backup lights and console lights question

[james the flame 11]

Good morning everyone and happy election day !!! Everyone get out and vote !!! I'm still trying to make my november 21'st deadline for the carshow. I have the original console in my 69 mach 1. It has a light in the front ashtray and wires back to the cigar lighter. Can you still get the skinny bulb that goes in the ash tray?? Is it only supposed to come on when you open the lid or will it always be on when the headlight switch is pulled??? Is there supposed to be a light to illuminate my shifter?? There is all kinds of wires there but I don't see a light bulb socket anywhere. Also every light on my car works but I have no juice what so ever to my backup lights. Any suggestions?? I hate to spend that kind of money on new lights just to have them not even work. Thanks, James the flame

[cramer 12]

...Is there supposed to be a light to illuminate my shifter?? There is all kinds of wires there but I don't see a light bulb socket anywhere.

 

Hello,

 

On my shifter yes there is a light. If you remove the 4 screws that hold the "bezel" to the shifter and the shifter handle then you can access the inside of the shifter and the light is in there.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Marc Cramer

[badwolf69 10]

I'm not sure if yours is automatic or manual, but the first thing to do would be to check for volts, by unplugging the lights and putting it in reverse (engine NOT running will help avoid being run over) and see if you get a reading between the post of the light socket and ground (usually the outer part of the socket is ground). If not, then you will want to check your reverse light switch. Mine went bad on my C4 and it just needed replacing. I hope that helps.

[james the flame 11]

Thanks guys, I do not have juice to the backup lights. I did find the correct bulb for the ashtray light and it works when you turn the headlight switch on. I guess I will have to tear the shift bezel back off and look for a light. Thanks James

[Jayru 17]

Hey Guys,

 

I'm reviving this thread because i'm wondering about the reverse lights on my coupe.

 

My car was an original 3 speed, which was changed to a 4 speed by the PO, and currently has a new T5 5 speed that i put in. Being the car was an original 3 speed stick, how were the reverse lights hooked up?

 

There are no wires under the car by the trans that would facilitate a reverse light hookup to the trans (The 5 speed has the switch in the case for it).

 

I'm not really sure if the PO removed the wires for some reason, or they were never there in the first place (the reverse lights are actuated from somewhere else?)

 

Any help's appreciated!

[69RavenConv 283]

The 3-speeds have a push-button switch that mounts on the shifter at the tail of the tranny. When the shifter is in the reverse position, it depresses the switch and illuminates the backup lights. Two wires from the switch run up the transmission tunnel to a square 4-pin connector on the firewall near the master cylinder (the other 2 pins on the connector should have a short loop of wire connecting them). I suspect your switch was lost during a transmission swap. These switches aren't reproduced AFAIK.

 

I don't know how the T5's work, but if you can route some wires from the T5 switch to that 4-pin connector under the hood, your BU lights should work. In other words, if the 2 pins are shorted, the lights go on, if the 2 pins are disconnected, the lights go out.

[Jayru 17]

The 3-speeds have a push-button switch that mounts on the shifter at the tail of the tranny. When the shifter is in the reverse position, it depresses the switch and illuminates the backup lights. Two wires from the switch run up the transmission tunnel to a square 4-pin connector on the firewall near the master cylinder (the other 2 pins on the connector should have a short loop of wire connecting them). I suspect your switch was lost during a transmission swap. These switches aren't reproduced AFAIK.

 

I don't know how the T5's work, but if you can route some wires from the T5 switch to that 4-pin connector under the hood, your BU lights should work. In other words, if the 2 pins are shorted, the lights go on, if the 2 pins are disconnected, the lights go out.

 

Thanks!

 

I won't be in front of the car till tomorrow, i'll have to look for the 4 pin connector you speak of. Since the plug is most certainly gone on my car, how can i tell which ones are looped together and which ones connect to the trans? Are their any color codes on them?

[69RavenConv 283]

Thanks!

 

I won't be in front of the car till tomorrow, i'll have to look for the 4 pin connector you speak of. Since the plug is most certainly gone on my car, how can i tell which ones are looped together and which ones connect to the trans? Are their any color codes on them?

 

I'm sure they're color-coded. I'll check my wiring diagrams tonight and I can post some photos of mine to boot. (I have a 3-speed and rebuilt the switch myself since it's not available and rarely shows up at swaps)

 

I think we determined in another thread that the loop on the manual trans harness takes the place of the neutral safety switch on an automatic, so you may find the loop is still in you car (otherwise it won't start). If you're "lucky" the PO cut the wires off and left the plug.

[Jayru 17]

So i looked at the car this weekend, i see a long square plug with 4 wires going into it from the firewall, 2 red wires and 2 brownish (with a stripe) wires. Funny thing is, i didn't see any jumper wires. Is this the reverse light plug?

 

I didn't want to experiment/jump any wires and fry something if that wasn't the plug!

 

My car is a factory stick, and it starts, so i wonder if they bypassed the neutral saftey under the dash somewhere if that is the plug?

[69RavenConv 283]

It should square connector on a pigtail, the wires look to be about 16-ga or 18-ga.

2 wires should be BLACK w/RED tracer (backup light switch)

2 wires should be RED w/BLUE tracer. (Neutral safety switch)

On my 3-speed, the 2 neutral safety switch pins are jumpered together with a loop of red wire. It's possible yours are jumpered elsewhere (ign switch?)

Take a look at this:

http://www.fourchisholms.com/mustangs/wiringdiagrams.html

or Google "69 Mustang wiring diagram"

I'll try to remember a photo tonight.

[69RavenConv 283]

Finally remembered to snap a photo. You can see 2 wires heading down the transmission tunnel and the other 2 jumpered.

[DeLoreanDMC81 10]

I'm glad this topic was brought up because I have never had back-up lights to my Mach 1. The car was originally a 3-speed, which the previous owner changed to a 4-speed. Anyway, after removing the transmission a few months ago I noticed a small square box mounted on the shifter, which was extremely bad looking and realized that is why I don't have the reverse lights. Of course they don't offer this switch for a '69 and I don't think I can fix the piece I've got. So those of us that have manuals, what are we suppose to do for back-up lights?

 

Finally remembered to snap a photo. You can see 2 wires heading down the transmission tunnel and the other 2 jumpered.

 

So is that the plug for the back-up lights on a manual transmission car? Ever since I've owned my car, there was nothing plugged into that spot, so I had no clue was it was for.

 

James

[69RavenConv 283]

Yes, that's the plug for the backup lights and the neutral safety switch. There's no good way to fix the BU lights if your switch is missing or rotted. A quick and dirty fix would be to connect a Radio Shack switch across the 2 pins that have the black wires with red tracers. You could mount it under the dash or something and flip it by hand. Just make sure you use at least 18 ga. wire and a heavy duty switch capable of handling 4 or 5 amps, or whatever it is the backup lights draw when on.

Edited November 25, 2008 by 69RavenConv
added 18 ga. wire

[DeLoreanDMC81 10]

Here's another question, what would be wrong with using this switch http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=2480003+01? I know it is for a Hurst shifter but it looks almost exactly like the one I took off my car. Just thought I'd ask.

 

James

[69RavenConv 283]

It would probably work fine if you can get the mounting right. It might be worth a try.

[69RavenConv 283]

They sell a 1970 harness, too, that looks like it might work (chop off the connector and splice in the push-button Hurst switch?)

 

http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=BUH2+01

Edited November 27, 2008 by 69RavenConv
correct spelling of "off"