red/red, red/orange, red/orange with internal reflector, and red/white--likely from a Stout variation. Some of these have been reproduced to varying quality. The early parts catalogs show the lenses with the internal reflector; some countries specified certain colors, with or without reflectors and some trucks were imported and separate reflectors added to the rear valence at the port of entry.

The lamp bodies were yellow cad plated originally. Since cadmium is on the "danger list" in some localities, yellow zinc can substitute for replating. Two issues you didn't mention are the reversible bodies and the license plate lens. If the truck was imported to a country not requiring a lighted rear license plate, two identical lamps were installed with one simply flipped over to be used on opposite sides. If the importing country required the license plate be illuminated, a tail lamp was installed with a lower cutout and a plastic "window" allowing light from the driving lamp bulb to shine down onto the license plate.

The clear plastic lens was molded to conform with the lamp body, used a special lipped rubber gasket, three tiny nut clamp-plates with tiny machine screws. On nearly all existing lamps found nowadays the clear plastic lens has been melted by the lamp bulb and is worthless.

And as we all know, finding ANY old 45 tail lamps is difficult--which is why the later wider 40/45 series lamps are sometimes jerried-up on the pre-1968 trucks, or the rear valence is cut out and replaced with the later version with the larger inset for the lamps. As on 40 series, the tail lamps had no protection from kicked-up dirt, mud, water and consequently rusted-out in many cases. There were small rubber caps at the back-end of each socket, but these dried out quickly and shrunk and allowed water to enter the back of the lamp with inevitable results.

Considering the rarity of good existing lamps, current owners are probably taking much better care of all the rare specific items on their trucks. Looks like you are fortunate to have a workable set. BTW any standard plating shop should be able to help you (I would bead-blast the bare bodies first).

HTH

 

[Blastservices]

First off I’ve got a couple questions for those of you who have restored the rear taillights. I searched for threads on taillight restorations but didn’t find anything answering the following questions. I know @Bear restored a set so I’m hoping he’ll chime in as well!

I have the opportunity to purchase a set of ‘67 Stout taillights. But they seem different than the (first pic) of the ones John @Living in the Past posted back in 2010. His have a separator between the 2 bulbs. I don’t know if that is an earlier or later version of the 45 taillights?

Does anyone know of a socket and wiring replacement for the taillights?

What are you guys using for gaskets?

What lense color is correct for ‘67? Red/Red or Orange/Red?

Do you guys have a preference on a vendor to do the plating?

Which type of plating did you use? Yellow Zinc or Zinc Chromate or something else? @Blastservices

View attachment 3847097

View attachment 3847098

View attachment 3847099

Yellow zinc w/chromate gives you the durability and the rainbow hue. With out chromate isn’t durable enough in my opinion.

 

[MDH33]

Here's a pic of the ps tail lamp on my '67 Stout. It has the window to light the license plate Bear talked about. Also has the divider behind the gasket.

That pic is first time I opened them. They cleaned up nice and work well!