I have an early 68 Corvette 427 convertible that was delivered to me in January 68 and I have some questions about the headlight high beam foot switch.

In my car the switch is located under the carpet. Did that continue long? Is there an alternate switch ? Mid America (they haven't responded to my email) markets a carpet kit that is listed as Late 68 and on? That makes me curious if they changed the switch to one of those buttons sticking through the carpet.

Does anyone have experience re carpeting an early 68? Did you use a kit?

Thanks

Scarab

 

I have an early 69. The dimmer is under the carpet, but there is a flat pedal that mounts below the switch and is about 6 inches long. No hunting for the switch. get in the area and you hit the pedal.

 

Same on my '71.

 

Same on my 68.

 

My 68 is the same as well.

 

Throughout production.

No.

 

Hi,
Here's the plastic 'pedal' that's riveted to the underbody.
The switch itself is under the top of the pedal, and the pedal is under the carpet as has been described.
Regards,
Alan

Later carpet has a pad on the carpet to indicate the pedal's location under the carpet.

 

the plastic pedal is hinged via plastic hinge, they often break off, leaving the mounting stub riveted to the floor. locate a replacement and mount in original location.

 

My early 1968 Corvette simply has the button sticking up from the left hand upper floor. My car was built in the first week of October in 1967.

When I rebuilt the engine my Corvette restoration/mechanic (Tony's Corvettes of Gaithersberg, MD) found many 1967 pieces mixed in with the 1968 parts. It seems that they used up the older stuff on the new cars coming down the line. Being an expert restorer Tony and Andrew were both surprised at the parts they found on my car. We found that many of my radiator parts are from a 1967 car. The strange part is that they were "original".

When I replaced the carpets I ordered them from Al Knoch. I spoke to Al at Corvettes @ Carlisle and he helped me order a set for a very early 1968 and they came with the button cutout. I did not have to make any cuts on the carpet kit. I have always used Al Knoch as he makes great reproduction carpets, seats and Convertible tops. He made a kit just for the early cars like mine and it fit beautifully. It has been in my car since 1993, almost longer than the original carpet was installed in my car.

I have no plastic pedal down there and there is no evidence that it simply broke off. There are no mounting holes or anything. I am sorry but I believe that the 1968 cars simply had the button sticking up from the floor.

As I recall older cars simply had the silver button sticking up on the far left. It was that way on my 1968 Buick and other older cars. I thought that this was a "standard" as my Fords have had their high beam switches in the same area.
I have no problem using the switch but when younger drivers use my car they are always searching for the high beam switch. I have had one practically break my turn signal lever off......

I hope that this tidbit helps.

I wish you the very best success with your Corvette!

 

My 68 was first week Oct 67 production as well. I have the hidden switch with the plastic cover under the carpet.

 

Thanks all. A rocket scientist who performed a safety inspection on the car a few years ago cut the carpet to expose the pedal, "in the interest of safety." That led me to ask if there was something that changed after the initial run. That's now not an issue with antique plates. I'll replace the carpet with an aftermarket along with the warped frames for the bins in back. That leads to a second question:

Does anyone have recommendations on after market carpet kits, good or bad?

Thanks again!!

Scarab

 

Hi S,
There are only a couple of carpet set manufactures that the various vendors sell.
Some folks like the carpet from Al Knock.
The care taken in fitting, trimming, and installing the carpet, probably has more to do with the finished result than whom the carpet was made by.
Regards,
Alan

 

Some NCRS expert in early '68 cars will have to chime in, but....

I'm not buying the '67 high-beam button in the '68 from the factory. The '68 carpeting was different than for '67 and GM wouldn't have designed the new carpeting with a hole, when the intent was to hide the button under the carpet for the re-designed cars.

If anyone knows of a legitimate, very early '68 having a hi-beam button with no pedal and a hole in the [original] carpeting, let's hear about it....

P.S. Using up '67 parts where they fit and function properly on new 68's does sound probable.