68 side marker lights

[easyrider]

I just purchased a 1968 c-10 fleet side and I'm going through all the things that I'll be having to fix or replace and I came across something that I wondered if any of you have experienced. I think this was purchased as a company truck with very little extras. It had 6 cyl in the beginning, 3ott, no air, no power, but what I had never seen was the marker lights problem. I noticed that none of the 4 marker lights were working, so checking them out, the outside lens and inside socket for the wires were there but there are no wires going to light sockets. no wires from harness to sockets, front or rear. being that this was a required change from 67 to 68, wouldn't it be require by law to have these markers wired and operational?? there is no sign of the wires being removed and harness are still taped and complete. I was just curious if any or you had come upon this..Thanks!

[too much stuff]

68 was a reflector, 69 was a lighted marker. I think even early 69 still had a reflector.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

68 was a reflector, 69 was a lighted marker. I think even early 69 still had a reflector.

My early '69 (Dec.) did, indeed, have the reflector type. The truck is a CST and the markers were not the deluxe markers style either.

['68OrangeSunshine]

It's not a ''problem''. That's the way it was rigged from Factory for MY 1968.
Try a '67 sometime. No reflactors. The front Parking Lights in the grille go out, when the headlight switch is pulled out full.
That's the way these trucks were wired originally. I think that adds to the period charm. If you don't like it -- do what you want with your own truck -- or get a newer truck with as many bells and whistles as you can afford.

[Metaldoc]

My 67 had reflectors put on it sometime in it's life, they never came with the truck. I was told it was done at the dealer.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Metaldoc

My 67 had reflectors put on it sometime in it's life, they never came with the truck. I was told it was done at the dealer.

That's interesting. The truck may have been sold in 1968, and the dealer wasn't taking chances with the Feds. Looks like only the lens face w/o the cup was attached.
Was your truck built in Canada?

I once put a strip of amber 3M reflective tape on the sides of the front bumper of my '67 K/10 Suburban, just because I felt it was a good idea to be seen at night.

[easyrider]

Never wanted bells and whistles. Don't want a new truck. I asked the question to see if any one else had found this to be true on their truck.

[Greasey Harley]

A P.O. tapped into the harness and hooked up the side marker lights on my '68.
It took me most of a day to properly unhook them, and put the harness back to stock configuration.

lights?
...We don't need no stinkin' marker lights

[ltdmstr]

Interesting. I bought a '68 SWB stepside about a month ago and it has lights in all four corners.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Greasey Harley

A P.O. tapped into the harness and hooked up the side marker lights on my '68.
It took me most of a day to properly unhook them, and put the harness back to stock configuration.

lights?
...We don't need no stinkin' marker lights

I thought about it, but I didn't want to mess with the OEM wiring.
One county sherrif wanted to write me up [on top of a speeding ticket] for a repair order because the marker lights weren't ON like his brother-in-law's '72.
I explained it was a '68, and GM started with reflectors first. I still got stuck for speeding.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by ltdmstr

Interesting. I bought a '68 SWB stepside about a month ago and it has lights in all four corners.

Would be interested to hear how original the truck appears to be. It's not uncommon to update to a 69-72 harness (or tap into the existing one, as has been discussed) to swap out reflectors for functioning lights.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by ltdmstr

Interesting. I bought a '68 SWB stepside about a month ago and it has lights in all four corners.

As I mentioned in post 3, my early '69 had reflectors. When I did the restoration, I used a headlight harness I stripped from a later model junker and added deluxe markers as my CST would have had if it were made a few weeks after mine. Later trucks (1971?) had harnesses that allowed the front markers to flash with the turn signals.

[ltdmstr]

Originally Posted by jocko

Would be interested to hear how original the truck appears to be. It's not uncommon to update to a 69-72 harness (or tap into the existing one, as has been discussed) to swap out reflectors for functioning lights.

Hard to say for sure, but it's mostly stock. Plus you'd have to replace the panels or add stepped patches to install working lights, in addition to the wiring harness.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by ltdmstr

Hard to say for sure, but it's mostly stock. Plus you'd have to replace the panels or add stepped patches to install working lights, in addition to the wiring harness.

The '68s were just like the later trucks regarding the holes in the body for the markers. We've been using the word "reflector" loosely. It was actually the same as the standard markers except there was no hole in the back for a bulb. Here's a picture of the front and back of the originals from my '69.

[easyrider]

[attach]1989212 Here is a photo of my 68 c-10 that I purchased a couple months ago. It's a good start, but a lot of work ahead. It's good to know that when you find something out of the ordinary on your truck that you can talk about it with others that are interested in the same type things. Then you find that maybe it's not so unusual. Thanks for all the post that tell me this was somewhat common. But, what is the rule of thumb here, do we have to have side markers that work?
I plan on going back more original, with two tone blue/white paint with steel wheels and black wall tire. I just want a clean and dependable driver like the one I had 30 years ago.
Thanks for all the information and advice!

[easyrider]

mine actually have the lens and internal socket but no wiring or connection.

[firedemon]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I thought about it, but I didn't want to mess with the OEM wiring.
One county sherrif wanted to write me up [on top of a speeding ticket] for a repair order because the marker lights weren't ON like his brother-in-law's '72.
I explained it was a '68, and GM started with reflectors first. I still got stuck for speeding.

ya I had a very young local officer give me a 20 min lecture about cutting the shoulder harness off on my 67 . no matter how much I explained or asked him to call it in he wasn't having my lie I received 3 tickets in a weeks time . having them be the only tickets I have ever beaten in court was cool except I still had to pay the 65 dollar court fee 0 dollar fine forced me to put the three point harness in so I dont get stopped by this nice safety conscious @#$%$%^&

[72c20customcamper]

My 68 stepside has the markers . No wiring to them at all not even a hole for the wires in the buckettruck was original as they come . Tires were from 1990

[72c20customcamper]

,

Originally Posted by firedemon

ya I had a very young local officer give me a 20 min lecture about cutting the shoulder harness off on my 67 . no matter how much I explained or asked him to call it in he wasn't having my lie I received 3 tickets in a weeks time . having them be the only tickets I have ever beaten in court was cool except I still had to pay the 65 dollar court fee 0 dollar fine forced me to put the three point harness in so I dont get stopped by this nice safety conscious @#$%$%^&

Been there . Got pulled over in my 66 chevelle for not wearing the seat belt. State trooper was maybe 25 I ask for the supervisor got the attitude. Supervisor comes and is maybe 35 and asks were are the belts . Good thing I keep the NYS V&t laws regarding seat belts on my phone. They looked at the statute and they were like Huh never knew.

Told them ,me being retired after 22 years on the job they should know the book by heart. I did nowadays they punch in what they think is the offence and the computer spits out the ticket. Up untill then they had no idea I was a retired LEO

Then I casually mentioned no computer or air bags . Girl said I was crazy driving a car like that

[ltdmstr]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

The '68s were just like the later trucks regarding the holes in the body for the markers. We've been using the word "reflector" loosely. It was actually the same as the standard markers except there was no hole in the back for a bulb. Here's a picture of the front and back of the originals from my '69.

That makes sense. Guess someone swapped 'em out for the "upgrade"/lighted version at some point.

[72c20customcamper]

Cars were ahead in the side markets. 1968 cars had lighted front side marker lights. Rear I believe was 1970. Basically the side reflectors were like tail lights . All tail lights from the late 50 to 70s reflected light back if the bulb burned out. That the reason for the intricate patterns in the lens. Worked just like the old traffic light finders we had on chopped cars.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Front marker lights blink opposite to the grille turn signals on my '71 GMC. They all light up.

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

,

Been there . Got pulled over in my 66 chevelle for not wearing the seat belt. State trooper was maybe 25 I ask for the supervisor got the attitude. Supervisor comes and is maybe 35 and asks were are the belts . Good thing I keep the NYS V&t laws regarding seat belts on my phone. They looked at the statute and they were like Huh never knew.

Told them ,me being retired after 22 years on the job they should know the book by heart. I did nowadays they punch in what they think is the offence and the computer spits out the ticket. Up untill then they had no idea I was a retired LEO

Then I casually mentioned no computer or air bags . Girl said I was crazy driving a car like that

I think you got lucky. As far as I know, Even though it wasn't federally mandated until 1968, EVERY GM vehicle came with seat belts starting in 1964.
Because they were standard equipment, you are required to have working seat belts in anything 1964 or newer.
That being said, I'm glad you got away without a ticket. Stick it to the man!