69 Fiber Optics
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69 Fiber Optics
Can someone please explain the fiber optic system in my car. It seem that the fiber wires are connected to the lights and to the monitoring system on the shift console. Still I have no lights. Is there something that I can do to make these work. Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Lansdale 19446 PA
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '10-'11, '15, '19
I had to clean years of dirt off the fiber optics at each light to get them to work. Pull the lenses off then you can get a flash light aimed at each line, then look on the console to see if that line works. You have a front & a rear F/O harness. They may aslo be disconneted at teh console, lights or both!
Good luck!
Good luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
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From: Watkins Glen NY
On my 68, they were dim at best, but worked.
In Lindsey Porters Resto Book, for a broken wire, he suggests snipping a broken fiberoptic wire clean, butting them together, and using a compression fitting to keep the light inside the wire until it reaches the console.
In Lindsey Porters Resto Book, for a broken wire, he suggests snipping a broken fiberoptic wire clean, butting them together, and using a compression fitting to keep the light inside the wire until it reaches the console.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
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2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Okay....I heard of vette fiber optics but admit I am fairly clueless about them,
My glass man said in basic terms it's like a weed eater line running from each light to the display on the console and most do not work and if they work they are dim, is that correct?
So in my 69 what should be going on if they worked right and what do I look for and where on the ends where the lamps are, will it really look like a weed eater line?
I wanna get mine working as I love this type thing...
My glass man said in basic terms it's like a weed eater line running from each light to the display on the console and most do not work and if they work they are dim, is that correct?
So in my 69 what should be going on if they worked right and what do I look for and where on the ends where the lamps are, will it really look like a weed eater line?
I wanna get mine working as I love this type thing...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
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From: Watkins Glen NY
Bats, the fiberoptic lines are in a small harness that runs along with the wiring harness to the front and rear light assemblies. It is taped up, and each wire is sheathed. Looks just like another wiring harness.
The only time you will see anything that looks like a weedeater line is if the wire is broken or an end has come off. Inside each wire are a large number of clear fiber strands that transmit the light from a small grommet in each socket back to your console.
If they don't work:
1) Bulb is blown and the FO is doing its' job
2) The FO plug that goes into each light socket may be dirty.
3) The FO line is cut. Even a nick in the FO line will bleed light off before it reaches your console
4) The FO line is unplugged at either end. It may have fallen off the socket, or the harness connector may have broken off under your console plates.
Identify the front and rear FO harnesses, and just don't cut them for any reason and you should be fine. it is a passive system, and relies on no power or anything to make them work...just light on each end.
The only time you will see anything that looks like a weedeater line is if the wire is broken or an end has come off. Inside each wire are a large number of clear fiber strands that transmit the light from a small grommet in each socket back to your console.
If they don't work:
1) Bulb is blown and the FO is doing its' job
2) The FO plug that goes into each light socket may be dirty.
3) The FO line is cut. Even a nick in the FO line will bleed light off before it reaches your console
4) The FO line is unplugged at either end. It may have fallen off the socket, or the harness connector may have broken off under your console plates.
Identify the front and rear FO harnesses, and just don't cut them for any reason and you should be fine. it is a passive system, and relies on no power or anything to make them work...just light on each end.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,283
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Bats,
If everything is clean and the connections tight the fiber-optics work really well!!! AND are very cool. But... you can see them best when the interior is DARK.
Often people have trouble with their headlight f/o because there is a little gasket (like a 1/4" piece of soda straw) at each connection. These have often gotten lost when the head light were changed. They just fell on the floor when the headlight bulb was unplugged.
Regards,
Alan
If everything is clean and the connections tight the fiber-optics work really well!!! AND are very cool. But... you can see them best when the interior is DARK.
Often people have trouble with their headlight f/o because there is a little gasket (like a 1/4" piece of soda straw) at each connection. These have often gotten lost when the head light were changed. They just fell on the floor when the headlight bulb was unplugged.
Regards,
Alan
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,255
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From: Coralville Iowa
My fiber optics on my 68 were pristine and very bright. I had to repair the fiber optics on my 69 and they ended up about 60% bright. The "weed eater" line you are talking about is actually a bundle of fiber optic strands, if I remember about 30 strands per bundle. Each single strand is the size of a thick hair. I purchased some used Cadillac fiber optics to repair my 69. They are very long and have the correct collectors on the ends. Your light ends are actually magnifying lenses to collect the light and intensify it at the console ends. Sometimes the FO ends are not properly attached to the lenses causing them to be dim or not displaying at all. Clean the lenses and get the connections seated all the way. If you look at the FO bundles with the lights on you should be able to see a bright light. My 69 had the bundles that were physically cut at the front turn signals. I had to splice in new bundles. The bundles are taped into the wiring looms with black tape. You have to untape and re-tape everything to get it to look right, or just overtape 1 new bundle following the wiring harness to each light. Each bundle looks like a 18 awg wire. They are fiber optic strands covered with black insulation.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Thanks guys...they are cool...the brake ones work but dim the others do not work....my car has filled front side markers and custom headlights...they still are pop ups but are not quad rectangle bulbs it was an unpopular yet costly ecklers mod,
So I fear my front FO might be hacked off, so where on the headlights did they fit in?
So I fear my front FO might be hacked off, so where on the headlights did they fit in?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
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2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Bats
The FO cable for the headlamps should be part of the plug connector...right in the center. T3 bulbs have a glass nipple that protrudes from the bulb, which is where the small rubber collar goes that Alan mentioned. When you push the connector on the bulb, the collar keeps the light focused on the FO pickup.
The FO cable for the headlamps should be part of the plug connector...right in the center. T3 bulbs have a glass nipple that protrudes from the bulb, which is where the small rubber collar goes that Alan mentioned. When you push the connector on the bulb, the collar keeps the light focused on the FO pickup.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
yeah Alan...I need to be sure my plate is well lit up...actually I have been pulled over many times for no plate light...
my guess is chevy didnt want to fool with it or its costs
my guess is chevy didnt want to fool with it or its costs
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 561
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From: No longer in Heaven
Mine all work pretty well, and I repaired one of the rear light F/O last summer which worked out well. But some of them are just not as bright as others (althouh I cleaned them all at the source), and it appears that the actual cable end is smaller. Is there supposed to be some type of magnifier or lens on the console end to amplify the illumination?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
I will get mine working....I have shopped this local store for many years and have seen fiber optics there for sale but didnt need it....
http://skycraftsurplus.com
There online doesnt come close to what they have in store,
http://skycraftsurplus.com
There online doesnt come close to what they have in store,
Racer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 300
Likes: 1
From: Syracuse, NY
Another option you might try is going to a local junk yard and look for an eighties Fleetwood Cadillac. They all used the fiberoptic lines for the rear lights. Just remove the lines and reinstall them in your '69. My father had big Fleetwood back in the day and I remember if you look in the rear view mirror their is a small console above the rear window that illuminates.
Last edited by Iliad; Feb 2, 2010 at 09:57 PM.
