Finding a nice set of clearance lights for these old trucks takes a while. Attending swap meets and/or browsing Ebay I finally collected enough parts. But no gaskets.... over time the gaskets deteriorate and there are no reproductions (that I know of). So here is how I created some.


Here's a NOS KD517 cab light I purchased years ago. The lens is glass, the outer shell is stainless or chrome and the base is painted and contoured to match the rounded cab roofs on old trucks. But no gasket.


The first step is to make a template for the gasket. Trace the light outer shell on cereal box cardboard. Then add 1/8+ inch all the way around that. Then cut that out.


Using the cardboard template, trace two more on scrap sheet metal. Using metal sheers, cut one out right on the trace line and the other about 1/16 inside the trace line. The larger is the bottom and the smaller is the top.


The top template is slightly smaller than the bottom. This will provide a bevel on the gasket.


I purchased a 12" x 53" piece of closed cell foam rubber neoprene/epdm blend 3/16 thick from ebay. The seller is in Miami FL and yes the product is "Made in USA". Place the bottom template on the gasket material.


Cutt out the gasket using utility knife. Leave a little around the gasket. My 11 year old son showing how's it done.


Sandwich the gasket between the top and bottom metal templates. Using a sanding disc and fine grit, trim the excess. make sure you keep the sandwich pressed together tight so the gasket won't slip.


The gasket now has a nice bevel, If you want more bevel make the top metal template smaller.


We need three holes in the gasket. Two for bolts and one for the wire. Make the holes with tubing that has been ground to a sharp edge, a block of wood, and a sledge hammer.


Here's how they look on the cab. In this picture the gaskets are not very well centered or tightened down. But you can see how nicely they accent the light and the sponginess lets it contour to the cab.

 

Very nicely done! Excellent how-to. I love the look of clearance lights, practical too.

PS -- I miss the days of my sons helping out

 

Very nice. I pick up clearance lights like those anytime I see them at swap meets.

 

Me too. However, my son is only 13. He simply isn't sufficiently interested.

Nice score on the lights!

 

Nice work!

 

Very nice work. Those lights look like the ones ive collected for my f6 . If you have 5 extra ones or material left over that you dont plan on using to make more id buy them from your son.

Ill have to verify my lights.

 

Thanks. I've been collecting the lights for years. The 1/2 hour my son was hanging out in the garage was great. Doesn't happen a lot.

That's about the only way any more. I use to see them sold as sets but not in a while.

From what I hear from other parents, kids today are not as motivated by cars as we were. The reason my son was in the garage was because his XBox time had run out for the day and he was 'bored'. Hopefully when they figure out the girl thing they will also find interest in cars/trucks.

Thank you sir.

I'll still have some left over. If the lights are KD517, Let me know how many you need. If not send me a card board template of the light. I'll send you back enough material and you can do the rest.

 

Thanks for the post. I've been trying to find gaskets myself. Now I know I just need to make them

 

That is a great write-up. I want to remember this great idea for making gaskets.