Cigarette lighter socket

[bob hughes]

I don't smoke but I have just installed the cigarette ash tray into my BJ7 ( kept from an old 100/6 that I had) for effect and to partially hold the carpeting in place. Spurred on by this I want to install a cigarette lighter socket for use with a sat nav or anything requiring a source of power.

Has any one ever installed a cigarette lighter socket in their BJ7 or earlier cars, if so where did you put it. I have noticed an additional spare hole in the gearbox cover and I am contemplating using it but the fact that the socket has openings around it that will be open to the elements around the gear box is deterring me at the moment.



Bob

 

[HealeyRick]

Here's where the original owner, from whom I bought the car, installed one when new:



Hard to see in the pic, but it has "LITER" (sic) spelled out in red leters on the knob. The empty cigar boxes I found in the boot probably had something to do with the need to install this handy device.

 

[vette]

Hello Bob, Early last year I was doing some post restoration updates and one of them was to install aux power sockets for the GPS and cell phones. So I bought standard universal sockets from a local parts supply (advanced auto) and installed them on the edge of the shelf. They come with angled brackets. I put them on an angle on the corner of the shelf to give the little lady as much knee room as possible. They are not in the way at all and the brackets are mounted securely with 2 machine screws each. I have a fuse box on each bulk head, left side and right side above the knees so for these i ran the wires along the inner edge of the shelf secured to the shelf with 'P' clips. If you do not have an updated electrical system such as mine (alternator, heavier wiring and additional fuseboxes) I would get then get the power source directly from the main hot post of the starter solenoid or directly from the battery and use an in-line fuse holder. I'm sorry I don't remember what size fuse I used for each but I can look for it if you need that info. With the helper I had I think it came out pretty good. See pics:

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

I don't smoke but I have just installed the cigarette ash tray into my BJ7 ( kept from an old 100/6 that I had) for effect and to partially hold the carpeting in place. Spurred on by this I want to install a cigarette lighter socket for use with a sat nav or anything requiring a source of power.

Has any one ever installed a cigarette lighter socket in their BJ7 or earlier cars, if so where did you put it. I have noticed an additional spare hole in the gearbox cover and I am contemplating using it but the fact that the socket has openings around it that will be open to the elements around the gear box is deterring me at the moment.



Bob

Bob,

I wanted an install that did not involve any new holes in the car, and one that would keep cord tangles to a minimum. I installed a fused pigtail outlet that resides on the parcel shelf.

Duane

 

[TimK]

https://s620.photobucket.com/user/tkraftson/media/IMG_1502_1.jpg.html?o=2
My 1960 BN7 had this socket installed in the bottom of the heater box when I bought the car in 1981. Don't know if it was a factory or dealer or PO installation.

 

[bob hughes]

Thanks guys

I must say Vette that since I put the post up, I came to the same conclusion about going under the parcel shelf, but I am not ruling the trans tunnel out totally just yet, I do have a few ideas in the pipe line to utilize that spare hole. I can't use the hot post on the solenoid - its already full with all the spot lamps on the front - lol, I am thinking that the A post on the cut out box will do the trick with an inline fuse. I certainly will not be using it as a cigar lighter, just for Aux power so a small amp fuse would do it.



Bob

 

[RAC68]

Hi Bob,

A while back I installed a cigarette lighter socket (today more commonly called a power socket since it never held the lighter) In my BJ8P1 as a source of recharging power for my phone. I also took a DC power plug from an older phone and made it an attachment to my DC/AC Test Meter and found it useful to check the condition of my original Generator/Regulator and later my Alternator when driving to make sure it was charging and all was well.

This setup proved invaluable during my initial Alternator installation when the Alternator would generate at proper levels and, after a mile of so of driving, would stop generating. I could tell by the plugged in gauge when the alternator stopped charging....something I could not tell without the plugged in gauge. It turned out the cause was eventually found to be a slipping fan belt had started to slip after the engine got hot but would perform properly when the engine was initially started and cool and was tight and immovable by hand.

Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[steveg]

I have the "Not a Cigarette" outlets on the plenum at the back of the parcel shelf - and this dual USB outlet for my Garmin and cell phone:

 

[vette]

Steve, I love the little panel that your USB socket is affixed to. But tell me, since I am not much of an I.T. guy, I assume that the USB jacks are for charging purposes but am curious that they are marked 5v. If at 5v what method are you using to reduce the voltage and why? Also please, what are the little dials for to the right of the UBS plug? Thanks.

 

[Randy Forbes]

In my case, it was more of a hole that needed filling, so I put a lighter socket into it. As an early BN6, the car still retained several Longbridge features (even though it was assembled at Abingdon) like the choke-pull under the steering column, and a small diameter stem windshield washer pump. I sourced a nice dash without any (or many) extra holes in it, but it was from a later car that used a different windshield pump with a large hole and the choke had been moved up there also.

Having Webers (and their associated accelerator pumps) I didn't need a choke-pull, so I used that hole for my small screen washer, and plugged the other one with the lighter socket.

 

[Jim 58 BN6]

Randy, Where did you find the engine-turned plate for the gauges?

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I really like the way it looks! Jim

 

[HealeyRick]

Randy, Where did you find the engine-turned plate for the gauges?

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I really like the way it looks! Jim

Jim,

Randy being a talented guy, probably did his own engine turning. Not being talented, I ordered some sheet engine-turned stainless from here: https://www.fpmmetals.com/automotive/auto-pic-gallery/ Be advised, stainless is very difficult to cut, would be nice if you had access to a water jet. I used a sabre saw and metal cutting blande and it was slow going and used up a bunch of blades.

 

[Jim 58 BN6]

Jim,

Randy being a talented guy, probably did his own engine turning. Not being talented, I ordered some sheet engine-turned stainless from here: https://www.fpmmetals.com/automotive/auto-pic-gallery/ Be advised, stainless is very difficult to cut, would be nice if you had access to a water jet. I used a sabre saw and metal cutting blande and it was slow going and used up a bunch of blades.

Thanks for the link, Rick! The water jet is a great idea. I used a local one to profile some custom aluminum caliper adapter brackets I made for my brother's car. It is amazingly accurate, especially on thin metals. I have a milling machine, and have thought about making my own engine-turned patterning on some sheet metal, but after looking at the above link, I think I would probably buy some of the material, and then have the water jet contour and cut the holes.

When I was a kid, my dad fitted out 23' sloop using a sabre saw to cut out all of the interior and exterior woodwork (there's that depression mentality again - but it served him well!). It took him two evenings to cut out the oak tiller. I remember the sound of that saw running for hours at a time. Fortunately for him, everything else was mahogany.

 

[steveg]

Steve, I love the little panel that your USB socket is affixed to. But tell me, since I am not much of an I.T. guy, I assume that the USB jacks are for charging purposes but am curious that they are marked 5v. If at 5v what method are you using to reduce the voltage and why? Also please, what are the little dials for to the right of the UBS plug? Thanks.

Evidently USB uses 5 volts. These chargers step it down from 12. I bought mine in a store but this one is similar:

The left knob is an infinitely-variable speed controller for my fresh air blower (pulse-wave modulator); the right knob is a selector for my two o2 sensors for my air-fuel meter.

 

[HealeyRick]

Thanks for the link, Rick! The water jet is a great idea. I used a local one to profile some custom aluminum caliper adapter brackets I made for my brother's car. It is amazingly accurate, especially on thin metals. I have a milling machine, and have thought about making my own engine-turned patterning on some sheet metal, but after looking at the above link, I think I would probably buy some of the material, and then have the water jet contour and cut the holes.

If you have the proper equipment, I don't thing engine turning is terribly difficult once you get the hang of it. But I don't have the equipment and ordering online is a lot easier. Here's how I used the sheets:

 

[John Turney]

On my BN4, the bracket that steadies the bottom of the dash has a couple of holes in it to mount the choke knob. I now have the choke on the dash and used those holes in the support bracket to mount the power outlet.