1973 front fender light monitors question

[kreed]

Just bought a '73 Riviera GS and it has the option R3 front fender light monitors . What the heck is this and how do you tell if it is working. Google search turned up nothing and maybe I am looking at the wrong place on the ROA website. Any help would be appreciated . Thanks

Ken Reed ROA # 14549

[Seafoam65]

I am not familiar with the light monitors on a 73 riviera, but light monitors show you that

your exterior lights are all working from the driver's seat. Since you say the option is called front fender light monitors, I would assume there is a small bezel which has

a row of little lights representing your headlamps and turn signals mounted on the fender tops in view of the driver. On the A-body cars, there was a light monitor option with a bank of little lights on top of the rear package tray, which was visible in your rear view mirror. They allowed you to see what your rear tail lights and turn signals were doing and would show you if one was burned out. The lights you see on these monitors is actually the light being emitted from the bulbs they are monitoring. The light from the bulbs is transmitted by a fiber optic cable from the light bulb to the monitor bezel.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[RivNut]

I'm familiar with the light monitors on the79 - 85 Rivs. If the 73's are anything like the later ones, the light from the lamp goes through a fiber optic cable to the monitors. That way when you're driving you can see which bulbs might be burnt out. But only if it's really dark and there are no on coming cars; otherwise they're useless. There was one in the top center of the rear window that did the same thing for your tail lamps and brake/turn signal lamps. The monitors for the 79 -85's were different left and right. Left were cut square, you could see them directly from the driver's seat. The passenger's side monitor was cut at an angle in the direction of the driver's seat.

[JZRIV]

Congrats on your 73 GS - Pics? The fiber optic monitors were a factory option in 73. Brightness of them can usually be improved by cleaning the ends of the fiber cables, monitor lenses inside and outside, and insuring fiber cables are affixed properly at the headlamp and parking/turn signal housings to get maximum light transmission.

[Pat Curran]

I'm familiar with the light monitors on the79 - 85 Rivs. If the 73's are anything like the later ones, the light from the lamp goes through a fiber optic cable to the monitors. That way when you're driving you can see which bulbs might be burnt out. But only if it's really dark and there are no on coming cars; otherwise they're useless. There was one in the top center of the rear window that did the same thing for your tail lamps and brake/turn signal lamps. The monitors for the 79 -85's were different left and right. Left were cut square, you could see them directly from the driver's seat. The passenger's side monitor was cut at an angle in the direction of the driver's seat.

You are right about that. The 79-85's had lenses that were completely exposed to other elements. At least the ones on the 73's were contained within a housing that blocked on-coming light. Plus the 79-85 style were prone to yellowing and finding good used or NOS lenses is nearly impossible.

[RivNut]

You are right about that. The 79-85's had lenses that were completely exposed to other elements. At least the ones on the 73's were contained within a housing that blocked on-coming light. Plus the 79-85 style were prone to yellowing and finding good used or NOS lenses is nearly impossible.

Perhaps one of the headlight restoration kits would spruce them up. Before the aftermarket got into headlight restoration kits, I used to use 400 wet/dry sand paper (wet) and regular old polishing compound on the UV faded housings on my cars. Never figured out how to keep them from being affected again.

[kreed]

Thanks everyone - that makes sense. I can barely see the lights but they definitely come on so I will see if I can clean them up a little . One of those options that doesn't serve much function but added another $22.00 to the price . Appreciate all the good help. Kendall Reed

[RivNut]

That $22 probably saved someone a walk around their car to inspect the lights. Well worth it.