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1970 AMX Dash Map Light

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davec1957 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote davec1957 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 1970 AMX Dash Map Light
    Posted: Dec/05/2020 at 10:30am
Somewhere in the restoration process I lost the original map light harness that plugs into the main wiring harness, but I found a lens without the wiring (see first photo) in a box of parts. I tried to solder some new wiring onto the metal portion of the lens, but couldn't get it to adhere at all. Subsequently I was able to connect the ground because of the way the metal loops around the hole for the screw (see second photo) on that side, but I still can't get the positive side connected. I've tried soldering it a few times but I must be doing something incorrectly because nothing works! Any recommendations?





Edited by davec1957 - Dec/05/2020 at 11:45am
1970 AMX Bayshore Blue 390 4-spd GoPac
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amx007 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amx007 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/05/2020 at 11:03am
First you need to melt old solder out of hole 
so you can thread new wire in to it 
than solder u should be good to go good luck 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 304-dude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/05/2020 at 11:07am
You could obtain number 8 nuts and screws, drill out old rivets replace with hardware and use eye terminals on your wire. If hardware is too big, you could drill very small holes in the center of each rivet and use very small screws and washers to self thread to hold your eye terminals in place.

The problem in soldering is you need high led content solder and a 35w or higher iron. Tin each lead well and heat the tinned lead side while using a small alligator clip on the furthest section of the copper section. Once the solder runs from the tinned lead onto the contact area release the iron, while holding the wire steady, as the solder may still be hot enough to dislodge.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bigbad69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/05/2020 at 3:54pm
My gut feel is the connection is dirty and you need some solder flux to clean it up. Most solder has a flux core, but external application of flux really helps old terminals. I don't think the lead content is the issue if you can generate the heat required by the newer lead-free solder compositions. If you can source some 63/37 solder, all the better.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bigbadgreen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/05/2020 at 5:21pm
Think i have an extra map light with harness on it .
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george w View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote george w Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/06/2020 at 7:33am
Something about your wire connections doesn't look right. It would seem to me that the hot ( power feed red wire ) correctly goes to the left side of the bulb as shown, but the ground side wire ( black ) has to go to the opposite side bulb metal contact not the screw hole contact. I'm assuming that that map light is supposed to go on when the door is opened and the little switch is there to turn the light on by grounding the same side of the bulb when the door(s) are closed. Of course the screw on that side of the lens has to ground through the dash somehow. Of course all the metal contacts have to be clean enough to make good contact. Perhaps an overnight soak in Evap O Rust.
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davec1957 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote davec1957 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/06/2020 at 8:56am
Hi George,

In the case of the 1970 AMX and Javelin the dash mounted map light is not connected to the door switches, it's controlled only by the switch on the lens. An original map light I found (despite being badly corroded) in this photo shows the ground wire connected to the "screw hole contact" (it's not as obvious on the other photo which I got from ebay) and there is no grounding necessary through the dash.





I think 304-dude's suggestion of drilling out the rivet might be the easiest solution.

Thanks for all the replies!


Edited by davec1957 - Dec/06/2020 at 8:58am
1970 AMX Bayshore Blue 390 4-spd GoPac
1970 AMX Commodore Blue 390 4-spd GoPac
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote davec1957 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/06/2020 at 1:59pm
Thanks again to 304-dude for suggesting to drill out the rivet. The "final" version isn't done yet, but after plugging the "test" version into the main harness the light works fine, albeit a bit on the hot side (but I may be so accustomed to LED lights that anything else seems too hot).


  
1970 AMX Bayshore Blue 390 4-spd GoPac
1970 AMX Commodore Blue 390 4-spd GoPac
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