Author Topic: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se  (Read 4862 times)

Offline jayco91

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correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« on: May 15, 2013 - 08:33:23 PM »
I am getting ready to put my overhead console in and I have several dome lights that I have aquired over the years, but not sure which type is correct. The one on the right has a metal flip cover that seems to switch from dome to map/reading light. The one on the left the light bulb clips into the taps that are inserted into the plastic housing, It seems to be a little more "simple" in design. Dont want to waste time cleaning up the wrong one.




Offline dusty

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2013 - 07:43:52 AM »
Hey man. I will compare it to mine. I'm not sure if they changed the design of the light over course of the model year. Neither of those look familiar. It's been a while since I tagged and bagged them though.

I'll go look for the bag with the  light and see if I can help you.

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2013 - 09:17:53 AM »
Mine has the flip over cover / switch , the Ply VIP had a similar light but used a different lens with round diffusers , the chall has straight ribs across it

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Offline dusty

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2013 - 09:56:03 AM »
Yep. :) Lookin' good.

Offline jayco91

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2013 - 03:19:34 PM »
The one with the flip/cover [right side] does not fucntion as a switch , it just directs light into the dome housing or lets it shine down into the front seating compartment depending on which way the cover is turned.  I have seen dome lights listed as e-bodys  that have what looks like a straight forward on/off switch like todays modern cars. :clueless: Dont know how this would work as looks like the light bulb power comes all from the two wires that plug in to the body harness.

Offline RusTy/SE

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2013 - 04:46:13 PM »
Mine has the flip over cover / switch , the Ply VIP had a similar light but used a different lens with round diffusers , the chall has straight ribs across it

Like this? I've had it for years.
« Last Edit: May 17, 2013 - 04:49:27 PM by RusTy/SE »
Russ
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1970 Challenger  JS29U
Restoration thread: http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=27173.0
Member since December 13, 2002

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2013 - 10:21:57 PM »
Yup That should be the plymouth one , you can see the ribbed one in the top picture

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Offline tuff340GranCoupe

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2013 - 07:01:16 AM »
THis has always been a challenger here. For the overhead console in a Gran Coupe or SE Challenger, the light was like the one you have on the right. The lens has ribbs over it & a flip switch. The switch is to be located on the front of the console. When you install the light, connect the wire harness to the red & yeloow connector of course, BUT you have to take the small gray wire, which is a ground for the dome light, & connect that ternimal to the dome light frame work. There is a tab for that & it has a small hole in it & this terminal stands straight up, underside of the light near the rear part of the light. Look close, you WILL see it. If you dont connect this terminal, the light will not work. Now, I know some Polaras & Furys from 1970-1974 have this same dome light & most people advertise them on eBay as to have found them in a Challenger overhead console or Gran Coupe. Thats all fine & dandy, get these lights where they are needed. If you have a decent light, don't EVER remove the lens for the whole unit, you can crack the ba$tard & it will never fit into place like it should. The bulb fo rhtis light has been out of stock & the best way to replace the lightbulb is this way: Remove the light as an assembly, turn it underside up & pull tabs away from the light bulb socket areas lsightly & pull it outwards & be care ful not to wreak the flip tab, gently remove the socket. Push bulb out & replace with new bulb. Installl in the reverse order above here, just make sure that the flip switch tab is through the cover plate & not under it or you'll bust it off. They are a royal pain to find another tab cover flip. I'm not going on about these lights, but Im giving whoever has NOT replaced a bulb here lesson 101 how to do this woith out removing the lens. I have a box full of of these domelights (mainly just parts) of busted lights from C-bodys over the last 20 years & its a pain to find a complete one. I hope this helps you out some!
« Last Edit: May 19, 2013 - 07:02:57 AM by tuff340GranCoupe »

Offline jayco91

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2013 - 08:59:01 PM »
Thanks for the reply. I went to a car show this weekend and saw yet a thid light. This one had a hole in the front cover a little bigger than a nickel. There was no little black switch. The guy said he was the original owner and that is the way it came. :clueless: Sure miss my old b-body sometimes.

Offline tuff340GranCoupe

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2013 - 09:54:09 PM »
I have seen these too, in all C bodys. I have only EVER seen ribbed dome lights in Gran Coupes & SE's.  :thumbsup: If someone tells you different, maybe they just wanna sell you a light for the money & not worry whats right. Remember, its your car, not theirs. :bigsmile:  There is even some C-bodys with this light that have the silver cover & NO flip switch. Its just a cover, nothing else. Its a journey for this light. You will find what you need someday. I once epoxied my lens onto the base of my Gran Coupes light & it never came off again. Trying to find a decent correct silver cover can be hard too. Looking at  :ebay: may find one, but most are shown not operational.

Offline dusty

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2013 - 11:45:03 PM »
It's the one on the left. Mine is just like it. They are WEAK. Especially the early ones. I guess it depends on your build date. Mine was 10-13-69.. and the plastic area behind the metal foil piece actually supports the positive and negative terminals.

Nasty weak.

I epoxied it all together, leaving just the foil piece with the nickel/quarter size hole in to be removed.

Mine was broken in two places. Ugly.

I've heard the hole actually had a lens on it to magnify the light down to a bright spot.. An inspection of mine showed a round area that once had something glued on the backside..\

Probably a plastic lens that concentrated the light.

Offline wally426ci

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2013 - 07:32:58 AM »
Thanks for the reply. I went to a car show this weekend and saw yet a thid light. This one had a hole in the front cover a little bigger than a nickel. There was no little black switch. The guy said he was the original owner and that is the way it came. :clueless: Sure miss my old b-body sometimes.
You can't really "make" that one work with a switch either. I've had all 3 variations. I finally ended up with 2 that are correct.

You can find the flip one in c-bodies as well. Mostly 70-ish Fury's.
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Offline Imchallenged

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2013 - 12:26:21 PM »
Hi;  My car has not been restored it is a 70 RTSE my light has the ribbed lens as said above. 

Offline tuff340GranCoupe

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Re: correct dome light for 1970 challenger se
« Reply #13 on: May 20, 2013 - 08:42:32 PM »
Nice orange headliner & console! :clapping: Just don't EVER use a flat blade screwdriver to remove your domelight lens. However, once it is off, the only way I found was to epoxy it back into place & that works just fine.