Topic: Dashboard speedometer bulb - black wire

[joes75ta]

I was removing my tach/speedo and there is a bulb behind the speedometer with a black wire about 2 feet long with a gold colored tip that unplugged from somewhere. I have no clue where it pulled from. Any ideas? I can take a picture of the wire if necessary

[RENOVATIONS]

Sounds like you are referring to the fiber optic wire that illuminates the inside of the ashtray

[gilbertsta]

One of these?


~Trans ams rule....others drool~

[RENOVATIONS]

That looks like the bulb that illuminates the cig lighter

[Wallington]

As mentioned, its the optic fibre lighting line that pokes into the clip in the ashtray top.

[joes75ta]

it is the fiber optic ashtray wire. i didn't realize the tip illuminated.

[Angelo]

That fiber optic cable is a real pain in the butt to install. the minute to check or move wires around you can accidentally disconnect it.

[Wallington]

In that case yours must have the ashtray end clip missing or broken, seems most do in pics. Otherwise it's held both ends. Check out this ad, you can see the insert that clips into the ashtray housing, the light in turn clips into this. Many must simply poke the light through the roof, mine did when I got it, no insert clip.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-1981-Trans-Am-Formula-Firebird-Ash-Tray-W-Mount-Screws-Fiber-Optic-Light-/331240277618?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3AFirebird&hash=item4d1f758672&vxp=mtr

[Angelo]

That spot is prime for one little led bulb.

Fiber optic use back in the 70's was way ahead of its time. I bet Delorean approved that one. That could not have been cheap, I remember fiber optic desk lamps in the 80's, they were expensive, like buying a microwave back then.

Did all models get that fiber cable? Would show how important the ash tray was back then when the ash tray lighting was standard but trunk light was optional.