The socket for the cigar lighter in my 74 Pantera has corrosion at the bottom and needs to be replaced. Do I need to remove the console or does it come out some other way, perhaps leveraging the ash tray opening.
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The outer shell (under the console) unscrews. I don't have a pic of a disassembled one, but I do have a pic of a tool that is helpful.
John
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Thanks John.
I got a new lighter assembly from Autozone and it works as you described. I should be able to improvise a tool but I do not have high hopes for readily getting the old one out due to corrosion.
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Does the lighter still work? If so, I'd leave it alone until its fuse starts blowing regularly. I removed mine several decades ago since neither I nor Judy ever smoked, so its only use to us was a complicated and untidy way to power a radar detector or CB radio. Direct wiring made even that unnecessary.
If you can get it out of the console, try sticking the whole thing without disassembly in a sonic washer for awhile, then let it dry for a few days before trying it out- direct-wired to a spare battery. The exposed heater coil in the base builds oxidation just like your breakfast toaster does.
Thanks Jack.
I was able to extract the lighter socket using a wood chisel as an improvised extraction tool and it turned out with a little persuasion. The socket from Autozone is a very good match to the original and it cost $7.99. On eBay there is a similar one for Ferrari and it can purchased for only $286.40 and that is down from $358.00. The one from Autozone even has the orange ring just like the one that was on my car (mine was bairly noticeable) as well as the Ferrari version.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254212192043
Here is the one from Autozone
That fragile orange ring has a small light bulb underneath so when the headlights are on (and presumably night time), it glows. That bulb can also be upgraded to no more than 3 watt halogen or LED, like the too-dim instrument lights. I cracked that brittle orange ring when I removed ours from the console, and had to glue it back together for the next owner.
Steve thank you for the heads up. Mine kept blowing fuses and needed to be replaced. And the top portion of the orange ring was broken off. I wanted to be able to power a hands-free BT phone/music converter. This was an easy install, and I was even able to swap over the original black plastic knob. Looks original.
Auto Zone was out of stock, but Oreilly's has the exact same part.
Custom Accessories Cigarette Lighter 10213 | O'Reilly Auto Parts (oreillyauto.com)