ashtray light good idea?

[fordman]

i came onto to a dentside ashtray light. and i thought what a good idea to have a light there. or is it a good idea? would it just be soemthing that blares at me when driving at night? or or it be good to see the ashtray when i wanted to use it. i dont recall any problems seeing the ash tray at night. but i haven't drove my truck at dark in a very long time. it would be easy to moutn. what do you think? use it or not? i figure to keep the light from bothering anyone it needs to be mounted inthe top of the ashtray bracket. that way it shines downward as do the ones in the dentside trucks. to wire it in all i would have to do is make a connector from the cigarette lighter light. a splitter is what i would have to make. that way my wiring wouldn't have to get cut off.

[Joe Kriston]

First off, I would say don't smoke....but since I don't practice what I preach, I'd suggest putting a light on the vent window---that's where my butts usually go (now the greenies are gonna hate me)...

[basketcase0302]

Fordman,
I've got the same light I salvaged from my 79'. But doesn't it require a square hole for the "spring type ears" on the bulb holder to mount? And don't we have an extra "dash light" lead there to plug into? I like the idea, and will hopefully get to mine sooner or later.

[ForingaMex]

basketcase wrote:
And don't we have an extra "dash light" lead there to plug into?

Where is that extra lead located? Is the one for the lighter light (mine has that) or is there another one?

[fordman]

theres not a extra unused plug for dash lights. i was going to make a splitter to plug into the cigarette lighter light power. so i could plug in both the lights.

[SRDUMBYE]

I think you could use a micro switch that operates when you open the ashtray, that way it would not bother the shine. Same thing for the glovebox dor.

[fordman]

that is a good idea about the micro switch.

[SteveC]

if done right the micro switch could replace the little plastic piece and spring on the glove box i didnt know dent sides had a ash tray light i may have to go check out my 74 junked cab to see what else i can plunder from it.

edit btw what is a micro switch and where would you get one???

[fordman]

i know micro switches as pinball game parts. basically the type of switch you would need is a push button type of switch. kind of like our door switches. if your 74 has the ashtray light. then it might have a glove box light also. if it has that look under the dash fo rfloor lights. if it has all of that look for a foglight switch under the dash below the key. and many more goodies liek that. some of the dents had cargo lights just like ours. the switches were in the drivers cab pillar. beside your head while driving.

[mlheppl]

I like the idea of having a light for the ashtray. The micro switch is an excellent idea as well. You should be able to get one at radio shack pretty reasonably priced I would think. Now I've got one more item on my list of things to look for the next time I'm at the salvage yard.

[red403]

I used a micro switch from radio shack to power up my overhead dvd player in our daily driver. I think it was $3.99 canadian and works great. Seeing my sons face when we go to his grandpa's it was worth installing.

[journeychen]

I also don't smoke, but my daddy do, this is a good idea, you can add a light for your ashtray, I can tell this method to him.

[two-bit]

First off, I would say don't smoke....but since I don't practice what I preach, I'd suggest putting a light on the vent window---that's where my butts usually go (now the greenies are gonna hate me)...

The greenies only hate me because of the smoke. I field strip my Luckies and no one ever see's a "butt".
I don't smoke in my truck. So no need for the wing window light. I do like the idea of the ashtray light, it would be easier to find spare change and extra bullets if i need them

Two-bit