Ok, so I'm trying to come up with ideas for what in the heck to do with the darn cigarette lighter. I don't smoke, so I don't need it. I have a power outlet installed in the center console, one behind the dash and two in the trunk, plus a three way splitter, so I definitely don't need the stock one. Plus, that's a horrible place to plug stuff in anyways. But the stupid hole in the dash is really annoying. I was keeping the lighter in there just so it would look nicer but that shorted out.

Basically, I'm looking for ideas of what to do with that space. I know I could put some sort of stock style cap over it, but because I never plan on using it I'd rather do something more creative. I was thinking of getting a second headlight switch and **** and installing it there to control something, but I have no idea what I would use it for. I've also seen someone put a gear indicator there which was pretty cool. Other than that the only idea I've come up with is push button ignition but I don't want to pay $300 for the RFID kits and I don't see the point if the key has to be in. I could have it work through the alarm but still I'd rather just stick with my key.


So what creative things have people done in place of the cigarette lighter?

 

An LED flashlight would be your cheapest and probably most useful option, might get one myself at some point, but probably not because I am THAT much of a weight ****...
But yeah, rechargeable LED flashlight for like $15-30 if I recall, don't remember who makes them though. But that, a shift light, or a switch imo, though on a stock car there is really no point in the other two imo.

 

My lighter has been missing for quite some time now. The ash tray is gone too. When I first got the car I was about 23. Had some light up toggle switches mounted to the ashtray/lighter cover. Those were for a couple amps I had at the time. Now the cover is just out, I found it the other day. Maybe it will get back in and I can make those switches for something else. I like the push button start idea but agree with you if you have to have the key in. Put EJECT on the end of the lighter maybe or DON'T PUSH. I'm sure it would throw a lot of people off cuz you know they'd push it!

 

I have a LED flashlight I keep in the outlet in my center console. I actually have one a custom engraved: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...camaro-z28.jpg

I made a thread asking if people were interested in them but got no bites: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/misc...-firebird.html

Anyways, I would put the flashlight there but I like that the red glow lights up the center console and I can just turn the flashlight to turn it on and completely light up the console. I also wouldn't like the red glow in the stock location, to tacky looking.

 

heres mine

 

Why not just...put a cigarette lighter in there?

 

That's what I did with mine fits right in, no modifications necessary.

 

Mine was craked to hell around it as the previous owner took it with the wiring for it for some odd reason. Yeah I know I could have went and got a used one from somewhere but I thought this was better as my a pillar was full LOL

 

Well, like I said the stock one was shorting it out. If I'm going to spend money on something I'd rather it be something useful then spending money on a new lighter that will never be used.

I bought a headlight switch assembly which I'm going to try to install there. So basically it'll be like the headlight thing on both sides. On the right side though I think I'm going to try to adapt it to control the power and gain of an amp or something like that.

 

I had problems with the lighter staying in, and burning out the fuse. The fuse had a number of other accessories on it. I gutted the lighter and stuck it back in for appearance.

 

In the old days, we used to gut the lighter socket and put in a push button that would disable the ignition. We'd hide the switch behind the lighter.

 

How long ago are you talking about?

 

or you guys could not bastardize the interiors of another thirdgen.. lol

 

Bah, I think a cigarette ligher jutting out the dash is much worse than any mod that takes it away from the original look.

Smoking is not "cool" and I don't really care for anything in my car to be related to it. Hate the smell of smoke and only hang out with a few people that even have the nasty habit, and they all know not to light one up around me.

I plan to get rid of all the ash trays in my camaro as well as the cigarette lighter just as soon as I can come up with a good thing to put in their place and do it in a way that doesn't damage the interior.

Right now for my cigarette lighter, I'm thinking about putting a digital clock / thermometer. If I do though I will probably make my own in order to make it look integrated and not just be some accessory sticking out there.

The front ashtray I've been thinking about turning into a spare change holder, I like the idea of putting buttons there too, but no clue what I would use the buttons for. Actually just had another idea for the ashtray, but might would do this one in the rear ashtray instead of the front. We all know the cigarette lighter in these cars is placed pretty bad to use for phone chargers and such, so maybe I'll wire in an accessory port in place of one of my ash trays

 

Meh original is more of a factor for me. If i got a car and ashtrays were replaced with thermometers id be bumming. Although i smoke. But not in my Gta. i refuse to even on long trips. Thirdgen beechwood interior... i am not going to mess up.

 

I'm with you. Originality is important. Try replacing missing ashtrays in a 60's Impala. $$$$

 

bahaha, good luck with that! its worth more if its all original. only thing i am not opposed to on that factor is motor work, trans, rear end etc. drivetrain is different. Our cars are pretty slow to begin with so yeah.. lol

 

Anything's better than what I have! (or don't have rather lol)
Still looking for this piece at a reasonable price...

 

p.s. I know I need to fix the wiring.

 

Well pretty much every modification I've done LOOKS like it could be stock, and could EASILY be reverted back to stock. My headlight switch idea - just take out the switch and pop back in the bezel with the lighter socket. To me, a customized, one of a kind car is much more valuable then something that just rolled off an assembly line. A car is a work of art and every one should be unique. Sure, people may pay more for all original, but I could NEVER own a car that I haven't made my own.

 

maybe you could put in a push button to activate your garage door opener, and you could even put it in behind a cig lighter so when you push in the lighter it would activate the button if you want to keep the stock look but have a custom touch

 

Whoa, I have a spare i could just GIVE you. It's the whole panel, complete with the defogger switch and 12 socket, but no lighter itself.
Gotta check what the postage fees are, though.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to disable the cig lighter. You can plug in accessories, like spot lights, portable air compressors..etc.

 

Not a bad idea but I have homelink in my mirror.

I have one in the center console, plus two in the trunk. The stock location may be great for a cig lighter but completely impractical for any power outlet besides maybe a radar detector.

 

Would it be possible to stick a cup holder set down in there in place of the ash tray and cig lighter?

 

Well Pontiacs are different then the Camaros, but I know there's a couple writeups on how to fab cupholders for the ash tray location in a camaro

 

My grandma's suby had a cupholder with two semi rings that folded down and the whole thing fit into a slot almost as narrow as the slit in a cd player for CDs, so you could probably get something like that to fit where the lighter was, problem is it would be in your way, could do something where the ash tray is though, in my case I just simply removed my ash tray, it was kind of dirty and what not and I will not let anyone smoke in my car.

 

 

Dash Tach! My tach didn't work, and I got this one on sale for under $100 a year or two ago, so I popped it there and ran the wires through the lighter opening, and unless you are actually looking behind it, you can't see any ugly opening anymore. I thought this turned out quite nicely.

 

Non smoker here so the lighter was never used and having just got a new HTC Inspire smartphone and not having anywhere to hook it up in the car I bought a USB adapter to fit the lighter so I can charge my power hungry phone. They are about $4 on e-Bay and it looks OK to me and has a little red light that kind of looks like an alarm, or I can pull it out a little and the light goes out.