I took apart the new tail light assemblies, used what I needed from the old ones and reassembled them, then stuck them in the car this evening. Tomorrow, I'll be chasing after the wiring, with a roll of red wire and lots of connectors.
I think this time, with new sockets, new bulbs, new wires, new connections and a whole lot of patience, I should have this licked.
I'm giving up completely on the old wires, but I think I must have nicked one of them when I was busy drilling holes for the sheet metal in the engine compartment. That's the only answer I can come up with; metal's GOT to be touching metal someplace, or I kinked the red wire as I was fishing it through the 3/4" box tubing. Maybe I captured it and pinched it with a rivet, 'cuz it's not exactly pulling out easily.
I'm planning on using the flexi-pipe style plastic conduit this time, outside the frame. Maybe that way I'll have a leg up if I have brake or running light problems in the future.
From all of this, I have learned not to run the wires inside before I'm done drilling. I guess I should probably have made my engine tins last fall, instead of jumping the gun because it was operational.
I have also learned that I probably have an IQ of 40, so it's possible I'm just a complete idiot.
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