Factory interior light in rear compartments? Does your wagon have one?

Out of curiosity, does your wagon have a light in the rear area from the factory? I find it very strange that my wagon, being the top level Caprice wagon (Kingswood Estate) does not have one and it has the 3rd seat option, which makes it more strange that it lacks the light. It only has the one up front (there may be more, but they dont work, may be the bulbs, I havent checked). They may have been optional in the back cargo area, dont know. I cannot locate my 72 Chevy wagon sales brochure. Also, my 69 Caprice sedan was loaded with interior lights... it had the lower footwell lights, roof light, and I think some in the back, as does my 73 Pontiac.

Its closest competition, I know that the 72 Ford Country Squire has one, or at least it was available as an option, because I have seen some of them with the courtesy light in the back. Dont know if the 72 Plymouth Sport Suburban had one or not.

I think that the 72 Pontiac Catalina wagon has one, which is a slightly lower priced car than the 72 Chevy Caprice wagon was, so I find that odd, but then again, my 73 Pontiac Grand Ville has lower door courtesy lights and the 73 Buick Electras did not. I know car makers did some crazy things back then, but still find it odd they didnt have a standard rear roof light on the 72 Caprice wagon, especially on the 3-seat models. They may have added it in 73, not sure.

My 89 Pontiac wagon had one in the back.

 

My Chrysler has one above the rear compartment on the inner roof. You must turn it on/off at the light, no remote switch, does not come on with door(s), The Chrysler also has a main dome light, map light, ash tray lights (two ash trays) glove box, and a timed ignition light.

 

Rear Dome Lights

The 67 Buick Sportwagon has middle and rear domes the center works with the doors and the rear is switched above the gate. PS looking for a lens for the rear dome and have been for a number of years if anyone has a spare. Take care Dave



Just a thought--- Could the clam shell gates of the early 70s on GM cars leave little room for lights and wireing?

 

My wagon has noooo options-which means no light in the rear.
Heck,I dont have a radio,no power steering and I row my own gears on the column,LOL

 

My humble Fairmont has a cargo light, a dome light in the usual place, 2 fixed map lights, a swivel map light, and 4 vanity lights. If I was bald, I'd glow in the dark!

 

I found it od that my 87 Buick did'nt have a lite in the cargo erea considering it had the 3rd seat. I did find a corect lite and installed it. The wiring was there in the foof so all I had to do was plug it in. The hole for the lite was there also, just covered with the headliner fabric.

 

It probably has to do with option packages. Nowadays, you order an up-market trim version, you get more than just nicer upholstery to go with it - more power equipment, more features, computers, etc. Back in the 60's and 70's, options and trim groups were gererally separated. The only basic difference between your Kingswood Estate and a lower trim was probably the upholstery, the wood, and maybe a bit more chrome. If you wanted more features, they were separatly ordered - like the 'light group'........

 

I believe mine is supposed to have one, but it's not there.

 

I'm embarrassed to say that eventhough I've had my Colony Park for over 10 years, I don't know if there's a light in the way back or not. I'll have to check it out when I get home later.

 

My 52 plymouth and 62 willys both have rear lights not sure if it was a option back then

 

You may have to row, but so far I've only pushed mine...can't remember if Fannie has a light, don't think so but I'll check.

 

Nice wagon and probably rare... I havent seen one that low optioned before... and 3 on the tree? WOW!

Strange indeed! I thought a 87 Buick Estate Wagon would have one. Is it a LeSabre or Electra? My 1985 Caprice Estate and 1989 Pontiac Safari both had the rear cargo area light. The Caprice Estate was the loaded one though... it had everything power, cornering lights, power seats, power antenna, etc. Pontiac was loaded too, but didnt have passenger power seat or power antenna.

I bet it has one.

Wow, I wouldnt expect that on those that far back. Cool though that they have them.

 

Yeah, my 1969 Caprice 4dr had the interior light group package... it had lights everywhere... in the trunk, glove compartment (I think my 72 Caprice does too, I think most cars did anyway), footwells, overhead, etc. My 73 Pontiac is pretty bright inside too.

Yeah, in the 60s and 70s, cars were all so differently optioned... individual options back then. I learned this when I had my 1972 Buick Electra and was on the Buick boards... seemed no two were optioned alike.... then I started researching and it was like that on all of cars back then, especially GM cars. My 73 Grand Ville has power windows and power locks... I was seeing some with power locks, but crank windows... some without tilt (which mine has) and with FM radio (and mine dont), lol. Yeah, trim lines back then were basically the level of chrome, woodgrain and interior material, but they were occasionally upgrade options on each line too. My 73 Grand Ville has the "Custom" interior option... added cut-pile carpeting, lower door courtesy lights, pull straps on back doors, etc.

I have seen loaded Impalas, but plain (low optioned) Caprices... loaded LeSabres, but plain (low optioned) Electras of the 70s, especially early 70s. I even seen a 73 Buick Electra... very plain - looked cheaper than my 73 Grand Ville. It even had the loop carpeting from the factory (not the cut-pile carpet) and had crank windows, manual locks, no tilt wheel, etc.

About the 71-73 Chevy wagons... the ONLY difference I see in the Impala wagon vs. the Caprice wagon is the Caprice adds the woodgrain accent on the driverside of the dash, whereas the Impala only had it on the passenger side...the seats are the same, as are the door panels save for the emblems on the door and of course the Caprice wagon had the woodgrain exterior and the Caprice grill.

I have seen a couple of Canadian 72 Caprice wagons that didnt have A/C and a 72 Buick Estate Wagon that didnt have A/C or even a radio from the factory... that was strange looking.

I was just thinking that standard lighting would be different... I would have thought a 72 Caprice wagon would have had a standard cargo area light without having to get a light option package.

My interior lights dont come on... the dash lights all work, so I dont think its the fuse, because I THINK they are all on the same fuse... I will check. Could be blown bulbs. I need to check.. may have more lights than I am guessing. lol.

 

I just checked my original window sticker. My rear cargo area light was part of the $18 lamp group which included the rear compartment courtesy lamp and the instrument panel courtesy lamp (which is a single bulb lighting up multiple different parts of the dash via fiber-optic light pipes.)

 

Yep I got one, comes on with the rear door or someone sitting back there could turn it on.