Map light option on 69-70 deluxe interior cars

[miketyler 15]

This came up on another forum recently. Was the map light an option for some deluxe interior cars? I only question it as the map light also supplied light to illuminate the glove box when it was opened. Did they build some deluxe interior cars with no glove box/map light?

[69RavenConv 286]

I recall reading somewhere that most cars came without the light. It's part of the visibility group package.

[Machspeed 219]

I have a 69 Mach 1 that I bought as second owner back in 1976 with 51K miles on it. It was untouched by the owner. The car did not come with that map light and I have often wondered why? So, I'm going to say based off my own car that these map lights did not come standard on all Mach 1's, which came standard with the deluxe interior.

[miketyler 15]

Thats odd, only because it leaves no way to illuminate the glove box and I would have thought that would have been a requirement across all models. Was there any other type glove box light?

[DRASTiK 22]

There are production cars made today that have no lighting in the glove box. Why do you feel this would have been a requirement in 69?

[Pakrat 1,043]

Good point, my 2012 Elantra in fact has no glove box light, has a light for each sun visor vanity mirror but no glove box.

 

As usual I believe Raven is correct with the facts, this option only came with the visibility group unless it was added later on by a previous owner. I believe the whole package was driver's chrome remote mirror (unless a sport model too) a lock on the glovebox (which has nothing to do with visibility?!?!?!); a parking brake and seat belt warning light down by the ignition; lighted ignition switch; lights under the dash (on some models) and lights in the trunk, ashtray and glovebox (the "map light" in either the cameracase or woodgrain panel). If the clock was not ordered with the black standard cameracase panel then the delete plate was added in the hole with a chrome running horse on it. I'm not sure on the interior door lights though for oncoming traffic, they may have been offered with another option than Visibility.

[Mike65 476]

 

What I am going to try is this glove box light for a 68 Mustang. A small bulb fits in the back of the switch where the wire comes out. I already have the hole in the dash in the glove box door opening because my Coupe had the glove box light option but I am using the r/s clock panel from a Mach-1.

[miketyler 15]

Most of the older cars I remember had glove box lights, and without much thought I posted this assuming it would have been a stock feature on older cars. That light you have pictured looks like the same thing they used in the 70-74 Cuda. There is also a round snap in lens that could probably be fit in a Mustang glove box.

[69RavenConv 286]

Won't that switch put the light behind the dash, and thus behind the open glove box? Why not just put a light in the stock location?

[buening 63]

Won't that switch put the light behind the dash, and thus behind the open glove box? Why not just put a light in the stock location?

 

Agree, when the glove box is open it is sticking out past the lower dash fully.....so that light won't work that well.

 

Here is a good list of options with original prices:http://1970mach1.homestead.com/optionequip.html

 

Granted that doesn't say what was all included in those options.

 

If your car came with the Convenience Check Group option, it would have came with the map light and glove box light switch. A non-mach could have had deluxe interior and the Convenience option, in which it would have been the clock-delete woodgrain panel with the map light and glove box light switch in the lower left corner. The standard interior cars also could have came with the Convenience option, in which it had a slightly differently shaped map light and glove box light.

 

I've found many times when you locate a map light that it is missing the glove box switch. One good thing is the glove box light switch on the Cougars are the same as the mustang (short of the stamped part number on the wire). See the below Ebay auction with the cougar glove box light as well as the switch, which may be a cheaper option to those not wanting to fork over the $200+ for a deluxe map light. I personally would look into how that light was mounted on the cougar, as they had the same lower dash as our cars.....so it should work. I question how much light it would put out compared to our larger bulbed map lights, but I digress..

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-1970-69-70-Mustang-Cougar-XR7-Mach-1-Glove-Box-Light-Switch-Glovebox-Lamp-/300793323425?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4608addfa1&vxp=mtr

[miketyler 15]

Yup, you are right. Since the glove box mounts to the door the Mopar light isnt a good solution. It would be pretty easy to fashion something up and place in the original location. I hunted like crazy thru pages of electronics catalogs looking for a switch close to the original but finally just fixed mine. This guy has found a pretty close substitute for $7:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321036233312?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

 

The Cuda/Mopar solution:

 

Edited March 12, 2013 by miketyler

[Mike65 476]

I forgot on my 68 the glover box liner was screwed to the dash not the door, so that is why that switch worked well on that year Mustang. I will have to try to fix my standard interior light & figure how to mount it in the deluxe panel.

[buening 63]

Miketyler I thought it was you who found a replacement switch but the switch knob was a bit longer than the original. Maybe I'm mistaken. I found a thread on the VMF talking about a switch someone found: http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/vintage-mustang-forum/475779-answer-question-re-rebuilding-map-light-69-70-a.html

[mustangmaniac2 10]

[attach]13617[/attach]

[buening 63]

One additional thought I'd like to mention, in 1970 the mustang's clock harness connectors changed but they didn't bother to change the map light connector. The clock harness connection for the map light has two female pin plug, yet the map light has a male/female plug. From what I understand they used either a jumper/adapter or a completely separate harness on these cars, but I could be wrong. I was lucky to locate a full separate convenience group harness from a loaded convertible which has the correct male/female plug. I've never seen a jumper harness but have read about it on the VMF, and there is a really old thread (from 2005) of a guy that made the jumper harnesses but am not sure if he still does. Just be aware that you won't easily be able to just buy a map light and plug it into the clock harness on a 70 like you can on a 69 (unless you cut the connector and splice a male/female connector onto the clock harness).

[miketyler 15]

I was on a quest to find one that was identical but failed. The eBay guy probably has the most dimensionally accurate one. I bought one for a tach panel that I am building up.

[Mike65 476]

 

Her is what I found at Radio Shack part # 275-403 DPDT heavy duty slide switch. I bent up the 2 tabs that held the switch on the standard interior panel map light switch & had to grind away a little from each end of the switch to make it fit & then bent the 2 tabs down to hold it in place & then solidered the wies on to it. Now I just have to test it. The only draw back I can see is that the black slide button is a little short & doesnt stick out of the panel, but you could still get at it.

[miketyler 15]

Yes, that was one of the challenges I found was the length of the knob. The $7 one on ebay is correct in nearly every aspect except the shape of the end of the knob. The original had a slightly rounded end and his is more square.

[Mike65 476]

Today I got around to testing the switch I got from Radio Shack I hooked the wire that goes to the glove box switch to ground & put power to the green/w yellow stripe wire & the glove box light lights, flip the switch the other way & the light goes out. Part # on the switch is 275-0403 DPDT heavy duty slide switchrated at 6a at 125vac.