Technical Dome light? Courtesy lights? Any pics to share?

I've got a semi rare "map light rear view mirror" in my 68 442. Pretty cool in a rag top, I'd like to use the idea in a rear view for my roadster some day. Take some doing to make it look "right" but sure lights up the interior nice sans top.

 

Are your lights on constant? Man, that would be a distraction for me.

 

I had a 68 442 when I was 17 and in high school, fun fast car, it had a light in its rear view mirror it was on the bottom with the day/night lever in the middle.
It even worked after my brother pushed it into the windshield with the top of his head one night , the car got a little out of shape one night leaving the road at close to 100mph hit a sign then crossed a yard while in a barrel roll hitting a concrete and wood front porch of a abandoned house then went end over end across the foundation and flooring of the house continued a twisting flip flop across the overgrown back yard and came to a stop upside down in some vine maples. Ya..thing was there was my brother and I, I was driving, and three of his friends , his friends were in the back seat, all of the windows were rolled down and nobody was wearing seat belts...nobody was thrown from the car ,I ended up getting hit across the face by some vine maple as I climbed out of the car got 9 stitches, my brother got 9 stitches on the top of his head from pushing the mirror into the windshield with his head , the three guys in the back seat some bruises...the car didn't survive, still got some emblems and the Hurst T-handle and the ticket that I received and most of all we all survived.

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Here is the dome light in my convertible, just as Oldsmobile made it in 1948.

 

A friend of mine and myself walked away from a similar accident when we were 18.
My 69 Nova lost that argument with a 6’ concrete culvert. Avoiding hitting a farmer that backed out into the road right in front of me. Wasn’t even speeding... by much.
Both front seats came out of the floorboards. Busted the steering wheel off of the column. The dash was in a V shape, the roof bucked, and the front bumper was pushed into the drivers side door.
We also were not wearing seatbelts.
Someone was watching over us that day.


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I used to have an Audi A4 wagon. It had red dash lights. There was also a very small red light overhead that shined down on the console area. Not too bright, just enough to be able to see stuff, not distracting. On my '54 F-100 I put a small red light under the dash. It comes on with the dash lights. Not too bright, but puts a warm red glow on the floor/footwell area.

 

I know about dome lights but the only "coutresy" thing I know is a courtesy flush...

 

When we installed the interior in my old beater we went with a traditional dome light overhead and a on/off switch on the B pillar.





I also have a on/off switch under the edge of the dash for a passenger under dash light. HRP

 

They come on when either door is opened, or the dome light function on the headlight switch is used.

 

I made this gauge panel ( obviously ) , and put a toggle switch under the dash .

 

Same car, same year, same mirror. Glad you survived that one! I drove mine golfing today...I HATE PORTLAND TRAFFIC! Car did great, I overheated
OP, great thread. I like accent lighting inside the car. The 41 ford truck I am building needs 'em next so I appreciate the timeliness of your post. I was thinking about something in the back of the cab and a couple of courtesy lights under the dash again.

 

I here that ...last week I got held up in the back up they had from that roll over crash on the 405 or where ever it was, I was on my way up to OHSU for my every 3 month MRI , finally made it through the mess then just as I was pulling into the Physicians Pavilion garage the f:;&& n radiator exploded disintegrating one of the tanks and setting off several car alarms, suprised that the Homeland security teams didn't show up, made it to my test then after wards called a friend he brought his trailer up from my area, St.Helens/Goble, I believe just across the river from your area, we loaded the rig headed for the freeway and it was still closed down and that was close to 5 hours after I got held up earlier...so we had to go through down town to get out of there...ya that crap sucks ...
I did get the MRI results the next day......It was a good day,
No cancer has returned to my little 40% of one remaining piece...damn spell check , made it penis the first time, of kidney ...cool I can be a Hot Rodder a bit longer.

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I have similar original light that IHC dealers installed. No stamp on it but it has the switch built in...Just made my headliner, aftermarket cardboard headliner was junk after a 8 years. They soak up moisture and get ugly.
Made headliner with piece plastic I found and then covered in vinyl

 

found a few of these at a swap meet and they are almost exactly what came in my 51 F1 originally.

 

My LEDs and jam switches showed up today. Just waiting on the dome light. Still have to make the patterns for the headliner etc but this project will take a couple weeks to get done.

The ugly LEDs will get tucked away under the dash of course. I might only need one right in the center I’m guessing they will be ignorantly bright. The door jam switches might need to be attached to a small fabricated bolt/screw in panel unless I dimple and tap the sheet metal so they just screw in with a locknut so I wouldn’t need access behind them. Gotta take a look at the jam and close the door with some play-doh in it to see what kind of installation they will need.

 

I drilled the cab side of the door jambs in my 57 for the dome light switches, no brackets necessary. If I get time I’ll get a picture


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I use a 67 Mopar (Coronet) Dome light with a switch at the dash.

 

Looks great!

I ended up using a repop model A that was already 12v. I put a 3 way switch in the dash- on, off, and ground switches in the door jams.

The dome light and passenger footwell courtesy lights are wired constant hot and the ground is switched.

 

That looks very similar to the dome light I have for my 1938 Dodge Sedan. I haven't installed it yet, we are doing the engine install and firewall right now. It's close enough from memory though, and the frosted lens really looks the same.

 

^ Thanks for the info shivasdad. Even though I don't know exactly what it's out of, my suspicion is that it may be from a Dodge. I've been keeping my feelers out, but have yet to see another like it. I really like the waterfall style bezel and frosted lens on it....works good too!

 

I fitted my original '35 dome light with a modern socket, sent it out for a little chrome, and mounted it on the roof bows as Henry did. Actually makes better light than I thought it would.

 

I bought a stick on led strip and stuck it to the bottom of the dash. I know its not old school but you cant see it until you turn it on. It makes a lot of light and when you install it will bend around the curves on the bottom of the dash.

 

This mention of lighted rear view mirror reminds me that I have one of these mirrors with the map light on my '47 Plymouth. I took if off a Fiat sports car.

 

I have one too, but it still on my 442.
More to topic, I just purchased this one form Chevs Of The 40s locally, to be used in my truck. I didn't want square and I like the switch idea, not into LEDs. It was listed as a '47 to '54 chevy truck light.

 

Thats what is in my 51 Chevrolet pick up...
Not as nice as yours, mine has the original crust,or "Patina" on it but it still works.

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