Parking Lights

[DocsTruck]

I never noticed this before but A mechanic that knows my truck says it is normal, When I turn on the headlights the parking lights go out, yet the turn signals do work, is this normal for a 1968 D100 custom?

[66patrick]

As part of the 1968 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), this is addressed. Before the 1968 model year, the parking lamps went out when you turned the headlights on. Starting in the 1968 model year, it became a requirement that the parking lights on vehicles built from 01 Jan 1968 on had to allow the parking lights to stay on when the headlioghts were turned on. That's why you'll see on some '68 vehicles, you'll see either/or.

[DocsTruck]

Thanks for the response Patrick,
On the ID badge it states that the truck was built in Canada, I thought that it might be some weird northern thing.

Marty

[cbody70]

LOL Yeah I grant you us Canuks do some pretty weird things but on the automotive side we generally play follow the leader after our southern neighbours because our market is so small.

[Jeffc]

My 68 was the same way till I changed it to stay
on (wires were stock and correct, switch was correct).
69 was frist year that the parking lights stay
on when headlights are on, least that is what
I have seen.

Trucks seem to always delaid a year or two
in the DOT regs after cars.
Like in cars- all had to have sidemarkers
that light in 69, trucks just needed reflectors
in 68.

[66patrick]

The Mopar cars went to side reflectors in '69, then back to side lights from '70 on.

The Jan 1, 1968 date is for cars AND trucks. Granted, some of the safety regs have a later implementation date for trucks, but this one is the same date. Look them up under FVMSS under Ask or Google. They are right there.

[Cageman]

My 68 coronet has round light side markers, in my opinion, they are the nicest side markers of them all. I wasnt aware that the 69 cars were reflectors, I always assumed they lit up, being that the 68's did. You learn something new everyday.

[Jeffc]

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/reg ... 06430.html
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 regulates the lamps, reflectors and associated equipment for cars, trucks, trailers, buses, multi-purpose passenger vehicles and motorcycles. It became effective on January 1, 1968, for vehicles wider than 80 inches (large trucks and buses) and on January 1, 1969, for the other vehicles

--our pickups and cars made in those years
did not need side markers that light till 1/1/69
(i.e. later part of the 69 model year),
same for the parking lights, they do not need
to light when headlights are on till then.
So any 68 does need the side marker lights
unless 80" or wider (Chyrsler was a little
early on this in 68 cars, I also like the
little round ones, very clean looking).
As I said above: My 68D came without the
'lighted' sidemarkers and did not have parking lights
that stayed on when the headlights were on.
This was "standard" for trucks that year.
69 was frist model year that the front
parking lights stay on when headlights
are on.


Front marker/signal lamps as follows:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422 ... 71.108.htm

S5.5.7 On each passenger car and motorcycle, and on each
multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck, and bus of less than 80 inches
overall width:
(a) When the parking lamps are activated, the taillamps, license
plate lamps, and side marker lamps shall also be activated; and
(b) When the headlamps are activated in a steady-burning state, the
tail lamps, parking lamps, license plate lamps and side marker lamps
shall also be activated.