Dome Light w/Door Open - 1977? (1 Viewer)

[vtsteve]

Guys, I have a 1977 FJ40 with the single dome light (not currently wired up) by the driver's left shoulder. Scrubbing the forums and old posts, I think I'm accurate in saying...

1) Pre Early 80's FJ's had the dome light which was fed by 1 wire and switched at the light. There is no factory provision for the light to come on with the door open.
2) Early 80's started a 2-wire setup which could. The light is always "hot", and there are 2 provisions to turn it on. The switch on the light connects the ground or the 2nd wire routes to a door jamb switch on the A pillar that can also complete the grond and turn the light on.

Can someone share a pic of the door jamb switch on the A pillar? I may try to rig up my 1977 to have this feature if its not too hard. It would be nice a night to hop into a lit vehicle. If anyone has retrofitted any other mechanisms, please share your ideas.

Thanks, Steve

 

[cruiserboy14]

That’s a pretty good idea. I have a 77 and my Po tried to wire the light with 2 wires. It kept blowing the fuses. But I’m not sure the po knew how it was originally wired. Just wired it their way.

 

[Bear]

FYI the internals of the two-wire dome lamp are different than the standard one-wire lamp. The two-wire lamps are NLA and expensive for used ones. The A-pillar switches are high-quality, sat in a raised mount, and the doors had a bump-out to meet the door switch plungers.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I never minded having to flip a switch to turn on a dome light - saves your night vision if needed.

 

[pb4ugo]

My 72 had a switch on the dash for the light in the top on the drivers side.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Same with my 72. The switch on the dash runs Darth and there is a switch on the pillar dome light to turn it on once Darth is on. I added a yellow fog lamp in the back drivers side at the top of the cab that's on a separate switch - very bright but saves night vision.

 

[Living in the Past]

10l81 some markets got the NLA door operated room light. Late room light and door switch.

The dash switch moved to the base of the room light 9/73 (start of the 74 model).