Glad at least someone is reading the edits to my typos!!! Thanks!!!
New to me 78 NYB on its way but please Don't tell my wife
- Thread starter 73 T&C
- Start date
Junk yard trip after honey do’s was brief and not very fruitful.
Couple of things.. my old UPick got sold to LKQ.... so no more older cars. In fact, hardly any cars at all. Reflecting the market, it’s mostly suv’s, trucks, work vans,airport busses and minivans. In fact, they don’t even separate the few cars by manufacturers anymore.
Very depressing. I’m getting old, the world has changed and I don’t like it.
Did get the paired correct wire for the dome/map light just not the plug. Out of an old dodge tradesman van. It was the oldest vehicle on the lot. Plug got cut off before I got there. And... I was able to find a lens for my daughters minivan courtesy light in the door. Very little inventory older than 2000. I guess I have to expand my range and look for another lot.
Not a totally wasted day as I did some detail work on the front end of the NYB... mainly cleaning, polishing and touching up.
A little night music for the eyes
Boy and his new bag for the kids daily dad picture..... windy.
Alas poor UPick.... I knew you well. On to newer pastures for me.
Couple of things.. my old UPick got sold to LKQ.... so no more older cars. In fact, hardly any cars at all. Reflecting the market, it’s mostly suv’s, trucks, work vans,airport busses and minivans. In fact, they don’t even separate the few cars by manufacturers anymore.
Very depressing. I’m getting old, the world has changed and I don’t like it.
Did get the paired correct wire for the dome/map light just not the plug. Out of an old dodge tradesman van. It was the oldest vehicle on the lot. Plug got cut off before I got there. And... I was able to find a lens for my daughters minivan courtesy light in the door. Very little inventory older than 2000. I guess I have to expand my range and look for another lot.
Not a totally wasted day as I did some detail work on the front end of the NYB... mainly cleaning, polishing and touching up.
A little night music for the eyes
Boy and his new bag for the kids daily dad picture..... windy.
Alas poor UPick.... I knew you well. On to newer pastures for me.
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commando1
Old Man with a Hat
It gets worse.
Dug into the dome light project today.... between other projects.
Why my car didn’t have one is beyond me. My 73 road runner with a sunroof has one so why not my 78 NYB? Cost cutting I guess.
I ended up cheating a bit having to tie the wiring for the new dome light into the reading light connector. There was no separate connector for the dome light I could find.
I did find a complete plug that I could use from an old wiring harness I’ve been scavenging for connectors for years. The benefits of being a pack rat. After soldering all the splices I taped them up.
I had to take the seat out and the trim along the top of the windows to get to the harness and make way for the new wiring for the dome light
The plug for the reading light I would be tieing into for the dome light.
After plugging in the splice connector, I tested to make sure it worked before proceed
After plugging in the splice connector, I tested it to make sure it worked before proceeding.
Went to Ace Hardware for some wide domed machine screws. These would ground the new map lights and mount the fixture. Wanted also to avoid any hard edges that might snag the trim panel as it slides back.
Disconnected the ground strap to allow for it to be connected to the ground that is available that is controlled by the doors.
Here’s the new ground connector for the ground controls by the doors.
Here’s the power connector
Why my car didn’t have one is beyond me. My 73 road runner with a sunroof has one so why not my 78 NYB? Cost cutting I guess.
I ended up cheating a bit having to tie the wiring for the new dome light into the reading light connector. There was no separate connector for the dome light I could find.
I did find a complete plug that I could use from an old wiring harness I’ve been scavenging for connectors for years. The benefits of being a pack rat. After soldering all the splices I taped them up.
I had to take the seat out and the trim along the top of the windows to get to the harness and make way for the new wiring for the dome light
The plug for the reading light I would be tieing into for the dome light.
After plugging in the splice connector, I tested to make sure it worked before proceed
After plugging in the splice connector, I tested it to make sure it worked before proceeding.
Went to Ace Hardware for some wide domed machine screws. These would ground the new map lights and mount the fixture. Wanted also to avoid any hard edges that might snag the trim panel as it slides back.
Disconnected the ground strap to allow for it to be connected to the ground that is available that is controlled by the doors.
Here’s the new ground connector for the ground controls by the doors.
Here’s the power connector
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75LandYacht
Yank Tank
Looks like a Ford truck dome light.. you’re a smart cookie Javier.. it has map lights that our OE’s don’t.. me likey....
It is.
78Brougham
"Chump"
It's not supposed to as far as I know. Mine doesn't have one either.
75LandYacht
Yank Tank
Because of the sunroof? That Means my new toy doesn’t have one either right?
The reason the Ny'ers don't have the dome light is both doors light up and the map light lights up. Newport's don't have the door lights so that is why Newports have a dome light. Ny'ers without sunroofs don't have a dome light either.
75LandYacht
Yank Tank
Hmm. No dome light!!! Interesting.
78Brougham
"Chump"
I don't have a sunroof, and no dome light either. The PO had some POS mounted where the front seat belt mounts to the roof. Got rid of that quick! Not to mention he had the wire pinched and it kept blowing fuses.
I think they figured with the reading lamps in the back, the super bright lamps in the doors and the map and floor lights in the front, who needs a dome light.
I think they figured with the reading lamps in the back, the super bright lamps in the doors and the map and floor lights in the front, who needs a dome light.
75LandYacht
Yank Tank
Javier needs one! That’s who. Lol
75LandYacht
Yank Tank
Thanks for the school’en Bob.. now I know.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Dammit. I just realized I need TWO wires going to the new dome light.
Now I have to snake an additional wire. Grrrr...
Damn you, Jav.
Now I have to snake an additional wire. Grrrr...
Damn you, Jav.
But, but, but..... ^^ ^^
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
How far is Javier from you? Take a drive...
78Brougham
"Chump"
Dome light? Dome light? I don't need no stinkin' dome light. LOL
I ruins the ambience in the back seat....
I ruins the ambience in the back seat....
And done ....
I can now see the tops of the seats and where I’m about to plant my ***. Oh happy day
And now... what you’ve all been rubbing your rubarb for.... THE PROCESS!
Woke up this morning with a revelation. My intended splicing into the left rear dome light... was not going to work. Or rather it would, but it would also turn on the dome light if the left rear passenger turned on their reading light. No bueno in my book. So speaking of books....
The infamous page C28 of the electrical schematics that says there must be a dome connector in the left rear wheel well.
Here’s also the page that shows the harness location in the car. It calls out the dome light connector so it must be there. I was dreading the next step... cleaning out the trunk.
Although I didn’t find the plug, I did manage to find the missing bumper for the trunk lid under the carpet. So I guess it wasn’t a total loss. Best I can tell, the bumper was under the carpet since new.
Back to the car and the rear seat/trunk sound deadening panel. BINGO!!!!
Here’s a close up.
Strung the splice connector to it and plugged it in. I guess I can use the extra plug from the splice connector for a future disco ball or something. But... the goal of not cutting the harness was well met.
The sound deadening panel has four clips of which only the two center ones were used in the initial assembly of the car. Was hoping to find the build sheet but no dice.
I can now see the tops of the seats and where I’m about to plant my ***. Oh happy day
And now... what you’ve all been rubbing your rubarb for.... THE PROCESS!
Woke up this morning with a revelation. My intended splicing into the left rear dome light... was not going to work. Or rather it would, but it would also turn on the dome light if the left rear passenger turned on their reading light. No bueno in my book. So speaking of books....
The infamous page C28 of the electrical schematics that says there must be a dome connector in the left rear wheel well.
Here’s also the page that shows the harness location in the car. It calls out the dome light connector so it must be there. I was dreading the next step... cleaning out the trunk.
Although I didn’t find the plug, I did manage to find the missing bumper for the trunk lid under the carpet. So I guess it wasn’t a total loss. Best I can tell, the bumper was under the carpet since new.
Back to the car and the rear seat/trunk sound deadening panel. BINGO!!!!
Here’s a close up.
Strung the splice connector to it and plugged it in. I guess I can use the extra plug from the splice connector for a future disco ball or something. But... the goal of not cutting the harness was well met.
The sound deadening panel has four clips of which only the two center ones were used in the initial assembly of the car. Was hoping to find the build sheet but no dice.
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dome light continued......
Four clips used as originally intended.
Now that the mounting bolts were in I could cut a small slit in the headliner to pull the wires through.
A note on the plug and the wiring. Turns out, both wires are actually hot when the doors are closed. So I needed to make sure I didn’t mix them up when making the connection. Once I noted that the yellow wire was the alternating circuit controlled by the door switch, I disconnected the battery.
I used a wire hanger I straightened to do the pull. I also blunted the end to avoid, as much as possible, punching a hole through the headliner.
Ready for the pull!
Luckily, the bottom of the pan for the sunroof was corrugated so I could push the wire up between the sound deadening and the pan.
Here you can see the pull wire and the new circuit line for the dome light. It’s attached with hockey tape (1101 uses).
Pull went without incident.
Glue to reset the headliner edge.
When originally installed, the head liner was cut too short to wrap the edge of the panel. The only thing holding the edge of the headliner was glue... another assembly defect.
Dome lamp inner base, nuts and lock washers ready... but first I need to put the connectors on the end of the wire. Called in three friends to help.
Meet: Mr Clippers, Mr. Strippy and Mr. Crimpy. If you don’t have a crimper... you need one. They make perfect connectors on the wires.
Tip... I like to start the crimp on the connector ends to allow me to put the wire in and automatically align the wire in the connector. This is especially important when working in close quarters and there isn’t a lot of excess wire.
I also ...always use different connectors to avoid reverse connections. Yes.... I am completely anal. But, I’m not alone in this on this forum.
Judge for yourself.
Quick test to make sure connectors are not shorting and that it’s working correctly.
Finally, bolt it all in and together.
Voila! Another 5 hours wasted and you just invested 10 minutes in what is a complete nerdfest of banality..... but fun.
Four clips used as originally intended.
Now that the mounting bolts were in I could cut a small slit in the headliner to pull the wires through.
A note on the plug and the wiring. Turns out, both wires are actually hot when the doors are closed. So I needed to make sure I didn’t mix them up when making the connection. Once I noted that the yellow wire was the alternating circuit controlled by the door switch, I disconnected the battery.
I used a wire hanger I straightened to do the pull. I also blunted the end to avoid, as much as possible, punching a hole through the headliner.
Ready for the pull!
Luckily, the bottom of the pan for the sunroof was corrugated so I could push the wire up between the sound deadening and the pan.
Here you can see the pull wire and the new circuit line for the dome light. It’s attached with hockey tape (1101 uses).
Pull went without incident.
Glue to reset the headliner edge.
When originally installed, the head liner was cut too short to wrap the edge of the panel. The only thing holding the edge of the headliner was glue... another assembly defect.
Dome lamp inner base, nuts and lock washers ready... but first I need to put the connectors on the end of the wire. Called in three friends to help.
Meet: Mr Clippers, Mr. Strippy and Mr. Crimpy. If you don’t have a crimper... you need one. They make perfect connectors on the wires.
Tip... I like to start the crimp on the connector ends to allow me to put the wire in and automatically align the wire in the connector. This is especially important when working in close quarters and there isn’t a lot of excess wire.
I also ...always use different connectors to avoid reverse connections. Yes.... I am completely anal. But, I’m not alone in this on this forum.
Judge for yourself.
Quick test to make sure connectors are not shorting and that it’s working correctly.
Finally, bolt it all in and together.
Voila! Another 5 hours wasted and you just invested 10 minutes in what is a complete nerdfest of banality..... but fun.
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Javier, While you were digging aroung under your headliner, did you ever come across the wiring to the passenger vanity mirror. I had a new headliner installed in my 78 coupe and the vanity mirror was not hooked up. I have spent about 2 hours trying to fish around trying to find the wire. The FSM says it comes up the left rear pillar. I really do not want to tear apart my headliner!
@Moseman ,
Yes I did... it’s a pink wire running parallel to the wires feeding the left rear reading light from the same part of the harness coming up from the floor. Seemed like the long way home to me.
Yes I did... it’s a pink wire running parallel to the wires feeding the left rear reading light from the same part of the harness coming up from the floor. Seemed like the long way home to me.
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