Mystery wire in trunk lid.

[ew1usnr]

I was adding a new trunk lid gasket last night and I saw this wire going into the trunk lid of my 63 Futura. It comes up from the hinge. I hadn't see it before because the wire had been spray painted black when a previous owner had painted the trunk.

See wire in trunk lid:
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Does anyone have a similar wire?

This wire is not shown on my wiring diagram but I will assume that it is for a trunk light.

Is the wire just stuffed into the trunk lid to get it out of the way, or is it supposed to be there? If that is where it is supposed to be, how do you access the end of the wire?

Did all 63 Futuras come with this wire, or was it a dealer added option?

Should I pull the wire out and then tape it to the inside of the trunk lid if I want to use it to add a trunk light?

[pbrown]

It's probably for a trunk mounted light. They mount to the center of the trunk lid. Are there any holes in the middle?

[ew1usnr]

Hello, Patrick.


It's probably for a trunk mounted light. They mount to the center of the trunk lid. Are there any holes in the middle?

That is what is odd. There are no screw holes or access holes anywhere on the trunk lid to indicate that there has ever been a trunk light installed. It is as if the wire was provided, but it was never hooked up.

I don't know to where the wire is routed or where the far end of the wire is located. If I pull it out I may not be able to push it back in the same way as it was.

[Jeff W]

My 63.5 Futura did not have that wire... I thought about adding one, like Kenny did for a light, never did.

[ew1usnr]

Wow! I found the little thin wire on the left and when I pulled on it, something rattled inside the trunk lid frame. I reached in with a bent coat hanger and ... pulled out a trunk light bulb socket! I have been working on this car since last July and it is still providing surprises.

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[olgraybeard]

Was there power to it? does it have a switch of some sort or just turn the headlight switch like the dome light

[ew1usnr]

There was a screw behind the key lock that was apparently there to secure the trunk light assembly. It mounted in place nicely. The socket had the broken off base from a "GE 67" bulb. I stuck a "63" bulb in there, but it didn't light up. I tried turning on the dome light and the parking lights, but the trunk light never lit. I tried another bulb and still no luck. I'll try tracing the wire tomorrow and tie it into the courtesy light circuit.

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[pbrown]

Connect a meter to it and see if there is voltage. It looks like a single wire so be sure the base is grounded to something. Make note of the color and strip on the wire. Pull the drivers side sill plate and you'll probably find it in there. You can probably trace it forward and behind the drivers kick panel.

[ew1usnr]

The trunk light is working! I bought a pair of Sylvania 67 13.5 V 8 W bulbs at the auto parts store for $5.30. I added the bulb and then found that the trunk light lead wire led to a disconnected terminal.

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I could not find a corresponding wire for the lead wire to plug into. But I did notice that the lead to the dome light passed over the left rear fender and it had a plugged together terminal. I sandwiched a wire into that terminal and connected it to the trunk light lead. It works! The trunk light comes on either by turning on the overhead light from the light switch or by opening a door and having the courtesy light switch turn on the overhead light. This is nice.

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[olgraybeard]

OMG just like a real car!! ;>) These small victories are what keeps us going, don't try to explain to non car guys or gals

[ew1usnr]

Huh. I was just checking out the trunk light in the dark with the garage door closed. With the dome light switch on, the trunk lid light is initially off as the trunk lid open and then lights up as the lid passes the half-way up point while opening up. The light goes off as the lid passes the half-way down point while closing. I lifted the lid up and down a number of times and it is not just a loose connection. There must be a mercury switch built into trunk light assembly.

If I were to add an always hot wire back to the trunk, then then trunk light could be made to come on only when the trunk were opened, rather than every time the door is open as it is now. I will leave it as it is now because it gives me a way to turn the light on or off and I really don't need the trunk light on every time it is open (like during the day time). Plus, it seems that it would be an invitation to electrical shorting issues to string an always hot wire back to trunk.

[ew1usnr]

After sleeping on it, I realized that my previous thinking was wrong. The mercury switch built into trunk light assembly is there to prevent the trunk light from turning on inside the closed trunk every time the door is opened. The courtesy light switch or dome light switch will turn the trunk light on only when the trunk is fully opened. That is ingenious.