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The headlamp and tail lamp tubs

A safe repository of lamps and other delicate stuff.

After getting the exhaust and oil tank tubs in order, I moved onto the plastic tub full of Iron Sportster headlamps and tail lamps.

Somehow over the years I had ended up with two tubs of "lamp-like substances" as Dave Barry might say.

The move to Florida was a good oportunint to considlidate things and come up with a better organization.

Here I combine two tubs into one, so I get to use a now-empty tub for more precious Iron Sportster goodness.

The tub updated.

OK, so really there were two tubs. This one had steel plates I weld on and a magnifying light in it, not the best packing job, but hey, with 14,000 pounds to pack, the movers were getting pretty tired. So after I took out the plug strips and such, all that was left was a couple of Sportster tail lights, and some lenses for the Buco bags I run on my 1962 Sporty.

Update, December 2016:
I try to sell stuff on eBay at the end of the year, so I took a long look at the headlamp tub and put a lot of the stuff on eBay. A large headlamp and some brackets I mounted on a front end I am building for my 1962 Sportster. The goal is to have the stuff in the parts tubs either mounted on a bike, or sold off in the next few years.

I added pictures below of what the tub is now, and the pile of stuff I am selling. Look for the column headed "Update".

Here is a close-up of the tail light I modified to rout the wires in a little section of brake line that tucks into the gap at the rear of the factory strut. This was in response to a couple years of replacing generators and regulators on my 1977, until I realized the real problem was the non-standard 16-inch rear tire was rubbing on the tail lamp wires and shorting them to ground every time I hit a bump. With the wires routed outside the fender, this can't happen. This problem also inspired a strut study I did. Now that I am at Tranquillity Base full-time, I might be able to cut some metal to make that strut system.

Here is the headlamp tub ll packed up. I will probably combine it with the tail lamp tub, there is room.

I just put the near-empty tub back in the shelf with the top off for a minute. I am sure I will be adding or combining it with other lights in other tubs. Ah, here is another tub, the mystery tub all packed up by the movers. While the first tub was a little sketchy, this one is fantastic, they saw that there was a lot of breakable stuff in the tub so they wrapped it all up.

Here is the contents of the second tub. A nice 7-inch repop headlight and lots of other headlamp stuff. The tail lamp lens I tossed into the first tub. The movers used tons of paper and tons of clear tape. This was the paper packing material in the headlamp tub.

I mentioned my 1979 that I put the 1970 Boattail exhaust on, so I thought I would take a pic to show you. I will be writing up the repair and customization of this bike over the rest of 2015.

Since the tub had room, I tossed in this early model headlamp shroud I want to put on the 1962 Sporty. Now I have the lamps under control, I can see what I want to use and what I want to sell. Now that I think of it, I might just mount that 7-inch repop headlight on the 1962 and sell the shroud on eBay.

Update, December 2016:

I sold off some stuff to make some money and lighten the tub. The tub looks like this now:

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I love it when its just one layer in the bottom of the tub, if only since its light enough to put on a top shelf. Next goal is to combine this with the electrical tub.

Here is what I am listing on eBay:

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The big chrome housing and the "eyebrow" headlamp bracket are worth a lot of money. Other stuff I put into lots and price cheap so it moves.

I kept a factory early and late taillamp, a spare lens and some gaskets, and replacement lenses for my Buco saddlebags. A chunk of fender for taillamp mounting, as well as some license plate brackets. I put H4 conversion headlamps on the bikes. I will try LED headlamps, and probably give up on halogen bulbs.

Here is all the little crap, now I have a picture so I know what is in the tub. I tossed these oil pressure gauges in the oil bag tub, and brake switches in the brake tub. A bunch of headlamp rings, one bucket and the switch protectors.

This post is in these categories: Parts Categories Tools (1) Building (1) Parts (25)

The headlamp and tail lamp tubs

Update, December 2016:

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