Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Greetings Most learned Elder Moparians!
I've come on a gnarly little puzzle with this 1968 Newport beyond the usual easy references: the reverse light switching was set up for a MANUAL transmission! I've traced the violet and white 18 gauge wire pair meant for switching the back-up lights with the appropriate connector down where the carpet and padding begins on the firewall. I looked at the NSS selection available at Rock Auto, with 3 prong switches.
BUT THE CAR, AS I BOUGHT IT HAD THE SAME SINGLE POLE NSS THAT MY 1966 TRANSMISSION HAS, SO I HAPPILY INSTALLED IT WITH NO FURTHER THOUGHT, UNTIL NOW!
Furthermore, the starter relay was for a manual transmission. I replaced it with the proper one for an automatic transmission, hooked up the brown wire meant to protect folks from destroying their starter with the engine running, and THAT works as intended. I won't be starting the engine in gear anymore, as I did the previous one with the cracked block. Impressed the Babushka, but disturbed ME when I did it. Oh well.
ANYWAY, the reverse lights DID come on with the automatic provided, with SOME wire attached to the single pole NSS. As of now, the violet and white pair meant for the back-up lights go to the large rubber plug/grommet meant for a manual transmission.
I'll gladly accept the status quo with this odd car IFF the current lack of reverse light function arises from a dead fuse or loose wire dangling under the car, but I'm not betting on such easy luck. I only speculate that this might be so because I recall and the Babushka does too, that the reverse lights WORKED when we got the car. I wonder about that, given what I've found this evening, but we'll let this slide, for now.
If we're deluded here, then I think the BEST solution would be to replace the 1966 unipole NSS with a 1968 3 pole sort, BUT, only if this can effect restoring the reverse lights without dropping the transmission. I've searched the Forum a bit, and saw references to a piece inside the transmission called a "rooster comb" which seems to actuate the NSS. IFF I've read things aright, then can I replace whats in my 1965-66 727 with the proper 1068 one without inordinate labor and agony? In other words, can it be done without dropping the transmission?
I'll be looking for references on how this is done later tonight, but toddler-induced sleep deprivation is besotting me to an unhealthy degree. So I hope to cop some Zzzzs for the next 120 minutes or so.
I've come on a gnarly little puzzle with this 1968 Newport beyond the usual easy references: the reverse light switching was set up for a MANUAL transmission! I've traced the violet and white 18 gauge wire pair meant for switching the back-up lights with the appropriate connector down where the carpet and padding begins on the firewall. I looked at the NSS selection available at Rock Auto, with 3 prong switches.
BUT THE CAR, AS I BOUGHT IT HAD THE SAME SINGLE POLE NSS THAT MY 1966 TRANSMISSION HAS, SO I HAPPILY INSTALLED IT WITH NO FURTHER THOUGHT, UNTIL NOW!
Furthermore, the starter relay was for a manual transmission. I replaced it with the proper one for an automatic transmission, hooked up the brown wire meant to protect folks from destroying their starter with the engine running, and THAT works as intended. I won't be starting the engine in gear anymore, as I did the previous one with the cracked block. Impressed the Babushka, but disturbed ME when I did it. Oh well.
ANYWAY, the reverse lights DID come on with the automatic provided, with SOME wire attached to the single pole NSS. As of now, the violet and white pair meant for the back-up lights go to the large rubber plug/grommet meant for a manual transmission.
I'll gladly accept the status quo with this odd car IFF the current lack of reverse light function arises from a dead fuse or loose wire dangling under the car, but I'm not betting on such easy luck. I only speculate that this might be so because I recall and the Babushka does too, that the reverse lights WORKED when we got the car. I wonder about that, given what I've found this evening, but we'll let this slide, for now.
If we're deluded here, then I think the BEST solution would be to replace the 1966 unipole NSS with a 1968 3 pole sort, BUT, only if this can effect restoring the reverse lights without dropping the transmission. I've searched the Forum a bit, and saw references to a piece inside the transmission called a "rooster comb" which seems to actuate the NSS. IFF I've read things aright, then can I replace whats in my 1965-66 727 with the proper 1068 one without inordinate labor and agony? In other words, can it be done without dropping the transmission?
I'll be looking for references on how this is done later tonight, but toddler-induced sleep deprivation is besotting me to an unhealthy degree. So I hope to cop some Zzzzs for the next 120 minutes or so.
