Fibre optics - cheat?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 172
Likes: 2
Fibre optics - cheat?
Hi Guys,
This might be regarded by some as sacrilege.... but the fibre optics have been stripped out of my 68 and I'm considering a short cut/cheat to re-create the effect without having to tear the car apart...
has anyone ever tried using LEDS, perhaps attached to short length of fibre optic cable for effect, in lieu of routing cable all over the car?
This might be regarded by some as sacrilege.... but the fibre optics have been stripped out of my 68 and I'm considering a short cut/cheat to re-create the effect without having to tear the car apart...
has anyone ever tried using LEDS, perhaps attached to short length of fibre optic cable for effect, in lieu of routing cable all over the car?
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
I`ve never seen or heard of that being done, but that doesn`t mean that nobody ever tried it. But the fiber tubes come as part of a new reproduced wiring harness, and run with the wiring, so I can`t imagine how.... or why... anybody would remove JUST those tubes from your car? Perhaps the tubes are still there, but just not connected, or maybe blocked at the ends?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 172
Likes: 2
perhaps.. I can't check atm as the car is still on the water!
(I bought it last month while on holiday, but I'm based in the UK)
the car has been largely stripped of anything not bolted down, so I'm planning for the worst...
even if the original lines are there, I may still have issues as I will need to swap out the headlights and tail lights to meet UK roadworthy standards - where do the fibre optics feed from at the light end?
(I bought it last month while on holiday, but I'm based in the UK)
the car has been largely stripped of anything not bolted down, so I'm planning for the worst...
even if the original lines are there, I may still have issues as I will need to swap out the headlights and tail lights to meet UK roadworthy standards - where do the fibre optics feed from at the light end?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
My advice is to order an assembly instruction manual for your model year while waiting for the car to arrive. The AIM shows the fiber optic system. They are part of the forward lamp and rear electrical harnesses.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 172
Likes: 2
Good tip...
The first thing I did when I got home was to order a shop manual and a Haynes repair manual.... only to find they are a bit gappy in their coverage!
The shop manual has a paragraph that says the fibre optic system exists... and that's it!
I havnt found it at all in the Haynes manual..
The first thing I did when I got home was to order a shop manual and a Haynes repair manual.... only to find they are a bit gappy in their coverage!
The shop manual has a paragraph that says the fibre optic system exists... and that's it!
I havnt found it at all in the Haynes manual..
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,268
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi DV,
A car on the water NICE!
I'll bet you're excited!
The headlight fiber optics do require a bulb with a clear glass 'stalk' on the back of them at the connector for the electricity and fiber optics.
The parking lights, tail and brake lights, and back up light fiber optic connections are at the light housing not the bulb so what bulb is being used won't matter.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
This is a typical fiber optic wire, sensor, and housing connection. Often it's a dirty lens and 'funk' on the end of the f/o cable that is preventing the light from being seen in the car.
A car on the water NICE!
I'll bet you're excited!
The headlight fiber optics do require a bulb with a clear glass 'stalk' on the back of them at the connector for the electricity and fiber optics.
The parking lights, tail and brake lights, and back up light fiber optic connections are at the light housing not the bulb so what bulb is being used won't matter.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
This is a typical fiber optic wire, sensor, and housing connection. Often it's a dirty lens and 'funk' on the end of the f/o cable that is preventing the light from being seen in the car.
Last edited by Alan 71; Sep 16, 2016 at 08:59 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
I have just finished replacing my complete fiber optic system with LEDS.
my current 69 project is a restoration from a fire.
I had none of the fiberoptics, I choose to install Led replacements.
basically installed LEDS into the console, and wired them into the correct light wire.
all signals are avaliable thru steering column connection, and light switch.
contact me for any questions or details. 69Vett
my current 69 project is a restoration from a fire.
I had none of the fiberoptics, I choose to install Led replacements.
basically installed LEDS into the console, and wired them into the correct light wire.
all signals are avaliable thru steering column connection, and light switch.
contact me for any questions or details. 69Vett
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 172
Likes: 2
Thanks guys, really useful feedback.. I'll have a look when it finally shows up before deciding, but do not have a massive amount of confidence in what I'll have to work with... The car has been seriously cannibalised in the past!
Vett; how do the LEDs look, compared to fibre optics? As mentioned above, I was thinking that a 'half way house' to get an original look without the effort would be to do the exercise but have the LEDs flashing into short lengths of fibre into original type lens... But I'm not precious about that approach if a similar result can be achieved simpler!
Vett; how do the LEDs look, compared to fibre optics? As mentioned above, I was thinking that a 'half way house' to get an original look without the effort would be to do the exercise but have the LEDs flashing into short lengths of fibre into original type lens... But I'm not precious about that approach if a similar result can be achieved simpler!
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
The leds are very brite, visible in a convertible in daytime with no top.
unlike the original barely visible optic cables, plus you can choice your colors,
Blue for Brites, white for headlights, yellow for front turn signals, and red for rear lights !
I installed leds directly into the lens holders, no fiber optics at all.
unlike the original barely visible optic cables, plus you can choice your colors,
Blue for Brites, white for headlights, yellow for front turn signals, and red for rear lights !
I installed leds directly into the lens holders, no fiber optics at all.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,221
Likes: 118
From: Matthews NC
The leds are very brite, visible in a convertible in daytime with no top.
unlike the original barely visible optic cables, plus you can choice your colors,
Blue for Brites, white for headlights, yellow for front turn signals, and red for rear lights !
I installed leds directly into the lens holders, no fiber optics at all.
unlike the original barely visible optic cables, plus you can choice your colors,
Blue for Brites, white for headlights, yellow for front turn signals, and red for rear lights !
I installed leds directly into the lens holders, no fiber optics at all.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,268
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
The original lenses were colored.
Front: Amber for the parking/turn signal lamps, Green for the low-beam headlamps, and Red for the hi-beam headlamps.
Rear: Red for the tail and stop lamps, and white for the license lamp.
Regards,
Alan
The original lenses were colored.
Front: Amber for the parking/turn signal lamps, Green for the low-beam headlamps, and Red for the hi-beam headlamps.
Rear: Red for the tail and stop lamps, and white for the license lamp.
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Sep 21, 2016 at 06:09 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 504
From: myrtle beach sc
Army
Dave, the fiber optic system is one of the coolest things on the first four years of the C-3's. GM dropped them on the 72's. They really are a safety feature. I realized that I had no brake lights one night because of the fiber optic monitors.
They also sell just the fiber optic bundle for the front and rear of the car. I added two extra rear fiber optics to my 68 coupe, because only 68's have all four tail lights working and have separate (borrowed Oldsmobile) back up lights.
You could adapt the rear tail light pick up lenses to the new UK spec head lights. Lou.
They also sell just the fiber optic bundle for the front and rear of the car. I added two extra rear fiber optics to my 68 coupe, because only 68's have all four tail lights working and have separate (borrowed Oldsmobile) back up lights.
You could adapt the rear tail light pick up lenses to the new UK spec head lights. Lou.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If you just want the F/O lenses on the console to light up at night, just stick some correctly colored LED's in there. You won't know when any bulbs are out; but you can check on them before you head out at night. 
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,363
Likes: 1,587
From: los altos hills california
There are such things as Hall effect DC current sensors which can tell in a non-invasive manner if current is flowing somewhere. You have to clamp something around the appropriate wire. Would take some research (which I'm not going to do) to see if there is a cost effective approach to this. And you'd have to break the wire out of its harness. Sounds like more trouble than it is worth!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 767
Likes: 74
From: Blaine MN
Hi DV,
A car on the water NICE!
I'll bet you're excited!
The headlight fiber optics do require a bulb with a clear glass 'stalk' on the back of them at the connector for the electricity and fiber optics.
The parking lights, tail and brake lights, and back up light fiber optic connections are at the light housing not the bulb so what bulb is being used won't matter.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
This is a typical fiber optic wire, sensor, and housing connection. Often it's a dirty lens and 'funk' on the end of the f/o cable that is preventing the light from being seen in the car.
A car on the water NICE!
I'll bet you're excited!
The headlight fiber optics do require a bulb with a clear glass 'stalk' on the back of them at the connector for the electricity and fiber optics.
The parking lights, tail and brake lights, and back up light fiber optic connections are at the light housing not the bulb so what bulb is being used won't matter.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
This is a typical fiber optic wire, sensor, and housing connection. Often it's a dirty lens and 'funk' on the end of the f/o cable that is preventing the light from being seen in the car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 504
From: myrtle beach sc
Army
Hi Alan, I just checked my 68 and the low beam lens are blue. I also have an nos GM replacement lens in it's GM paper bag and it is also blue. As a matter of fact, the blue is too dark and when I tried to use it, hardly any light comes through the low beam blue. I don't think that GM changed the color? Somewhere, buried, I have a 68 Corvette News magazine article that introduced the new 1968 Corvette. It had a picture that had colored lines showing the fiber optic lines going to the lights on a diagram of the car. If I find time, I will try to look for it. Lou.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I think the original F/O lenses were the same 'colors'; but the colors on today's repops are much more vivid than the original parts. As mentioned, the blue is much deeper and darker than the original lenses [which were a pale blue]. Same with the red lenses.