I have been knocking out the gremlins from the interior lighting and was wondering what the purpose of the light on the dash near the driver's side door jamb is for? Also, how do you get it to illuminate? The bulb looks good but just curious as to its function and how to get it working. I've attached a pic of the location/light. Thank you.

 

that is the brake warning light, it's used to show if the parking brake is on and also if you have a failure in either the front or rear brakes.
it should have a red lens on it.

 

It should look like this:

 

nicks1966 is correct. there is two styles of the lens and I am not sure why. Could just be different vendors at that time. Someone else might have some kind of extended version of that story. The lens is held on with a round Chrome bezel that has the word brake on it. I will attach a picture for you.

Hope this helps
Larry

 

I don't have any info on the bezel story, but the reason for that seemingly afterthought BRAKE light is because... it's an afterthought. 1967 was the first year for federally-mandated dual circuit brakes. Part of that mandate was to add a differential pressure switch that measured differences in line pressure between the front and back circuits and a BRAKE warning light that told you when there was a problem. Of course, this light goes on right after your foot goes to the floor and you shout "Oh $HIT". GM also used the light to tell you the e-brake was on.

 

Not quite. That light goes on when ONE side of the system fails. If BOTH sides fail, your foot does go to the floor, you do yell profane things, but the light does not come on since zero = zero.

Been there, done that. Light came on as I was parking after getting home on the parking brake and downshifting.

 

Thank you!

 

Trust me, even if one side leaks out, your foot goes nearly to the floor. I think this differential pressure switch setup was developed by Captain Hindsight.

 

Listed as U-40 parking brake light for 65 and 66. Might be standard equipment in 67 and onward as I can't find a listing for it.
Wayne

 

That's what I said in Post #5. For the 1967 model year, the Feds mandated the dual circuit brakes and the associated differential pressure switch with the light. All cars from 1967 model year on have had this BRAKE light. It also indicates parking brake on, as it did when it was optional in 1965-66, but the primary purpose for 1967-on was the differential pressure switch indicator.