I recently rescued a 69 Cutlass S convertible from a couple at the end of my street. They were the original owners and had it in the garage the last 20+ years. The car is all original, and has never been modified in any way. They have all service documentation, and the car was very well cared for. There is a little rust on the quarters and fenders, but everything else is very solid.

This is my first Cutlass, and for that matter my first convertible, so on to my actual question...

The interior lights when turned on by the dashboard switch/****, only turn on the rear pillar lights. When I open the door(s) I get all of the interior lights turn on. Is this normal? I would expect it to work the other way around. Shouldn't all the lights go on when i twist the dash ****? Is there any way to have all the lights controlled by the ****, instead of just the rear pillar lights?

-Eric

 

Works the same way on a '68 as yours...but if you have a map light, it will turn on the front courtesy lights with the map light...

 

Is the map light on the rear view mirror or behind the convertible switch? I can turn on the rearview mirror light and only it goes on... The light by the convertible top switch goes on when the doors open only. There is a switch there but it doesn't seem to work... So if I replace that switch/light combo I may have what I want?

 

Eric

sweet find.

My 69 convertible works the same way yours does and it was original unmolested car as well.

BTW, where in Long Island are you?

 

Thanks Yellow... I actually took out the map light today and found two wires connected, a white wire and a red wire. Both wires went to either end of the light bulb, which was still working. I was just getting no action out of the switch.

As soon as I pulled it out I found that there was no wire connected to the switch itself, but there was a connector there... I grounded it and it just works!! I'm assuming that there was once a ground wire there that at some point got disconnected...

So what I have now is what I believe is correct:
1. Dimmer/Light switch, turns on rear pillar lights.
2. Map light switch, turns on map light, and courtesy lights under the dash, all in front.
3. Open door, turns on all lights, front and back.

Now I am happy, I can see during my night drives...

LI, I'm in Hauppauge...

 

I've been wondering about this too. When I bought my car all of the lights did come on when turning ****, then after I completed the Resto with all knew wiring only the rears would come on. I did spend some time trying to figure out why, but know I know , thanks!

Good luck with your knew ride!