When I try to remove the three nuts from each tail light, both the nut and bolt turn at the same time. I have used penetrating oil which did not help. If I use a die grinder to remove the bolts, will I still be able to reuse the light assembly. The factory parts manual does not show the nuts and bolts with the assembly. Each tail light has three nuts and bolts.

Gerry

Are you referring to the rear flasher lamps? I ask, since the stop/tail lamp -- at least on a post-TS60000 parts car I have -- seem to be held on with only two sheet metal screws into "speed nuts"; the flasher lamps do have three nuts and bolts.

It might be just a bit "safer" to try to drill off the head of the screw or bolt, or possibly and very carefully use a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel on the inside of the boot?

You might try a socket wrench on the nut and the biggest screwdriver that will fit in the screw head then hold the head firmly and use the ratchet. From what I recall of that screw, if it doesn't loosen it may just break which would be okay & likely easier than drilling.

Before any of that, I'd have a look/feel inside the trunk and see if some DPO has substituted the original clip nuts with ordinary nuts. Your solution might be as simple as using a nutdriver inside the trunk.

As Andy says, both the corner lamps and the turn signals (on later cars with separate turn signals) had sheet metal screws into what the standard hardware catalog calls "Fix nut" but the SPC calls a "spire" nut.

The lights are round and are on each side of the brake light. There are not any screw heads exposed. When using a socket the entire bolt or screw turns also.

Gerry

This seems a bit confused. According to your profile, you have a 59 TR3A, which should have the brake lights on the corners. The center light should only be a license plate lamp.

The round lamps are supposed to be turn signals, and there should be three small sheet metal screws exposed when you remove the lens. If you reach into the trunk, you should be able to feel the other end of the sheet metal screws with your fingers.

Is it possible there is no nut?

Anyway, to answer your original question, with care it should be possible to grind away the heads of the screws and still reuse the sockets.

Here's a shot of ol TS39781LO showing the correct rear lamps. (Obviously other things are wrong, but the lamps are right.)

Randal

I think you have solved the dilemma. I have the round turn signals adjacent to the parking light as shown in your picture. In the trunk there are three nuts securing each lamp. If I understand you correctly, I should remove the lenses and then use a screwdriver to prevent the screws from turning as I unfasten the nuts.

If you are working with the round lights shown above... have you removed the lenses? Simple to do but tricky if you have not done it before.

I just removed the lens and can now access the three retaining screws.
I did not realize that the lens could be removed by twisting it.


Thanks for the timely responses.

Gerry

Hadn't seen your post. In case you haven't done it, the lenses remove by prising out the metal ring. Gently pry under the outer edge of the ring then work around the circumference to free it from the rubber. I used an old orange stick. Some use a small screwdriver but do so carefully yo not damage the rubber. The lens can then be removed with a similar move.

Perhaps some cars used a screw & nut? I am fairly sure that was what held mine. Could have been some DPOs work I suppose, but looked like old S-T stuff, not Ace Hardware if you know what I mean.

The front lamps, of ocurse, used those spire nuts.

Could be, especially since it appears that is what GerryL has too. But the listing in the SPC shows "Screw, self-tapping", followed by "Nut, spire". The Moss catalog also shows the spire nut.

Of course it wouldn't be the first time the SPC didn't match what they actually did on the assembly line, either; and Moss likely just copied the SPC.