dash/instrument light panel - missing

[70Tom]

So these are my instrument panel lights for my 70 SF. Anyone have any idea what went in the open space? There's a part of my harness for a bulb for this spot, I believe, but not sure exactly went in there.

 

[1970cat]

there is a courtesy light that goes there. it illuminates the plymouth insignia on the left of the dash. you are missing the bracket. it has a metal push in socket with a pigtail to mate to your harness. i couldn't find a picture of it though.
it looks like you are also missing the plastic trim piece that goes along the edge of that panel.

 

[70Tom]

Thanks. I figured it was something like that. If anyone has the bracket, please let me know. I'll even buy the whole panel if it's in nice shape (mine has a cracked blue light cover.)

 

[Fury440]

That's what it looks like.

 

[70Tom]

So that square stays open like that? Kind of strange.

 

[Fury440]

Well you can't see it without standing on your head so I guess they wanted to maximize the light output. As I recall this light was part of one of the light option packages, probably interior light delay.

 

[70Tom]

My car does have one of the light option packages (trunk, glove box, ashtray) so that makes sense. I just have no idea why it would have been removed. I have the wiring. I just don't have the metal piece or the blue piece for the bulb. People are strange. Haha.

 

[Fury440]

They came in different flavors, the above version is what the factory put in my car. The little hole directs the light to the logo on the LHS trim panel. The bulb assembly in the other picture looks more practical.

 

[70Tom]

Thanks for the pic. That actually makes sense now. Now I just have to find one. Which should be totally easy. Ugh

 

[Fury440]

I wouldn't sweat it, very few people know those lights even exist. I didn't know I had one until 1996 after I'd owned the car for 27 years!

I just looked at my car to see which bulb type Paul used when he restored my dash, turns out nothing. For some reason he didn't install it, probably a corroded socket. Been driving it 3 years since the restore and only just now discovered the empty hole. Mind you, I seldom drive it at night.

 

[70Tom]

I guess it's one of those things where I'm going to have the dash completely apart and hope to only do this once, so I'd like to get everything working. I'm pretty excited I'm getting a new dash pad on Saturday. I'm not so excited about repairing the rot in my windshield and rear window channels over Thanksgiving weekend. Haha.

 

[Fury440]

Getting a new dash pad installed can be a real bear of a job. My first attempt didn't succeed and I ended up with my arm all scratched up and my back out of commission for a week. My second attempt, remove the four screws in the defroster vents, remove two screws, one on each end of the dash pad. Drop the steering wheel down to rest on the seat. Loosen but don't remove two screws by the kick panels. Disconnect the cable from the dash to the heater box (mine didn't have air). Unplug the wiring harness near the f;loor by the kick panels. Unplug all the connectors on the engine side into the bulkhead connector. Remove screw holding the bulkhead connector and put it and the attached fuse panel free of the firewall. Now, two people, one on each end, rotate the dash back enough to clear the windshield glass and lift it out. Now changing the pad is easy.

Hopefully I've remembered all the screws and stuff, last time I did this was 1996.

 

[1970cat]

you may need to unhook the antenna cable and don't forget the ground strap on the column.
my light is connected to the time delay along with the light over the key. not sure if a 70 would have a key light or not.

 

[70Tom]

I'm pretty much ready to pull out the pad at this point. Just need to undo the inner nuts, pull it back a bit, and then undo the 2 side screws. Hopefully I'll get it out tonight.

I don't think the 70 has a key light. At least mine certainly doesn't.

 

[Fury440]

Mine has the interior light delay but no key light. Some models did have some kind of key light, but those with consoles like mine used the lights mounted on either side to light up the key.

 

[Rwc]

Mine has the key light. I also have the courtesy light Tom was talking about.

 

[70Tom]

Mine has the key light. I also have the courtesy light Tom was talking about.

I take it a light beams down on the steering column?

 

[Rwc]

It's a little light mounted on the column by the switch

 

[70Tom]

OK, I'm looking to purchase the aforementioned light if anyone has one. I mainly need the steel housing.