69 mystery
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
69 mystery
I have a 69 smallblock sidepipe auto. The car had 27,000 miles on it when I got it. I am the third owner and know where it has been. The car had been sitting sence the late seventies when I got it... It did not have one missing screw. The mystery is it has no reverse lights. The lenses are all red with no clear centers. There is a reverse switch at the shifter, but nothing happens when put in reverse. All the fiberoptics work... The car was built in eraly 1970 and has 1970 front markerlights...
Any clues???????
Any clues???????
Last edited by bluestinger; Sep 24, 2008 at 03:05 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
ether 68 lense or an extra pair of 69's or later
previous owner mod to get the Quad tail light look. Do all four light up? if so you sould see evidence of some splicing in the rear harness and some hangiong or cut wires for the reverse lights
Hint: back in the day the car year could be told by looking at the year on the lenses themselves if original, take a peek and see what you see
Last edited by sweethence; Sep 24, 2008 at 03:36 PM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 259
Likes: 2
From: Sacramento CA
If it was built in early 70 it is a 1970 model. Why do you think it's a 1969? You also didn't say if the inner set of lights illuminates at all.
You don't know what has been done to it until you look. Most likely it has a set of outer red lens on the inner lamp assemblies. Take the inner lens off and remove the bulb. Look at the socket, not the bulb. Does it have one or two contacts in the socket? One contact would be for a backup bulb, two would be for tail light and brake light bulb.
It's possible that someone has the wrong bulb in there and nothing works.
You don't know what has been done to it until you look. Most likely it has a set of outer red lens on the inner lamp assemblies. Take the inner lens off and remove the bulb. Look at the socket, not the bulb. Does it have one or two contacts in the socket? One contact would be for a backup bulb, two would be for tail light and brake light bulb.
It's possible that someone has the wrong bulb in there and nothing works.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
If it was built in early 70 it is a 1970 model. Why do you think it's a 1969? You also didn't say if the inner set of lights illuminates at all.
You don't know what has been done to it until you look. Most likely it has a set of outer red lens on the inner lamp assemblies. Take the inner lens off and remove the bulb. Look at the socket, not the bulb. Does it have one or two contacts in the socket? One contact would be for a backup bulb, two would be for tail light and brake light bulb.
It's possible that someone has the wrong bulb in there and nothing works.
You don't know what has been done to it until you look. Most likely it has a set of outer red lens on the inner lamp assemblies. Take the inner lens off and remove the bulb. Look at the socket, not the bulb. Does it have one or two contacts in the socket? One contact would be for a backup bulb, two would be for tail light and brake light bulb.
It's possible that someone has the wrong bulb in there and nothing works.
LOL nice catch
we need pics of this alleged quad tail lamp shark I say
gills or egg crates ?
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
All the lenses are marked 68. All sockets have two prongs. All four lights come on when the break is pushed. The wireing harnes looks to be untouched...
Last edited by bluestinger; Sep 24, 2008 at 04:33 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 752
Likes: 31
From: Melbourne Australia
Does it have the 68 style reversing lights below the rear bumpers? It's possible that harness & lamps were changed by someone to 68 style though I have no idea why. The VIN number would be useful....
Joe
Joe
Last edited by jyounane; Sep 25, 2008 at 01:37 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
VIN and pics would help, but the simple truth is the car is ~40 years old, if it is a 69 someone probably just "personalized" it along the way.
You sure its not a 68? is the key on the dash or the colum
68's rock !!!!!
Cheers
tim
Last edited by sweethence; Sep 25, 2008 at 07:48 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 7
From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
the only question remains do you want to put it back to stock or keep the quad tails?
when you say the wiring looks untouched, that just means that whoever modded the tail lights either didnt do a hack job or less likely though possible swapped in a 68 rear harness. Ether way if you want it back to original you have to ID the reverse lamp wiring, get the right inboard lenses and swap it back. simple project really dealers choice
tim
Last edited by sweethence; Sep 25, 2008 at 12:11 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
The VIN will resolve all model year questions about your car. Car line series character is a 4 for all 68s (194678S4XXXXX ; a 7 for all '69s (194679S7XXXXX, and 4 again for all 70s. Model year designation also changes.
Looks to me like you've got a '69 running '68 tail lights.
Looks to me like you've got a '69 running '68 tail lights.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 259
Likes: 2
From: Sacramento CA
Wiring Color Codes
The correct 1969 rear harness colors are:
Tail Lites & Side Markers - Brown
L Sig/Brake - Yellow
R Sig/Brake - Dark Green
Reverse Lites - Lt Green
Ground - Black
The outer lens are the same from 68 thru 73 so the guide # will be 68 on all of them.
I can't remember where that rear harness plug is located. It comes up the drivers side near the battery and I think across to the center console area. Someone here can check the AIM. If you need to trace the reverse lites you may need to check there if you can't locate a Lt Green wire at the light assemblies.
Remember all those C2's with six tail lights? Listen to Jan & Dean's Dead Man's Curve. I use to see a lot of those but they never came from the factory that way. I just can't see your car coming from the factory that way either.
Tail Lites & Side Markers - Brown
L Sig/Brake - Yellow
R Sig/Brake - Dark Green
Reverse Lites - Lt Green
Ground - Black
The outer lens are the same from 68 thru 73 so the guide # will be 68 on all of them.
I can't remember where that rear harness plug is located. It comes up the drivers side near the battery and I think across to the center console area. Someone here can check the AIM. If you need to trace the reverse lites you may need to check there if you can't locate a Lt Green wire at the light assemblies.
Remember all those C2's with six tail lights? Listen to Jan & Dean's Dead Man's Curve. I use to see a lot of those but they never came from the factory that way. I just can't see your car coming from the factory that way either.