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I removed the original under hood bracket because the bulb was fused to the lamp socket & the lamp socket was completely corroded beyond repair. The entire bracket is fine, I am ordering a replacement lamp socket (which obviously will not be the original metal factory pressed-in socket sleeve) - just a simple multi-pronged press-in socket which will slide into the void much like our under-dash courtesy lamps. Unfortunately, I tossed out the original socket so I can't recall if the socket accommodated a 2-contact lamp or a 1-contact lamp.
Can someone tell me if their OE under hood lamp socket is a 2-contact socket or a 1-contact socket?
Thanks folks!
Last edited by Vintage Chief; January 14th, 2021 at 11:30 AM.
Reason: test
I believe I may have already answered my own question - doh. There is only x1 brown wire for the Packard-Type 56 Connector. I don't recall there being a separate ground wire (the bracket's attachment to the hood provides the ground to complete the circuit).
Right, single wire. Forget fixing it, just grab a used one off ebay or ask here. Newer types are slightly different but will work fine. There's a mercury switch in the socket. Here's a nice one free ship. You can see the difference. You need the ground tab, maybe. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOVA-CAMARO...ybj:rk:47:pf:0
Last edited by mrolds69; January 4th, 2019 at 08:32 AM.
Thanks mrolds!
A 3/4" diameter Dorman Single Contact socket is ~$3.99 at my local electrical supply house (and, most automotive parts stores). It will only go on when activated via the parking lamps anyways - so, I don't really need a mercury switch.
Or you could do what I did...installed a toggle switch and wire it to the battery ..that way the light only comes on when you need it. When you're standing in front of your car, look just to the left of the hood bumper that's on the right side. There should be a hole in your radiator support that will be the perfect location for the switch😀
This is the one I used:
Last edited by 72455; January 4th, 2019 at 08:59 AM.
Right, only when your lights are on. But, all the time it will be on if you drive back from a cruise at night or whatever. That's why they had the mercury switch.
Right, only when your lights are on. But, all the time it will be on if you drive back from a cruise at night or whatever. That's why they had the mercury switch.
Yep, so the light came on only when the hood was open.
Right, only when your lights are on. But, all the time it will be on if you drive back from a cruise at night or whatever. That's why they had the mercury switch.
Exactly. It really doesn't bother me at all if the under hood lamp is on when I'm driving with my parking/head lamps are on (10% of my driving time) - I don't really care. Additionally, if I elect to, I can switch it out for a mercury tilt switch lamp & socket or simply install an in-line mercury switch on the hot lead at any time. I kind of treat it like a lighted hood ornament. Much like the lighted hood ornament of my Indian motorcycle War Bonnet I installed on my F250.
Apple Pie
Last edited by Vintage Chief; January 4th, 2019 at 11:29 AM.
That's a good idea, as well. I had thought of that option, but thought of mounting something near the lamp itself. I have a small bucket of various switches. The one I was considering is a push/pull breaker (not a momentary breaker). I think I have a couple in my bucket. The other thought was to wire up a 2-contact socket (orange/white wires) off the courtesy lamp circuit so it came on with the dimmer rheostat of the head/parking lamps switch. I'd have to pull the wires through the firewall but that's not such a big deal as there is room to finagle the wires through a couple of the current pass-through wire looms in the firewall. Many options. For now, using the OE bracket, OE brown wire, P56 connector & a new socket/lamp works well.
I broke off the tabs of the 3/4" socket, honed out the bracket with a Dremmel a smidgen to accept the 3/4" socket from the top-down, then attached the rubber boot which came w/ the 3/4" socket. Nearly a fashion statement.
January 4th, 2019, 08:10 AM
