I've removed all of the dash components to paint the metal portion of the dash. When removing the washer/wiper bezel I came across a wire that connects to the back of the bezel. It doesn't appear to be for a back light. And, I don't think it is conducting current for any reason. I can't find anything in the manuals. Any ideas?
It's a fiber optic wire. The bulb is upstream and the light beam flows through the fiber optic wire to the bezel
Yup, what everyone else said. There's a bulb in a black plastic enclosed socket just below where the light switch is that illuminates the fiber. Yeah pretty cool mavericks had fiber. They were ahead of their time.
On a 74 maverick? I had to check it before believing this!! I had considered this idea before posting but thought no way, not in a maverick. Turned the lights on and it lights up. I would have never anticipated this kind of technology in a 74 Maverick. Any idea in what years this was installed? Thanks for the responses.
No wonder I felt a calling to learn CAD in around 1987.. Too bad the trans in my Comet went out at the time and I had to quit the school. Back when I discovered the wire I almost cut it out. I remember being in aww when I seen it would light up. It's not really a wire if I recall. It is more of a plastic tube..
I think that started in 1973 when they changed the dash from package tray to glove box. Who'd have thought you could bend light??!