Help with reverse lights...

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roylerumble

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So, I don't have reverse lights in my 69 Valiant. Installed a 727 and 408 stroker. Was a column shift, but I installed a Hurst Promatic. I thought there wasn't anything I needed to do and that the switch in the trans would still work when I shifted into reverse. What should I check? Bulbs work, 3 prong plug is on the switch on the trans... Is there a way to test the switch? I've heard discussion about rooster combs, but know nothing about them. Any suggestions on where to start trouble shooting would be greatly appreciated.
 
Have some one put it through the gears with the key on and NOT Running, check the switch, if nothing pull the switch and depress it and see if you have continuity. If so prob the roster comb is wrong, happened to me. Just went and did classic plates no inspections here. My trans was a rebuilt, so was not going in there and changing it if I can find the right part.
 
I woild assume the 69 V with column shift regardless of auto trans would have the backup light switch on the column.
 
It is in the trans for all 69 and the adjustment of the shifter is very finicky. Mine has been a challenge as I suspect the rooster comb has 50 years of wear as well the linkages. I replaced all the bushings and such in the linkage but some are not bushed and I just wiggle a little and they come on as needed.
 
so the harness from the 3 pin switch has a wire that go to the starter relay, and a pair of wires that go to a plug, and that pair of wires goes to my bulk head in the engine compartment. Inside though, there aren't any wires that go to the holes where the wires go to on the engine bay. I located a L shaped plug in the under dash harness that has a white and a violet pair of wires. According to the manual, the violet goes to the reverse lamps.

69 is not supposed to have a reverse lamp switch on the column, its all supposed to be taken care of through the NSS in the trans. What am I missing?
 
OK for automatic trans builds, the reverse lamp switch was once inside the cabin. A connector below the steering column attached to a switch there or a harness extension cord attached to that connector to reach the floor mounted shifter switch.
In mid 1968 the reverse lamp switch moved to the NSS on the trans. So the 2 wires were routed out through the bulkhead connector.
I suggest a factory wiring diagram. I know purple/violet is correct but is white? I was thinking one violet and one violet with white tracer.
If you have the 3 pin NSS, the 2 outer pins are reverse contacts ( neutral safety in the center ). Which reverse wire to which outer pin doesn't matter.
Temporarily disconnect the shifter so that linkage and detents are no a player. Put the trans in reverse and check for closed circuit, zero resistance from pin to pin. Proves switch and rooster comb good. Route the correct wires to it. Tape them with the brown NSS wire. Reattach the shifter, tune shifter linkage and/or its detents to match the rooster combs detents.
This is what we do when we put a later model trans in a pre 68 build. Cost is a lot less than repairing our interior mounted reverse lamp switches.
 
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Take the three prong plug off the transmission and short the outer two sockets together. With the ignition on, the backup lights should be on.
 
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