hey guys. my brights have gotten to the point where they wont stay on without holding the stalk back because the clip or whatever that clicks and holds it is shot. me, being my tinkering self thought it might be neat to retrofit a floor mounted brights switch. any idea on how involved it would be? ive never removed one from an old car so i have no idea how it would mount. i was thinking of just using a big push button switch, but that would involve drilling a 1/2" hole in the floorboard. (not a great idea in the great white north) any ideas are much appreciated!

-tater

I am far from an expert on your setup, but here are a few thoughts:

* The highbeams in your Impala are likely part of an integrated system that turns off the low beams when activated, and also tie in with daytime running lights. The electronics behind this most likely is in series, not parallel (they are not independent of each other).

* Vehicles with the floor high beam on off are likely older vehicles that did not use intergrated electronics to control the high beams. The low beams in most of these vehicles stayed on when the high beams came on, which is not the case with most vehicles with daytime running lights

* Headlights, brakes, fuel delivery, steering components, tires and windshield wipers are things one should never comprimise on.

* Lights are a safety issue, and need to be rock solid and reliable. Take the time, identify why you are having issues with your high beams, isolate and fix the lights to factory specs. This is your girlfriend'* car. Take care of her by fixing the lights to standard.

* Once you fix the lights the proper way, you will be a guru on the light systems on your Impala and many other GM cars. The experience you get will serve you for a lifetime.

Unfortunately for you Jason, I agree with Mike. I recommend not circumventing the existing system due to safety concerns. Fix it the right way.

its actually for my car. ive already pulled a stalk for the impy. just gotta find time to install it.

as for my brights, i was planning on just replacing the switch on the stalk, with the floor switch and extending the 2 wires from the stalk down the column and onto the floor. not looking to play around with bypassing things. so instead of pulling back, id just hit it with my foot. as far as the car is concerned im pulling the stalk back.

i just got to think that would be anoying, there your foot would be hitting it all the time. there has got to be a reason people dont do it anymore.

I have driven vehicles with the floor one. I have always hated it you can never find it in time to turn them off for a oncoming vehicle. Seem easy to find till you actually try it. I personally would not put one in I would fix it to factory.

I remember the floor high beam, it was great, it was fantastic, never had to take your hands off the wheel, sadly they put that function on a stalk on the steering column. My left foot has not had anything to do in any auto for close to 40 years. I also remember starters on the floor. A switch is a switch. I see no difference if the switch is on the sterring column stalk or the floor. Probably a push on push off switch. Yes the PCM controls the headlights just like it controls the blinkers etc. Probably the switch on the stalk momentarily brings one of the legs on the PCM to ground causing the PCM to enable high beams. On my Impala I can manipulate the stalk in a way that both high and low are on at the same time. I have to hold the stalk, but it is like a flame thrower burning the weeds along the road as I go by. The only downside is if you drill any holes, corrosion, if you are interested I havs a factory manual for Impala for the year 2003 with schematics.