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View Full Version : Couple new things I noticed on the 81...



offthahook
08-30-2006, 07:27 PM
One of my rear sidemarker lights was burned out, not the taillight/turn signal/brake lights. What is cool about these old Accords is the fact they had a separate little light ON the side of the car. It's red and rectangular. So I pull the lens cover off (which is like 3 pieces, BTW) and figure I will turn the socket 90 degrees and it'll pop out. No. It is a soft rubber plunger type deal. Beware if your socket is brittle it could break off; mine was still intact. In this case, you DO just pull hard and it releases from the casing. On taillights, DO NOT pull hard; rotate 1/4 turn left and your socket will pop out. 194 is the number for these sidemarker bulbs.

The radio. What an absolute nightmare these are! Mine came with a Pioneer super tuner w/ cassette from 1981. Yes, it hung out of the bay and had the kit/surround piece. Yes, it sucked and I hated it. I found an OEM one on ebay and it is narrow as Hell. Slides in tight and clean. AM/FM only, just how I want it. I got the old Pioneer out and it was a bitch. It had the theft deterrent plumber's tape that was easy to install and a pain in the ass to get out without tearing up trim. To my point: the Honda tuner had a bulb so dim, it might as well be burnt out. So I pulled the case off the Honda head unit and there the bulb sat. I went to Wal Mart and got one just like it and it was dim, too. I found out that a 57 bulb "fits" and is very bright! The 57 is slightly bigger at the bulb portion, but the base is the same. I removed the blue filter/lens cap and that "display" on the tuner is NICE at night. Also, the radio light is not controlled by the headlights so it is always on if the radio is on. There is a cage that sits on the bottom of the OEM radio that I didn't use when I installed it. That would require removing the heater AC black trim piece held on with...drumroll... CLIPS. One way in easy, never meant to be pulled out clips. Not my thing to crack that surround so I will mount up the radio another way. I believe you remove the ashtray bracket and tug on the trimpiece. Go ahead. Okay, those are my latest quirks I have discovered. I bet mechanics were lost in 1981 trying to figure these cars out. Engineering was so far ahead!