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Thread: Courtesy Lights

  1. #1
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    Courtesy Lights

    Should I just hook up courtesy lights up to the "radio memory" wire, and/or is the grey courtesy wire always hot?

    Any place (vendor) offering actual courtesy lights?

    Thanks!

    Walter

  2. #2
    Senior Member Avalanche325's Avatar
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    Radio memory is alway hot. You would have to put a switch in. The grey comes from the headlight switch.
    For incandescent lights, you can get them from Summit or a Mustang parts supplier. There are some nicer LED ones for boats.

  3. #3
    Not a waxer Jeff Kleiner's Avatar
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    You can use the headlight switch to control courtesy lights however be aware that it switches ground rather than feed. Rotate the knob counterclockwise you'll feel a detent--- that is courtesy light "on". Supply battery voltage to the courtesy lights (radio memory is what I use) then run the ground wire back to this terminal:



    When the knob is turned to the detent it will provide ground completing the circuit!

    NOTE:
    The headlight switch has to be grounded. There is a tab on the metal switch frame (opposite the side visible in the photo above) that will accept a female spade connector. To assure that the switch is well grounded run a wire from this tab to the chassis.

    Cheers,
    Jeff

  4. #4
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    I am curious about vendors for courtesy lights also.

    Jeff

  5. #5
    Senior Member PaulW's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mr-pantera View Post
    I am curious about vendors for courtesy lights also.

    Jeff
    I found some perfect lights here.

    http://www.pilotlights.net/node/34

    They are LED, waterproof and best of all under$13 each. They do have all sorts of lights there for the aircraft industry.
    One FFR and one VFR. I like symmetry

  6. #6
    Not a waxer Jeff Kleiner's Avatar
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    While building my Mk3 I picked up these 12 volt DC LED puck lights intended for kitchen undercabinet lighting at Lowes, or Home Depot. Each one houses 8 or so LEDs. One puck is installed in a dashboard brace over each footbox plus another in the trunk:



    When I built the Mk4 I used these inexpensive generic license plate lamps from Pep Boys, Autozone or one of the other discount auto parts stores:



    In both cars I wired them so that they are controlled by the courtesy light function on the headlight switch as I described in the post above.

    Jeff

  7. #7
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mr-pantera View Post
    I am curious about vendors for courtesy lights also. Jeff
    I found a good selection at West Marine. I'm using some nice LED fixtures from there.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  8. #8
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    I keep coming back to 1st Marine Parts Courtesy Lights. Great prices too. Bill
    Mk3.1 delivered June 2011, 96 Mustang donor, 98 Cobra 4.6 DOHC motor, Hydroboost, PS, ABS, 3 link, A/C, footbox/trunk/batterybox/SAI/Bumpsteer/vents mods.
    Still a work in progress.

  9. #9
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by acth4347 View Post
    I keep coming back to 1st Marine Parts Courtesy Lights. Great prices too. Bill
    I have the 1st Marine MINI LED COURTESY LIGHTS in the footwells and trunk of my Mk3. They work OK, but could better be described as mood lighting. They put a nice glow on everything, and when it's pitch dark, are helpful. But a little less light than I was hoping for. These are the ones I got from West Marine for my Mk4. A little more money, but some real light.

    http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...8#.UPg5ySd318E
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by acth4347 View Post
    I keep coming back to 1st Marine Parts Courtesy Lights. Great prices too. Bill
    x2 on the LED lights from 1st Marine Parts.

    They look really good installed ... almost like OEM.

    courtesty light & switch.jpg

    1st Marine actually has two different lights that look very, very similar - one with a "frosted" shield over the bulb, and the other without. The frosted shield unit looks much better IMHO.

    Picture is "borrowed" from an FFCars post and I can't remember the source or I'd give proper credit. (Sorry )

    Lynn
    Last edited by Lynnhowlyn; 01-18-2013 at 12:33 AM.
    FFR 7591 Anniversary Edition (#10 of 15)
    Delivered: Sept '11, 1st Start & Go-Cart: April '13, Painted: November '13, Completed, Licensed & Insured: March '14
    1st start video (23 April 2013):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWplyizzPC4
    1st go-cart video (24 April 2013): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3IZc1qgZcM
    Special Award: All Women's Build Team, 2014 Huntington Beach Cruise In

  11. #11
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lynnhowlyn View Post
    x2 on the LED lights from 1st Marine Parts.

    They look really good installed ... almost like OEM.

    courtesty light & switch.jpg

    1st Marine actually has two different lights that look very, very similar - one with a "frosted" shield over the bulb, and the other without. The frosted shield unit looks much better IMHO.

    Picture is "borrowed" from an FFCars post and I can't remember the source or I'd give proper credit. (Sorry )

    Lynn
    Small world. That's my Mk3. See my post #9.
    Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread
    Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video
    Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.

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