Looking for new cabin lights

[Sir Lancelot]

I can't seem to get the cabin lights of my 86' GTV6 consistently working, i'm not exactly where the fault is, and they're pretty dim anyway. So, I was wanting to install additional lights at the top of the A-pillar. Does anyone have any ideas/recommendations for:

1. Where to buy a bright but small interior light?

2. Is it possible, and where can I buy a time-delay relay, so that if I hook up the new light to the switch in the door, the light will stay on for say 10 seconds before switching off?

Any suggestions ideas would be great!

[MD]

Couple of quick suggestion as they enter my pea brain.

Jaycar sell all sorts of stuff including timing circuits you can build.
You could convert your existing lights to brighter output perhaps by using LED's which would not increase the current load on your loom nor burn the crap out of the housing because they run cool.

Food for thought only..

In my case before I had a new hood lining fitted, I wired for a cabin light centrally above the mirror so it floods the front seats and the floor when you open the doors. Works great.

[Sir Lancelot]

An excellent suggestion. I'll check out Jaycar on the weekend. I'll definitely look into upgrading the current lights too.

Having them in the centre above the mirror is a good idea, although putting them at the top of the A-pillar means I don't have to touch the headliner. Thanks for the tips!

[giulia_veloce]

My 1984 GTV V6 3 Litre

After years of dull interior lights ,and many broken light housings,I fitted some 33 interior lights to the existing holes in the B-pillars
They are a rocker type light ,with provistion to stay on or illuminate when the doors are open.
Car still has the delay timer.
Just a slight opening of the hole,and I have lots better and brighter interior lights.
I will look at the LED globe replacements for even brighter lights in the future.
The lights are from a 1986-89 roof of a 33.

Many years ago,on my 105 2 litre,I had the same problem.
I installed a Commodore SLE interior light in the middle of the roof.
Its the one with the main light and 2 spot lights in the 1 unit.
The car is now used for classic rallys,and those side spot lights in the interior light come in real handy.

Then after that,,on my Alfetta GTV 2.0 ,,1981,I installed the same light as above.
My wife + I did a lot of interstate trips with that car (before children).
The wife would active the spot light and read her book in the middle of the night without affecting my driving.

Robert.

[Sir Lancelot]

My 1984 GTV V6 3 Litre

After years of dull interior lights ,and many broken light housings,I fitted some 33 interior lights to the existing holes in the B-pillars
They are a rocker type light ,with provistion to stay on or illuminate when the doors are open.
Car still has the delay timer.
Just a slight opening of the hole,and I have lots better and brighter interior lights.
I will look at the LED globe replacements for even brighter lights in the future.
The lights are from a 1986-89 roof of a 33.

Many years ago,on my 105 2 litre,I had the same problem.
I installed a Commodore SLE interior light in the middle of the roof.
Its the one with the main light and 2 spot lights in the 1 unit.
The car is now used for classic rallys,and those side spot lights in the interior light come in real handy.

Then after that,,on my Alfetta GTV 2.0 ,,1981,I installed the same light as above.
My wife + I did a lot of interstate trips with that car (before children).
The wife would active the spot light and read her book in the middle of the night without affecting my driving.

Robert.

That sounds fantastic, could you post up any pics by chance? Did you use the old relay timer? I'm not sure at the moment where the problem is with the delay timer - I've got 2 second hand relays and don't really know if they're working or not, which is why I'm tempted to put in new lights and new wiring.

[giulia_veloce]

Her Sir Lancelot

If i knew how to post pictures,,i would.
The 33 lights are slightly a bit bigger than the original ones.
Go to your local Alfa Wrecker and buy 2 interior lights for next to nothing.
They are a roof light.
They are a rocker type switch = you rock the lens from permanent on,,to door timer..or permanently off.
Many have seen what I have done.
Originality ?
Original Alfa part.
Was only last night,,I opened the doors on the GTV in the dark,and went WOW,,,I can see inside.
Its a car not used very often,but I love looking at it.
I dont have the car here,,so cant advise where the interior light relay is.

Robert

[giulia_veloce]

I dont know where those 2 faces came from in the above post.
Maybe someone else can tell us where the delay relay is.

Robert

[Sir Lancelot]

OK thanks for the info. The delay relay in the GTV6 is behind the dash to the right of the steering wheel - I'm not sure that it's working in my case. Will look into some interior light spares from Monza.

[Sir Lancelot]

For your interest!

Here's some pics of the old bulb and some fancy new LEDs (Jaycar, ~$16 each). I just swapped them straight out, the light is now very white, and about 3x brighter. I only have one light working on the delay relay, but that's enough to get around in the dark.

Also had to change the connections as the LED light is much longer than the original one. Taking out the light fitting itself is damn fiddly and easy to break. Taking off the white connectors and heatshrinking it instead helps to reduce the size of the assembly, and helps putting it in and removing it if need be.

[MD]

Sounds like a good outcome all round. Congrats.

[Sir Lancelot]

Thanks, I'm still keen on putting in a couple more at the top of the A-pillar... just need the time to get around to it!