1966 Courtesy/Map "Darth Vader" light and switch location question. (1 Viewer)

[Brian Waag]

For those of you that have the older 40's that came with the Courtesy or "Darth Vader" light, I'm trying to figure out where the original location of the light was, and also the switch. When I bought my 66 a few years back, the light was mounted towards the top of the dash, however the + wire was just hanging loose and not connected. There appears to be no dedicated switch installed in my rig, however looking on Specter's website, they show a dedicated switch on one of their drawings, but doesn't show the location. Any help, such as posting a picture, would be greatly appreciated!

 

[charliemeyer007]

The little black dot just left of ashtray is Darth on/off switch. This is a 72 just like mine, even the same blue.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/be6b296d-120c-4067-9875-492ce1ff1c90-jpeg.2346372/

 

[Living in the Past]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/be6b296d-120c-4067-9875-492ce1ff1c90-jpeg.2346372/

Not the right location for a 66

Pretty up until the padded dash started 9/67 they were mount below the dash. The early years of a factory heater the big round hole used to mount it was covered by the bracket for the vent and heater blower switches. Thought the face of the dash was for FST models once the room light started on the hard tops. 74 the B soft top pillar had a room light in it. Few model years before 74 hole was on all models and hard top just had a hole in the plug.

For those of you that have the older 40's that came with the Courtesy or "Darth Vader" light, I'm trying to figure out where the original location of the light was, and also the switch. When I bought my 66 a few years back, the light was mounted towards the top of the dash, however the + wire was just hanging loose and not connected. There appears to be no dedicated switch installed in my rig, however looking on Specter's website, they show a dedicated switch on one of their drawings, but doesn't show the location. Any help, such as posting a picture, would be greatly appreciated!

I would suggest you post you own picture that shows location. That will verify it is actually a original Vader light and in the right location. Possible with factory heater that may be the correct location. Is it a soft top model? Toyota parts system only going back to 3/69 makes it difficult finding information. I have a 9/67 which is the month the 68 model started. It's a hard top model and also has the padded dash. Has the room light but pretty if it was a soft top model it would have had the Vader light to the right of the glovebox door like in the post above. My 73 FST has the Vader light and switch below it.

Little later can check but I do believe I have a FSM for 66. On the 68 the room light switch is by the ashtray.

 

[Brian Waag]

Not the right location for a 66

Pretty up until the padded dash started 9/67 they were mount below the dash. The early years of a factory heater the big round hole used to mount it was covered by the bracket for the vent and heater blower switches. Thought the face of the dash was for FST models once the room light started on the hard tops. 74 the B soft top pillar had a room light in it. Few model years before 74 hole was on all models and hard top just had a hole in the plug.



I would suggest you post you own picture that shows location. That will verify it is actually a original Vader light and in the right location. Possible with factory heater that may be the correct location. Is it a soft top model? Toyota parts system only going back to 3/69 makes it difficult finding information. I have a 9/67 which is the month the 68 model started. It's a hard top model and also has the padded dash. Has the room light but pretty if it was a soft top model it would have had the Vader light to the right of the glovebox door like in the post above. My 73 FST has the Vader light and switch below it.

Little later can check but I do believe I have a FSM for 66. On the 68 the room light switch is by the ashtray.

Thanks for all of the information, it's very informative. I did see a few other pics of 40's that had the Courtesy Light in the same place as the pic you posted, to the RIGHT of the glove box, however on my 66', there is no hole in that location to mount it. Will post a pic of the location of where my light was in just a bit.

 

[V8FJ4078]

The little black dot just left of ashtray is Darth on/off switch. This is a 72 just like mine, even the same blue.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/be6b296d-120c-4067-9875-492ce1ff1c90-jpeg.2346372/

I have an April 72 that has a plug in the hole for the light, but I have the switch.
Mine also has a light on the B pillar at the drivers side, but never tried the switch, since it has been sitting in my garage for so long....
I didn't realized that I even had a hole there until I went to look after seeing your 72.

 

[Living in the Past]

The little black dot just left of ashtray is Darth on/off switch. This is a 72 just like mine, even the same blue.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/be6b296d-120c-4067-9875-492ce1ff1c90-jpeg.2346372/

I have an April 72 that has a plug in the hole for the light, but I have the switch.
Mine also has a light on the B pillar at the drivers side, but never tried the switch, since it has been sitting in my garage for so long....
I didn't realized that I even had a hole there until I went to look after seeing your 72.

Doubt that Vader was there from the factory. That is a hard top model based on the hole for eyebolt on the end of the dash but not a threaded hole behind it like FSTs have. 72 seemed to be a mix of floor shift and column shift. Not sure what was on this 72 but certainly not stock now. I am not able to post pictures right now but many years ago I acquired a pre 9/72 transmission cover with the holes for the shifters from the factory. This was long before second hand imports were showing up in the US. Doesn't seem that long ago there were restorable FJ40s available in wrecking yards. Bought one of these a little over twenty years ago for a couple hundred dollars.

 

[V8FJ4078]

Doubt that Vader was there from the factory. That is a hard top model based on the hole for eyebolt on the end of the dash but not a threaded hole behind it like FSTs have. 72 seemed to be a mix of floor shift and column shift. Not sure what was on this 72 but certainly not stock now. I am not able to post pictures right now but many years ago I acquired a pre 9/72 transmission cover with the holes for the shifters from the factory. This was long before second hand imports were showing up in the US. Doesn't seem that long ago there were restorable FJ40s available in wrecking yards. Bought one of these a little over twenty years ago for a couple hundred dollars.

That would be really far in on the dash for an eyebolt, and there is not a matching hole in the dash on the drivers side for an eyebolt.
Have to go to the parts catalogue and look to see what it shows there.

 

[middlecalf]

Look to see if there’s an appropriate sized factory round hole in the underside bottom lip of the dash, just to the right of the steering column.

 

[Living in the Past]

That would be really far in on the dash for an eyebolt, and there is not a matching hole in the dash on the drivers side for an eyebolt.
Have to go to the parts catalogue and look to see what it shows there.

My reference to hole on the end of the dash was about it being a hard top. Hole in the dash plate was on all models going back into the 1960s. FST have a threaded hole not solid. 72 hard top had a switch in the dash that operated the room light just behind the B pillar in the top. Hole for the Vader light with a plug instead of the light. For a while in early 1970s all US importesd FJ40s had the hole.

 

[Brian Waag]

The little black dot just left of ashtray is Darth on/off switch. This is a 72 just like mine, even the same blue.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/be6b296d-120c-4067-9875-492ce1ff1c90-jpeg.2346372/

Yea, I've seen that location for the light as well in early 70's FJ40's, however there is no existing hole for the light to the right of the glove box. Mine is to the left above the rest of the knobs. Will post a picture here in a bit.

 

[Brian Waag]

Not the right location for a 66

Pretty up until the padded dash started 9/67 they were mount below the dash. The early years of a factory heater the big round hole used to mount it was covered by the bracket for the vent and heater blower switches. Thought the face of the dash was for FST models once the room light started on the hard tops. 74 the B soft top pillar had a room light in it. Few model years before 74 hole was on all models and hard top just had a hole in the plug.



I would suggest you post you own picture that shows location. That will verify it is actually a original Vader light and in the right location. Possible with factory heater that may be the correct location. Is it a soft top model? Toyota parts system only going back to 3/69 makes it difficult finding information. I have a 9/67 which is the month the 68 model started. It's a hard top model and also has the padded dash. Has the room light but pretty if it was a soft top model it would have had the Vader light to the right of the glovebox door like in the post above. My 73 FST has the Vader light and switch below it.

Little later can check but I do believe I have a FSM for 66. On the 68 the room light switch is by the ashtray.

 

[Brian Waag]

Not the right location for a 66

Pretty up until the padded dash started 9/67 they were mount below the dash. The early years of a factory heater the big round hole used to mount it was covered by the bracket for the vent and heater blower switches. Thought the face of the dash was for FST models once the room light started on the hard tops. 74 the B soft top pillar had a room light in it. Few model years before 74 hole was on all models and hard top just had a hole in the plug.



I would suggest you post you own picture that shows location. That will verify it is actually a original Vader light and in the right location. Possible with factory heater that may be the correct location. Is it a soft top model? Toyota parts system only going back to 3/69 makes it difficult finding information. I have a 9/67 which is the month the 68 model started. It's a hard top model and also has the padded dash. Has the room light but pretty if it was a soft top model it would have had the Vader light to the right of the glovebox door like in the post above. My 73 FST has the Vader light and switch below it.

Little later can check but I do believe I have a FSM for 66. On the 68 the room light switch is by the ashtray.

Oh, and no, mine isn't a soft top model. Will post a picture of it here in just a bit. It's certainly possible the light wasn't stock and a PO added it, which is why I'm trying to find out if the original location in certain years is where mine was mounted.

 

[Brian Waag]

Look to see if there’s an appropriate sized factory round hole in the underside bottom lip of the dash, just to the right of the steering column.

Yes, there is a factory hole in that location. So in some years the light was mounted in that location? If so, it seems to be in a very strange location to be useful.

 

[tahoe40/45]

Yes, there is a factory hole in that location. So in some years the light was mounted in that location? If so, it seems to be in a very strange location to be useful.

Vader/Map lights were located under the dash on most early 1960s Cruisers. The light is powered by the head light switch, so when head lights are on so is the map light. It can be rotated to illuminate the fire wall until it's needed for looking at a map.
I think the idea was to have the map on your lap or on bench seat next to you, then rotate the light to illuminate the map.

stolen photo

 

[Brian Waag]

Vader/Map lights were located under the dash on most 1960s Cruisers. The light is powered by the head light switch, so when head lights are on so is the map light. It can be rotated to illuminate the fire wall until it's needed for looking at a map.
I think the idea was to have the map on your lap or on bench seat next to you, then rotate the light to illuminate the map.

stolen photo
View attachment 3862106

Ah, that makes sense. Here are some pics of my rig with the location of where the "Vader" light was when I bought the rig, plus the original mounting hole under the dash.

 

[Living in the Past]

That is not the correct light. The Vader light started before 66 and last thru 73 at least. Prior to the 68 model without a padded dash could possibly see a Vader light going on the dash in that location if it had the factory heater with the control bracket mounted to the bottom of the dash. Padded dash would cover that area.

Let me dig out my 66 FSM and see what I can find. Never owned a 66/67 and had no interest in parts from them. Originally was looking for newer parts for my 68. Later looked for FJ25 and early FJ40.parts.

 

[Brian Waag]

Look to see if there’s an appropriate sized factory round hole in the underside bottom lip of the dash, just to the right of the steering column.

Yes, there is a hole, here's a pic of that hole. Is this the original location of the Vader light?

 

[Brian Waag]

That is not the correct light. The Vader light started before 66 and last thru 73 at least. Prior to the 68 model without a padded dash could possibly see a Vader light going on the dash in that location if it had the factory heater with the control bracket mounted to the bottom of the dash. Padded dash would cover that area.

Let me dig out my 66 FSM and see what I can find. Never owned a 66/67 and had no interest in parts from them. Originally was looking for newer parts for my 68. Later looked for FJ25 and early FJ40.parts.

That would be great, and helpful, thanks!

 

[middlecalf]

Is this the original location of the Vader light?

Yes

 

[miller]

1963 FJ45. Not sure if switch is for light.