Technical Stewart Warner gauge panel lights

I have a Stewart Warner "Mate" gauge panel from the '40's. My early Wings gauges do not have any provision for light bulbs however my gauge panel has two light bulb holders cast into the back. What type of light bulb and sockets do I use for this?

 

I guess you're speaking of an under dash gauge panel.
Why not take the panel to your parts store and have them fit a bulb and socket.

 

...or take a picture of it, so we can see what you're talking about.

 

The Mate is a panel that fits into a flat dash. The spring clamps hold the sockets on the sides, not really the same as a hole in the back of a regular gauge. If nobody has found a picture or part number for you soon, I'll dig out my old catalogs at home and get the answer.

 

do the gages have a "window" for the light to illuminate the faces?

 

On the ensign panel, you can use the standard 5/8" universal light and socket available at any NAPA etc.. and it works great.

 

Here is what the original sockets looked like.



I don't know if you would find anything exactly like that now. They positioned the bulb close to the panel. Me, I would take a new socket with the right size barrel, grind the big flange off and then solder or epoxy a ring of wire on it to recreate the ridge that locates the depth in the spring clips.

 

It should be the same as the Ensign panel, I will try NAPA for the universal 5/8" socket. Yes the gauges have windows for the light. Thanks for the help guys.

 

it should look something like this.

 

If you have difficulty finding the proper light sockets, you can make some add-on brackets. Cut a teardrop shape from sheet metal with a hole to snap a common socket into, and a #10 hole to capture under one of the nuts holding the gauge mounting straps. SW made these parts themselves, but you could make it easily yourself. Just don't paint it as you will need them to pass the ground through them.

 

Try this place riwire.com they have a few different styles.