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I'm struggling trying to get the Duchess' parking lights to seat properly.

I have a vague recollection that the chrome clamp ring and the lamp socket retainer intertwine some way. But both surfaces are flat and I don't want to be twisting or breaking anything to test it out.

The retainer seats firmly in the body held by 2 small screws. The glass seats firmly on the rubber washer at the bottom of the clamp ring.

But the chrome clamp ring with the glass in it sticks out almost an 1/8th inch farther than it should. Also I'm worried with the vibration of the car, these will work their way off.

Would appreciate help. Trying not to spend the entire holiday on parking lights.

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Joe, I have attached a cell phone pic (lousy quality, sorry) of my good park lamp lock arrangement. There are supposed to be little lugs to retain the corresponding holders / locks that go around the lens. The rubber goes between the lens and lens retainer. The lock tangs appear to be broken off yours, as is mine on one the other side.

Hope this might help!

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I see them and I remember them. I'll ask son John if he can attach something there. Thanks much. I can't figure out how that would push the lamp back any further so the ring is flush, so I'm going to try again to put it together.

I may be paint. I had to go around by headlights with sandpaper and then a dremel wire brush to take of the excess glazing and paint so the rim would go back on.

If I understand you correctly, the chrome ring on your lamps are held on with the two small screws shown in the bench. This is not correct. To assemble an original lamp you place the rubber gasket into the bottom of the chrome ring, then insert the lens into the ring noting to place the nub on the lens into the notch in the ring.

Next you put the assembly into the lamp housing so the little tabs go into the wide notches on the chrome ring. Rotate the assemble clockwise?? about 1/5 turn and it is held tight.

As you noted the tabs are missing on your car, probably caused by some hapless former owner taking the car to a repair shop rather than a Factory Authorized Packard Repair Shop.

There's a reason they always warn you about that!!

Funny, Fred. Thanks. Unfortunately there was no previous owner who could of done that on my car (except a high school kid named Joe who didn't understand how things work and is still learning).

Actually I'd forgotten about the tabs, but I remembered that there was something interlocking. When I was trying to figure out why the lamp wouldn't seat I noticed there was some black stuff at the bottom of the chrome clamp ring and that the glass was too short to seat on the bottom, so yesterday I bought some rubber washers and installed them. My pic just didn't have things in the order I was installing items.

So mainly the reason was overzealous glazing which I sanded down. Now the laps seat properly, but are nice and tight. I had a marathon day on the car and will post later. Dog has been waiting all day for a walk.

Glad you figured it out, Joe! I am sure there will be many questions we will have for one another in the foreseeable future.

Ask the men that own them!

1. How do you get the lens assembly out in the first place?
2. What are the "nubbs" on and what are the "tabs" on?
If one cannot get the assembly dissembled, it is hard to follow the tabs and nubs procedure.
3. Am I to understand the sequence of components laid out in the photo the incorrect assembly sequence?
4. I have twisted these lenses to the breaking point after liberal applications of Kano oil and I do not yet see any progress on my part..
5. IF and WHEN I get the lamp assembly apart. how is the top chrome spear removed?

Thanks for you attention.

There have been almost 1200 views of this topic so there is much interest.

1. Read Fred Kanter's post. The chrome retainer may be rusted to the tabs of the socket collar. The chrome retainer just has openings that the tabs of the socket collar slip over. Get as much Kroil of other penetrating oil inside. Grip the lens and the chrome retainer and turn back and forth until you get movement. It you can get a 1/5th of a turn start wiggling it to walk it out.

2. The is a nub at te bottom front of the glass lens. The break in the chrome retaining ring comes together on either side of the glass nub and is notched so the ring can close. The tabs are on the collar of the socket inside. The collar is held inside the light housing with 2 screws. On that collar are 2 thin fingers or tabs that the chrome retainer can slip under to hold the retainer in place.

3. Sequence is
a. socket with collar held with 2 screws after wires and rubber grommet come out the bottom.
b. Put rubber inside chrome retainer, put lens in chrome retainer. Fit glass nub of lens into notch of chrome ring.
c. Insert assembly with nub pointing to 3 or 4 o'clock, push it all the in and twist to engage with the finger tabs of the socket collar.

4. It's held with tiny clips which can break easily if rusted. When you the lens and socket out, soak the clips and gently squeeze with a needle nose plier or press up with a flat screwdriver. As I remember these are hard to find.

Thanks, Joe.
I'll re-read your detailed post after I "work" the lens out.

Lowell