Easy
Well-Known Member
has anyone added side marker/indicators to a car that didnt come with them? Im wanting to add side indicators to a 63 dodge dart. Has anyone added them to your car and if you have how did you add them into the wiring? thanks
Adding side marker/indicators?!
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67Dart273
Well-Known Member
I'm "against" your idea, but there two ways to wire them
If all you want is for them to light up, then use grounded lamps or ground one wire of a two-wire lamp, and wire all 4 to the tail/ park circuit. If you want the park lamps on with the headlights, that is easy. The way "Ma" herself did it----disconnect the wire at the "P" terminal on the headlight switch, and move it to the "T" terminal
The other way to wire them makes them light--and flash with the turn signals. For that you need 2-wire sockets, isolated from ground. You connect one of the two wires on all 4 corners to the tail/ park circuit as you did above, but you take the SECOND wire, and connect that to the turn wire at each 4 corners
HOW THAT WORKS
With the light switch off, so the markers are off, and you activate a turn, the current goes to ground through the UNLIT tail/ park lamps, so they flash "on" as the turn signals light
Now, with the tail/ park circuit activated, the lamps light and the ground is not through the UNused turn signal lamps.
Now when you activate a turn, the markers go OUT when the turn lamp lights because awt that point, both the tail/ park circuit, and the turn lamps have power
The only problem with this scheme--which can be fixed--is that when you stomp on the brake, the rear markers light (with park/ tail turned off) or go OUT with the tail / park on
TO FIX THAT you must run a left and a right turn wire from front to back off the front lights--which can be tapped off the TS column switch. Run that to the rear and tie in to each of the respective markers
If all you want is for them to light up, then use grounded lamps or ground one wire of a two-wire lamp, and wire all 4 to the tail/ park circuit. If you want the park lamps on with the headlights, that is easy. The way "Ma" herself did it----disconnect the wire at the "P" terminal on the headlight switch, and move it to the "T" terminal
The other way to wire them makes them light--and flash with the turn signals. For that you need 2-wire sockets, isolated from ground. You connect one of the two wires on all 4 corners to the tail/ park circuit as you did above, but you take the SECOND wire, and connect that to the turn wire at each 4 corners
HOW THAT WORKS
With the light switch off, so the markers are off, and you activate a turn, the current goes to ground through the UNLIT tail/ park lamps, so they flash "on" as the turn signals light
Now, with the tail/ park circuit activated, the lamps light and the ground is not through the UNused turn signal lamps.
Now when you activate a turn, the markers go OUT when the turn lamp lights because awt that point, both the tail/ park circuit, and the turn lamps have power
The only problem with this scheme--which can be fixed--is that when you stomp on the brake, the rear markers light (with park/ tail turned off) or go OUT with the tail / park on
TO FIX THAT you must run a left and a right turn wire from front to back off the front lights--which can be tapped off the TS column switch. Run that to the rear and tie in to each of the respective markers
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If I were to do it I would use the 68 markers. A small round hole and you're done with that part.
Easy
Well-Known Member
Easy
Well-Known Member
Yes, i was just thinking of having them come on when using the turn signals and only on the front fenders. I liked these rectangle lights that came on some Alfa Romeos from the 60s. I was thinking of either incorporating them into the 63 darts body trim like in the third pic below, or just below the trim. Also these side indicators come with two wires, doesn't 68 darts only have one wire?
That's exactly what I'm doing with both of My '64 GT's. Bought 2 sets of '68 markers off of Kim. I am going to countersink them tho', I don't want them to just sit proud on the body, personal taste.
Easy
Well-Known Member
and thanks for the instructions!!
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Also keep this in mind. "In this modern day" if you get some aftermarket LED ones or convert old lamps to LED, make CERTAIN the LEDs you use are set up to operate (light) with EITHER polarity current
Normal LED's only light "with one polarity" but if you are connecting up the two-wire ones, you need both directions to light
Normal LED's only light "with one polarity" but if you are connecting up the two-wire ones, you need both directions to light
Easy
Well-Known Member
share pics when you do!!!
Why would You be against an added safety feature? Unless You're going for a 100 point resto, doing this well won't hurt the appearance or vibe at all.
Easy
Well-Known Member
didn't know this. thanks
Easy
Well-Known Member
I like the safety feature as well.
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
I really like the rectangular ones you showed in post #5. Those will look good. It will be a good safety mod also.
Easy
Well-Known Member
than
Thanks!! I came across the pic of this 63 awhile back. I thought that the side indicators on it looked cool, so I started looking at different side marker lights from the 60s. I found round ones, oval ones (like on the car below) and finally came across the rectangle ones.
Thanks!! I came across the pic of this 63 awhile back. I thought that the side indicators on it looked cool, so I started looking at different side marker lights from the 60s. I found round ones, oval ones (like on the car below) and finally came across the rectangle ones.
Here's a nice article about adding side markers from our own @slantsixdan, Daniel Stern. It's a well thought out piece. I've thought about adding the 68 markers front and rear to my 64.
Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply
Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply
Easy
Well-Known Member
thanks!!
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
I guess the main thing is appearance. If you aren't careful with lamp selection and installation, you can end up with a deal that simply doesn't look right.
I thought about adding side marker lights to my 65 Dart wagon but since I eliminated the 270 side trim I dithered and didnt do anthing. The 68 markers would likely have been the best option but now it’s in paint. I suppose I could add them at this late point.
I did add top of fender turn signals using 66 Barracuda turn signals. In a nod to safety i used the OEM backup lights as amber turn signals and added 63 wagon backup lights where they would be on a 63. I incorporated a 3rd brake light into the roof rack. My buddy said he didn’t see the modification to the rack until i tested the brake circuit wiring
I did add top of fender turn signals using 66 Barracuda turn signals. In a nod to safety i used the OEM backup lights as amber turn signals and added 63 wagon backup lights where they would be on a 63. I incorporated a 3rd brake light into the roof rack. My buddy said he didn’t see the modification to the rack until i tested the brake circuit wiring
Easy
Well-Known Member
sounds cool! share pics when you can. the front amber turn signal lights are hard to find (if you dont already have them) I was looking for alternatives.
slantsixdan
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R3 has already linked to my article about how to make them do double-duty as side marker lights and side turn signal repeaters—if you do this, first you'll need to enable the parking lights staying on with the headlamps. On (most) pre-1968 vehicles, the parking lamps do not remain lit when you turn on the headlamps. For 1968, this was changed so the parkers stay lit with the headlamps for safety (in case of a headlight burnout you still have at least some visible light on the burned out side of the car). This is easy to retrofit: remove the headlamp switch and unplug its multi-wire connector. Put a short piece of 18ga wire between from the "P" to the "R" terminals on the headlamp switch body, right down at the base of those terminals. Make sure the ends of the jumper are neatly tucked so they won't touch any adjacent terminals. Solder if you like. Then push the connector back onto the switch, on top of your new jumper wire which won't get in the way, and reinstall the headlamp switch. This will emulate the wiring setup of '68 and later cars that keep the parking lamps lit with the headlamps on.
Meanwhile, here is a retrofitted '64. Pics up top; plus search the page for nifty to go to the side marker details some lighting nut put in the comments.
If you don't like those L482 units, another one that suggests itself is an L734. Not hard to find; I am pretty sure I have new ambers and reds on the shelf.
Whichever (legitimate) lights you choose to install, there are tricks and strategies for making them work better; PM me if you want help.
(If you wind up using the '68 side marker lights, be sure to mount them high enough up that they're looking more or less straight out at the world, not down at the road.)
Meanwhile, here is a retrofitted '64. Pics up top; plus search the page for nifty to go to the side marker details some lighting nut put in the comments.
If you don't like those L482 units, another one that suggests itself is an L734. Not hard to find; I am pretty sure I have new ambers and reds on the shelf.
Whichever (legitimate) lights you choose to install, there are tricks and strategies for making them work better; PM me if you want help.
(If you wind up using the '68 side marker lights, be sure to mount them high enough up that they're looking more or less straight out at the world, not down at the road.)
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Easy
Well-Known Member
Very informative, thanks for sharing. Thats how id like it to work, parking lights as signals and driving lights, but only have the side indicators come on when using the turn signals
Easy
Well-Known Member
I was thinking about using 63 dart wagon back up light housings as front turn signal/parking light housings because they look like they would fit (but maybe change the clear lenses for amber or use an amber bulb? 3rd light in the roof rack sounds cool
I’ve got a pair of the 63 front housings and think i have a pair of NOS orange/amber lenses kicking around in storage
Those Alfa markers look slick! Definitely could place those in a way they look pretty stock!
For everyone talking about adding ‘68 markers, it’s pretty easy. I won’t get into the wiring as that’s been covered better than I could and my markers just function as stock. But for adding the ‘68 markers into the body it’s pretty simple. They were flat mounted from the factory, so they don’t need to be recessed unless you want to do the extra work. They’re pretty unobtrusive anyway.
All that has to be done to mount them is to drill a large hole and put a small square notch in it. It can be done on a painted car if you’re careful and don’t need to fill or replace another marker. On mine I was removing the 72+ plastic markers and adding the ‘68 marker.
So you just drill the hole
Add the notch for the index tab on the marker housing (and weld up the old marker hole if you have one)
And install the ‘68 marker
slantsixdan
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This won't work. The light distribution is all wrong and too dim for the front turn signal function, and those reversing lamp housings take only a single-filament bulb, not the double-filament kind you need for a park/turn lamp.
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