70 Charger sidemarker pigtail installation

[Coelacanth]

While restoring my sidemarkers, I found that only a few had the pigtails still attached; most of the housing assemblies just had open holes. I seem to remember when I removed them from the fenders/quarters years ago, the pigtails & bulbs just popped in from the inside, but when I looked at the few I had with the pigtails still attached, they were crimped in and impossible to remove the bulbs without damaging the crimping on the inside. How are the pigtails & bulbs installed? Thanks.

EDIT: It seems logical that the pigtails/bulbs would just press in from the inside, so changing out burnt-out bulbs wouldn't require complete disassembly of the sidemarkers. Just that the few housings I have with pigtails crimped in permanently threw me off...so is it correct that they should just press in from inside?

 

[davek]

pigtails are crimped in housing,bulbs are changed when housing is removed from car

 

[davek]

 

[Coelacanth]

pigtails are crimped in housing,bulbs are changed when housing is removed from car

Thanks, I was hoping that wasn't the case. That's a bad design for maintenance, having to remove the sidemarker retainer and housing from the fender, then unscrew those fragile plastic lenses from the housings, just to change a bulb...every time you screw in one of those lenses, you risk cracking the mounting posts. Fail!

 

[Coelacanth]

Update: Okay, I found a bunch of these pigtails in my parts baggies, and they perfectly fit the sidemarker housings, simply popping in from the inside. I notice that they're a single wire, though. Maybe they ground the housings to the fender? I need a closer look at my existing wiring. Will update shortly.