Also which wire hooks up to it? A pic would be nice.

 

Ya gotta reach way up under the dash until you get to back of lighter socket. Wire will pull off with a little bit of wiggle, socket is retained by a large, tubular, stamped "nut" that you can typically unscrew w/ your fingers. Socket & bezel come out front of dash.


Single wire for power, "nut" grounds the housing to a ground bus. I have replaced my lighter sockets w/ NAPA universal power outlets so that plug in accessories will work without a folded up dollar bill stuffed in the hole. NAPA piece looks perfectly normal, don't know if lighter will work in it but lighter plugged electric items will work reliably unlike the original lighter socket.

 

Seems I remember it is a fat orange wire with with a push-on bullet style terminal.

 

You remember correctly.

 

Ok, I see that unhooked, kind of a clear cover on it. I assume that plugs into the central terminal in the back? I tried pushing it on, might be hard from age, wouldn't go on. I plan on using it to charge my cell phone and other accessories. I plan on cruising everywhere with this car, so cell phone charger is a must.

 

NAPA part # 782-1635 universal power socket is what I've been using, much more compatible w/ modern power plugs. It will install w/ same style supplied nut as holds original, sorry but I can't remember if it has the same little male bullet connection or whether you have to make an adapter to a spade.

If you plug in your present socket & it works you can use it but I have found It necessary to fold up a little piece of paper & jam it between socket & plug body to hold it in place for a semi reliable connection. That original connection often gets sort of a dry film of corrosion (cig ash?) so it takes a little pull/push/twist/wiggle.

 

Yeah, I was going to suggest a separate power outlet, plumbed to the fuse box separately. I've had problems with older cigarette lighters where the contacts were corroded from use and didn't make good contact with the power adapter.

You might want to just get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst.../dp/B01BVBRBXA



https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Car-...08.3.29.Is0i8K

 

Added an aftermarket plug, stole it off the 88. Heavy wire gauge with built in covered fuse. Used a small bolt and but attached through a hole under the dash. Grounded to that bolt since it his a 2 wire, the other attached with bullet connector to the stock wire and taped together. Works, better way to go.

 

In my 72 Vista, the round nut that holds the lighter against the dash just spins and spins and spins and even spins the disconnected socket behind the dash. It is extremely difficult to get up in there, so I just said to hell with it and got used to not having a power source in there.

ONE of these days, though, I would like to get back at it. Any ideas from anyone how to remove the lighter if the mounting bezel on the outside of the dash is frozen to the threads of the socket and spins the whole thing?!? I've tried holding the back of the lighter and trying to move the bezel nut with all the leverage and force I can muster, but to no avail. It's just STUCK.