Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

[James W.]

Did the original 1965 tail light speed nuts have sealant similar to 3M Strip Caulk used in/on them? Also same for the rear deck "Corvette" script? I'm getting ready to reinstall my tail lights in my '65, the speed nuts that I removed seemed to have a solidified substance in them.

Thanks,

James West

[Mike M.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

a black, thick caulk-like material was/is present in all the original c-2 tail lite nuts i've come across . i use 3M strip caulk when using new nuts. mike

[Domenic T.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

Yes, Mike is right. We called that black stuff dum dum. It seals the surface.

Dom

[James W.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

Mike and Domenic,

Thanks for your responses. I'll dig out my strip caulk.


James

[Mike M.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

on new tail lights or emblems, i'll run a die down the studs to fabricate threads. very unlikely the speed nut will snap off the stud if threads cut first. i use a liberal amount of thread cutting oil on the procedure also. those little studs on emblems are fragile. mike mccagh

[James W.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

Mike,

What size die nut do you use for the tail lights?

Thanks,

James

on new tail lights or emblems, i'll run a die down the studs to fabricate threads. very unlikely the speed nut will snap off the stud if threads cut first. i use a liberal amount of thread cutting oil on the procedure also. those little studs on emblems are fragile. mike mccagh

[Domenic T.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

James,
There was NO thread on those nuts. They just CUT into the stud. Now, there were different sizes.

Dom

[Mike M.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

can't remember exact size die, but start out with a die that just barely cut threads .use a coarse threading die as thats close to what the speed nuts cut when they thread on a bare stud. after running the loosest, move down to next smallest die. then gently see if the speed nuts cut threads of their own.i run the speed nuts with the shortest 1/4" drive socket i have so as not to exert too much torque and break the stud off. i once broke a stud on an emblem. mike

[James W.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

Mike,

Thanks for the tips.

James

can't remember exact size die, but start out with a die that just barely cut threads .use a coarse threading die as thats close to what the speed nuts cut when they thread on a bare stud. after running the loosest, move down to next smallest die. then gently see if the speed nuts cut threads of their own.i run the speed nuts with the shortest 1/4" drive socket i have so as not to exert too much torque and break the stud off. i once broke a stud on an emblem. mike

[Alan D.]

Re: Tail Light Speed Nuts...Sealant or no Sealant?

About 0.275" on an original