I was going around replacing bulbs, and figured out how to pull off the shift.. stick... cover...panel...thing...
Found one of the wires going to the bulb holder was snapped off right at the base of the spade connector inside the plastic plug.. connector...thing... (as if it had been worked back and forth, over and over for say, 25 years.
(I stripped a tiny bit off the end before I snapped the photos)
I just so happened to have some short pieces of speaker wire from the speakers I'd just put in (never throw anything away!) and they had nice little covered spade ends on them! they fit together inside the female end of the connector.. plug ....thing! Perfect!
Not wanting to scrap the old connector, I left it on the end that was still attached and tapped into it with one of those "clampy-onny" wire things. then I took the wire that had snapped off and butt-spliced it to one of the short little speaker wires.
The bulb still worked! Wow! They don't make 'em like they used to...
Now I can see what gear I'm in in the dark! WooHoo!
While I had it open, I covered the (old, ugly and spotted) shaft with red vinyl. I have some carbon-fiber-looking vinyl somewhere, but I couldn't find it. The red looks super nice, though... think I'll keep it! The red on the button has to go though... cheesy.
Oh! If anyone knows how to remove the cassette tape holder... thing... let me know, please! I want that space for storage, but only if I can safely remove the tape thing without damaging anything.
Thanks!
Fixed the light in my gear selector thing on my 87 automatic
Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber
- fredges
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 10:27 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Fixed the light in my gear selector thing on my 87 automatic
1987 VW Cabriolet - stock, auto
-
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 2:08 am
- What year is your cabby?: 1991
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
- Location: norfolk, va
- Contact:
Re: Fixed the light in my gear selector thing on my 87 autom
I knew it should light up. i got my car almost a year ago and the gear shift never lit up, but i always thought it should. i'm hoping it's just a bad bulb....we'll see. Thanks for the post!
'91 Cabriolet Carat - stock (mostly)
Ben
Ben
- fredges
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 10:27 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Re: Fixed the light in my gear selector thing on my 87 autom
There's a little cap on top that covers the bulb and leaves a little square pinhole for the light to come through. I popped the cap off, and left it dangling, so it's pretty bright now, and bleeds over just a little into the neighboring "gears", but I like it bright! looks cool!
1987 VW Cabriolet - stock, auto
- kamzcab86
- Queen and Popette of Cabbydom
- Posts: 1277
- Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2002 3:54 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1986
- Location: Arizona
- Contact:
Re: Fixed the light in my gear selector thing on my 87 autom
The cassette tape holder simply pulls out.
- fredges
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 10:27 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Re: Fixed the light in my gear selector thing on my 87 autom
Thanks, I figured it out, I was just worried I'd snap a clip or something. Anyone need a cassette holder?
1987 VW Cabriolet - stock, auto
- Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
- Posts: 4105
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
- What year is your cabby?: 1992
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
- Location: Duluth, Ga
- Contact:
Re: Fixed the light in my gear selector thing on my 87 autom
No, at one time I had 2 black and 1 white one sitting in a box somewhere.fredges wrote:Thanks, I figured it out, I was just worried I'd snap a clip or something. Anyone need a cassette holder?
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....