Is this original??

[darrellyates]

OK. While building my '68 Chevrolet C10, I bought an aftermarket hood. Fit terrible. So, I decided to get an original hood. Found one from a semi-local place that deals only in C10 trucks. Now for my question. On the underside of the hood, was this light. I've never seen one, but I'm not an expert. Is it original? Or, has somebody added it? I sort of like it, and was thinking of either having it chromed or just to paint it, but if it's aftermarket I'll likely just leave it off.

Thanks for your input! ( I searched for under hood lights by the way, and only found reference to like a corded retracting light.)

Thanks again in advance

[dozerbill72]

Others will know more, but I did see a well optioned truck on Craigslist a day or two ago that had the same light. It was just off center to the drivers side back by the cowl. I didn't see any call out on the SPID but it is probably tied up in another option. Hopefully the experts weigh in.

[dozerbill72]

The red 69 C10 CST in the trucks for sale section on this forum is where I saw it.

[Leonard60]

I've never seen those on 67-72 trucks but several of my squarebodys came with those new.

[RustyBucket]

I don't remember them on trucks but they were common on GM cars... and COOL. It's got a mercury switch in it so it turns off when it's horizontal(hood down) and comes on when the hood is up. Run a constant 12v to it but you hafta remember it's ON when the hood is up in the daytime. Killed my battery a couple of times with them. Should be on the park light circuit.

[darrellyates]

Originally Posted by RustyBucket

I don't remember them on trucks but they were common on GM cars... and COOL. It's got a mercury switch in it so it turns off when it's horizontal(hood down) and comes on when the hood is up. Run a constant 12v to it but you hafta remember it's ON when the hood is up in the daytime. Killed my battery a couple of times with them. Should be on the park light circuit.

Mine is just the housing and a wire, unless the mercury switch is inside the housing. I was actually thinking about a push button switch under hood to turn it on and off, or something on the inside of the truck. I like it, and the location is correct so I'm guessing it was part of a package. Think I'll use it somehow.

Thanks for the answers.

[RustyBucket]

I think it's like this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/77-81-CORVET...-/121481432789

I used to hunt them in the junk yard. The switch is inside the body of the bulb socket. Play with it with your battery, see if it doesn't light up as you turn it different ways. Might not be but it looks like one.
PS.. the wire wheel on your grinder will clean it up .. I've shined up some really cruddy ones.

[Leonard60]

I found that the bulbs burnt out regularly because they flickered on and off a lot on rough roads. I'd put a switch on them if it were me.

[mike16]

I have sen them on several mid 60's to early 70's GM cars and trucks.

be carefull how you install them as the mercury switch may not work on opening but may work on closing

that will cause a dead battery and a lot of frustration trying to diagnose electrical problems

[darrellyates]

Originally Posted by mike16

I have sen them on several mid 60's to early 70's GM cars and trucks.

be carefull how you install them as the mercury switch may not work on opening but may work on closing

that will cause a dead battery and a lot of frustration trying to diagnose electrical problems

Thanks Mike. I did hook up 12V to it, grounded the body, hot on the black wire. It does work... Sort of. Flickers some. And is off when vertical, and on when horizontal, so it's working backwards? Have seen the mercury switches on corvette parts boards, so the switch is still available. Will have to figure out how to get it apart to replace. The ones off of later trucks have two mounting holes, this one has one and mounts further away than the '69 on the for sale board. Will try to fix. Thanks!!!

[special-K]

I think they were offered as an accessory

[RustyBucket]

Lots of them on ebay, around $30. Thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten about them. Might have one buried in crap in my shop. I had two of them mounted under the hood of a '67 Chevelle about a quarter of a century ago. I'd notice this strange glow every time I launched it hard . Figured out it turned on my under hood lights and lit up the ground.

[custom10nut]

There's also a bunch of these in trucks from the 80s to present, and also higher end GM cars

[darrellyates]

Originally Posted by darrellyates

OK. While building my '68 Chevrolet C10, I bought an aftermarket hood. Fit terrible. So, I decided to get an original hood. Found one from a semi-local place that deals only in C10 trucks. Now for my question. On the underside of the hood, was this light. I've never seen one, but I'm not an expert. Is it original? Or, has somebody added it? I sort of like it, and was thinking of either having it chromed or just to paint it, but if it's aftermarket I'll likely just leave it off.

Thanks for your input! ( I searched for under hood lights by the way, and only found reference to like a corded retracting light.)

Thanks again in advance

I know I'm quoting myself here... Thought I would show the light after fixing it. I couldn't find a GM part number on the light, but there is one on the mercury switch, so I figure it's a GM part. Spent a little money on it, and it works now!!