It didn.t go ell in the garage tonight. Although I got the car back on the ground I wanted to replace the light in the heater control. I finally pulled off the console sides. I got the wiggled the plug on the rear defrost switch #@%!!!! the little plastic that the screw went in to broke. I did a little backyard engineering (Yes Bubba was Here). But the bottom line where is the light for the heater control? I am absolutely baffled or did they not put a light in the 79 control?

 

There's no heater light on my 79. I replaced every light on my car with white LEDs and there's a little "flashlight" Map light on the center gauge cluster right above the gauges. The light shines down onto the heater and A/C control. The correct bulb is a 558 bulb but it's really not bright at all.

 

Mine is the same as Conrad's: light up in the center console and a light in the shift indicator and that's it.

 

All of them are that way. The new style HVAC controls (77-82) are not back lit.

 

Exactly. I just replaced mine in my '80. I had to replace the bulb and the three pieces that hold it in as Bubba had apparently put in the wrong bulb at some time and melted the holder enough that it wouldn't make good connections. Not expensive, but a hassle. You have to pull the center gauge cluster out to fix it. So while you're at it... replace all the bulbs behind the gauges. Plus anything else that needs replacing. New lens cover? Fix that clock that has never worked? There's always something...

 

The local Chevy dealer confirmed no light as well. I at least learned how the console comes apart. My DW and I kinda, sorta repaired the switch bracket. I supported the switch with Styrofoam to help support it. Since I will never use rear defroster I think the repair will hold.

 

To at least improve upon the back- lighting deficiency, and the overall C3 functional lighting is my big peeve with the C3, I supplemented by removing the pass. side access panel and splicing a small light socket and a small blue bulb (avail. at any auto parts store) into -I believe-the shifter light circuit. And, I affixed it with a zip-tie It was a few months ago. I tried to make it discrete and professional, and dim able with the other already dim dash lights. I positioned it - basically a replacement white side marker bulb terminal ($5 at Advanced Auto) - a few inches below the A/C control plate. Between the improved back-lighting (about a 15-20% immediate improvement) and the soft glow of the blue bulb slightly streaming through the A/C slide lever slot (nearly matches my '82 dash lights), I can find the controls a little better at night. I know it sounds a bit ****, but well, I guess I am and only a one hour (including the drive to the corner auto parts store) and $8. Good luck to you.

The thing I really like about this forum is seeing that we all have pretty much the same things to solve for.

 

Lakeside49 what color wires did you hook into? I could not in power in the two plugs for the automatic shift lights. Did you have to install a fuse un the fuse block?

 

Apologies that I can't remember which wire color that I tapped into - my car is in storage right now so I can't go out and quickly check for you. But, I believe that, when the passenger side, side-console panel is opened, you can access the wire that powers and dims the PRNDL shifter light (mine is an automatic). It went smoothly and I like the, admittedly subtle-though-noticeable, additional backlighting which is most helpfully coming through the slide lever slots. In fact, just a little bit too much was coming through, so I repositioned and tie-strapped the socket a little further back and closer to the floor.

I love this car very much. But, I work for a wonderful automotive manufacturer (Dearborn), I know many engineers of the entire age/experience spectrum, and I have a personal opinion that the instrument lighting engineers/designers on the C3 were not exactly A-Teamers. They should have done better. I realize they spent 99.9% of their time doing their test evaluations during the daytime, but somebody at any design supervisor level should have caught this, especially Zora who no doubt took them home at night. Dave McClellan inherited the design shortfall and for some reason let it go. Except for packaging on some systems (i.e. heater core removal), even considering the era, its the only place I see an obvious shortfall in their design assumptions. I wish Dave M. had stepped up to the plate after his `75 entrance since Zora evidently didn't think it too important to challenge his interior lighting engineering team's shortcomings, and then adequately light up the beautiful gauges, climate control, and even the speedo/tach for that matter.

I have a question for you or others -- CAN the hole which streams light from the top be opened with a drill bit to allow more light to pass down to the climate controls?? I would be interested if anyone has looked at this unnoticeable modification. I also wonder, doesn't someone have an upgraded/brighter bulb on the aftermarket? Again, I don't have access to mine right now.

 

Since nine is a 4 speed there is no power in the automatic harness. The only time We use the heater is those cool summer nights. I guess keep a flashlight handy or use braille.

 

I have a '79 with manual trans & have a lite under the center console. I just can't figure out where it goes, exactly. Same goes for the driver floor lamp assembly.
Thx,,, Bill A.

 

I have my console and gauge plates out so I can replace (some moron tried to steal the stereo and tore everything up). My climate control light is missing. Does anyone know where it plugs in? Also, where I can get one? The housing, diffusor, and lens are all there, just missing the wiring, socket and bulb, weird...

 

I happened to glance through the Zip catalog a couple of days ago - I believe what you are looking for is on pg. 160 or 161 (depending on your C3's year) of their paper catalog under "Instrument Cluster Bezel Components". It has a "Console Upper Light Bulb" listed ($2.50). The others probably have them too. Good luck.

Dave

 

There should be a connector that comes out of the main harness. The lamp used a jumper harness that plugged into it... Then the lamp fastened to the bezel.



The lamp parts are here: http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...eywords=heater

The socket is here: http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=25916

The harness can be found here. http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=4379

 

Thanks Dave! What I needed was there and is ordered! Another question, do you have any idea where this harness plugs in (to get power)? My car has all the parts except the wiring harness and socket. The housing looks like it was never used, no melted plastic, and no thread marks for the screws that would attach the wires... Was this light an option maybe?

 

There should be a two wire connector located right behind the top of the center dash bezel that this wire plugs into. (if the dash is out you should see it hanging down). I looked and I don't have a picture of this and it is not illustrated in the AIM that I know of. I should be able to snap a pic of the dash where this plugs in tomorrow... If it is still left on the 79 we parted out. (I think it is).

 

I made this picture today... hope this helps you. The extension connector plugs into this connector which contains a gray and black wire (gray is always dash lamps).

We have this connector if you need it, you can find it at this link
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=27997

Willcox