I recently purchased a 79 vette and do not have any manuals or other informational literature. There is a small toggle switch on the center console located left of the heater/AC controls. I can not determine the function of this switch--please tell me what this switch is supposed to do.
Thanks for any help---got a few mechanical problems with my new toy but it's great to be a vette owner!!!! |

should not be any switch there. Someone added it for some unknown reason. you'll have to trace the wires to see what it's hooked up to. power antenna, fog lights, who knows.

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Maybe it is for the rear window defroster ?
Normand

Hey, I have noticed that my 74 has a switch too. It appears to be a directional switch for the dash vents. It isnt in my owners manual either.. I am sure it is a factory installed or someone redesigned the dash on my Vette to make it look like it was built there. I am not certain that is it's purpose, so I would appreciate any other info on the switch too.

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i was thinking of the console between the seats,. you mean the gauge panel above the radio. the little switch next to the vent closes the center vent. shine a flashlight into the vent and move the switch you will see the rubber door close.

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Thanks to all who responded---the small toggle switch is located on the console between the seats just to the left of the heater/AC sliding control levers. There is a small light in the console next to this toggle switch but the light doesn't come on regardless of the position of the switch. One of the responses suggested that the switch might activate the rear window defroster system--I had thought that this might be the function but since I've never had frost on the glass (yet) I havn't had a chance to check this out.
Thanks again to all who replied.

What you are describing is definitely the rear defogger, that is, if the 79's are like my 8o in that respect. There's a little green light, down and to the side of the switch, but still part of the actual switch body, right? I think if you look closely, some of the "rear defog" script might be visible still, it wears off over time.
This switch controls a relay, which operates the defogger. The relay is in the jack box in the 80, on the panel behind the passenger seat. If there is more than one relay down there, like power antenna etc, then the one you want is on the far right as you look down, facing the rear of the car (i.e drivers side). I imagine it would be the same for yours. If yours is working, you should hear a hefty clunk of the relay when you switch it on. That little light should come on too. Mine didn't work to begin with, but i never thought much of it. Then i took the centre console out, and it seems i dislodged the switch in a way that made it start up again. So if you really want to get it going, have a fiddle around with the switch from underneath, check for power, good ground etc. In mine its on the same fuse as the gauges (20A)
Although mine started working, I discovered that some idiot has stuck a sticker on the heater elements, and then pulled it off, meaning that i get a central strip of "fog" right in my line of sight, where the elements are broken....

There's some good info on this system at the norwegian C3 site, but it's aimed at the 1980 vette. I'm sure there are similarities though. http://iotech.no/corvette/index.htm Theres a technical article on the rear defog timing, and also plenty of wiring diagrams. (I mean plenty!)
Good luck



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|IMG|http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~eaztl1/images/vette_4_sig.jpg |/IMG| Red 1980 350 auto w/ quickshsift Edelbrock intake / carb Crane Fireball cam 0 - 60 6.3s

Thanks to Theo for a very helpful description of the "mystery" switch.
It's very helpful for new vette owners, like me, to hear from you guys who have worked with them for years.

I take that as a really great compliment, as I've only had a vette for a little under a year!
I just like to know how things work, I guess. Sad but true.
But you're right, they are folks on here who seem to know everything there is to be knowed(!)
Just what us "recent" owners need!



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|IMG|http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~eaztl1/images/vette_4_sig.jpg |/IMG| Red 1980 350 auto w/ quickshsift Edelbrock intake / carb Crane Fireball cam 0 - 60 6.3s

I have a '79 w/ the toggle to the left of the heater/ac controls. Mine makes the antenna go up & down. Maybe that's what yours is for also but you're one of the many that the electric antenna doesn't work.

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EdelBrock Performer w/ 750 doub pumper,port/polished heads, triple cut valves w/4th cut down the throat of the exhaust valves, 286 Comp Magnum cam, 1.6 roller rockers, ball-peen pushrods w/guides, screw in rocker studs w/girdles, Comp double-roller chain, , hi-rise valves covers w/ spacer (needed for the girdles), Flowtech by Holley long-tube ceramic coated headers into Stage II pipes (no cats), chrome wire looms for the MSD 8.5 mm wires, MSD 50,000v coil kit w/advance springs, cap, rotor, module, steel-braided radiator,heater,vacuum hoses, Infinity Kappa 4x6 plates (dash), Sony Xplode 6 3/4" (rear), chrome T-stat housing, A-arm shields, B&M Hammerhead shifter |IMG||/IMG|

I think in some cases, the antenna action is triggered by the radio being switched on - it has some electronic trickery inside, that sends juice to the antenna relay. Perhaps then your antenna switch is an after-market addition?
I'm thinking of putting one in my car, since my stereo's antenna feed doesn't work, and I can't be bothered to get it fixed at great expense! All you need is a 12V source in place of what the radio would normally provide, and a switch to control it...




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|IMG|http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~eaztl1/images/vette_4_sig.jpg |/IMG| Red 1980 350 auto w/ quickshsift Edelbrock intake / carb Crane Fireball cam 0 - 60 6.3s

on some radios the antenna was raised and lowered by the power to the radio. when you turned the car on or the radio on, the power antenna would raise it. when you shut the engine off or the radio off, it would lower. as you can guess this would raise and lower it quite a lot causing the motor to wear out early. also some times the radio would not get the signal that the antenna was up and it would keep the motor running until it burned up. i have had quite a few friends that added their own switch to over ride the automatic control

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|IMG|https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/1301_1400/1333/br80.jpg |/IMG|

On my 77 the switch controls the rear window defroster. Green light glows when on!!!!

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Same on my '77,but my defroster doesnt work...any suggestions?It looks like the grid may be the problem.I know the switch is defroster because you can just make out a few letters,& I dont have a power antenna.

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Jon,-Majestic Glass Corvette Club-....Red #72,blk.interior,1979 C3 Corvette-TH350,Weiand,Holley,glass tops,Pioneer,3.55's,K&N,Dynomax,Flowmaster 40's,Energy Suspension,Spicer,VB&P(pics soon); 1978 Olds Cutlass Supreme 350/350,Dk. Blue 2-door Coupe-Hotchkis,PST,K&N,XM...'99 Mitsubishi Galant GTZ V6,black/grey leather,intake,strut bars,tint... |IMG|http://www.msnusers.com/cutlasscorvetteworkinprogress/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=63|/IMG|

If, when you flick the switch, the relay gives out a "click", then you know you're getting things working up to that point - if not its probably a case of checking fuse, connections etc (great fun!) The grid should still work on any of the lines which aren't broken - quite a few of mine are discontinuous, but I've heard of people using conducting aluminium spray paint to fill any breaks - not tried that myself yet....
Don't know where your relay would be - are they inthe jack box, like mine, on the earlier cars?




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|IMG|http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~eaztl1/images/vette_4_sig.jpg |/IMG| Red 1980 350 auto w/ quickshsift Edelbrock intake / carb Crane Fireball cam 0 - 60 6.3s