[C2] back up light
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,497
Likes: 509
From: Willowbrook IL
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16
Since you state the running lights work when in reverse, do all four rear lights come on or just the inner two? Do you have brake or tail lights?
If just the inner two lights come on with reverse, simply remove the red lenses and replace with the clear lenses and you'll have your back-up lights.
Don
Last edited by vetsvette2002; Mar 16, 2017 at 01:51 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,892
Likes: 168
From: Middletown Ohio
2016 C1 of Year Finalist
Sounds like someone rewired it to eliminate the backup lights and have 4 tail lights but made a mistake.
I recently eliminated the backup lights on my 65 coupe and thee 4 tail lights work fine.
I recently eliminated the backup lights on my 65 coupe and thee 4 tail lights work fine.
Last edited by ohiovet; Mar 16, 2017 at 11:18 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,169
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
vetsvette2002 told you correctly, but just to expand a little:
When you turn on headlights or park lamps, the two outside lamps should light up. When you step on the brake, those same two lights should get brighter. If you turn on the turn signal, the same lights are used to flash the signals. The only purpose of the two inside lamps when stock in 66 was backup lamps and they had a clear lens.
If everything works like that and the only time the inside pair of lights light up is when you put it in reverse, then you only need to change the red lens to clear and you're done.
If that inside pair lights up both with lights on AND in reverse, they are wired incorrectly.
Turn on the headlamps with the key off. Do all four tail lamps light? If so, it's wiring. If only the two outside ones light, it's correct. With the key on, those inside ones should only light up in reverse. The reverse lamp bulb (stock) only has one filament and one connection at the bottom of the bulb base, the tail/brake bulbs have two filaments and thus two connections at the base. I'd first verify which bulb lights when, then if something doesn't do as it should, check the bulbs and the sockets to see if the outside have two contacts and the inside only one. If all four sockets have two contacts, the inside sockets have been changed to match the outside ones. Post back what you find.
When you turn on headlights or park lamps, the two outside lamps should light up. When you step on the brake, those same two lights should get brighter. If you turn on the turn signal, the same lights are used to flash the signals. The only purpose of the two inside lamps when stock in 66 was backup lamps and they had a clear lens.
If everything works like that and the only time the inside pair of lights light up is when you put it in reverse, then you only need to change the red lens to clear and you're done.
If that inside pair lights up both with lights on AND in reverse, they are wired incorrectly.
Turn on the headlamps with the key off. Do all four tail lamps light? If so, it's wiring. If only the two outside ones light, it's correct. With the key on, those inside ones should only light up in reverse. The reverse lamp bulb (stock) only has one filament and one connection at the bottom of the bulb base, the tail/brake bulbs have two filaments and thus two connections at the base. I'd first verify which bulb lights when, then if something doesn't do as it should, check the bulbs and the sockets to see if the outside have two contacts and the inside only one. If all four sockets have two contacts, the inside sockets have been changed to match the outside ones. Post back what you find.
Last edited by 65GGvert; Mar 17, 2017 at 12:16 AM.
ASE Master Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 156
Likes: 23
From: Rogue River Oregon
My 66 has a replacement rear light harness that was for 66 or 67 and has the extra wiring for 2 stoplights and or 1 stop and a backup each side. Makes it easy to be original or extra safe preventing rear end crashes by having 4 stop lights that I have also put in BRIGHT led bulbs 
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,169
Likes: 4,172
From: Kannapolis NC
vetsvette2002 told you correctly, but just to expand a little:
When you turn on headlights or park lamps, the two outside lamps should light up. When you step on the brake, those same two lights should get brighter. If you turn on the turn signal, the same lights are used to flash the signals. The only purpose of the two inside lamps when stock in 66 was backup lamps and they had a clear lens.
If everything works like that and the only time the inside pair of lights light up is when you put it in reverse, then you only need to change the red lens to clear and you're done.
If that inside pair lights up both with lights on AND in reverse, they are wired incorrectly.
Turn on the headlamps with the key off. Do all four tail lamps light? If so, it's wiring. If only the two outside ones light, it's correct. With the key on, those inside ones should only light up in reverse. The reverse lamp bulb (stock) only has one filament and one connection at the bottom of the bulb base, the tail/brake bulbs have two filaments and thus two connections at the base. I'd first verify which bulb lights when, then if something doesn't do as it should, check the bulbs and the sockets to see if the outside have two contacts and the inside only one. If all four sockets have two contacts, the inside sockets have been changed to match the outside ones. Post back what you find.
When you turn on headlights or park lamps, the two outside lamps should light up. When you step on the brake, those same two lights should get brighter. If you turn on the turn signal, the same lights are used to flash the signals. The only purpose of the two inside lamps when stock in 66 was backup lamps and they had a clear lens.
If everything works like that and the only time the inside pair of lights light up is when you put it in reverse, then you only need to change the red lens to clear and you're done.
If that inside pair lights up both with lights on AND in reverse, they are wired incorrectly.
Turn on the headlamps with the key off. Do all four tail lamps light? If so, it's wiring. If only the two outside ones light, it's correct. With the key on, those inside ones should only light up in reverse. The reverse lamp bulb (stock) only has one filament and one connection at the bottom of the bulb base, the tail/brake bulbs have two filaments and thus two connections at the base. I'd first verify which bulb lights when, then if something doesn't do as it should, check the bulbs and the sockets to see if the outside have two contacts and the inside only one. If all four sockets have two contacts, the inside sockets have been changed to match the outside ones. Post back what you find.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,572
Likes: 3,313
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
Given your situation, I agree that cree bulbs are the way to go. However, if you hadn't already tinted the stock lights, I would say that you should buy a set of halo LED tail lights (which should come with a good resistor), and then add the tint to those.
