normal for parking lites to turn off, when headlites turned on?

[madmike]

I'm piecing a '68 Charger back together from a rolling shell.  I never owned one of these cars before.  I have installed a Year One engine bay/front lighting and dash harness in the car.  It was pretty easy, plug n play.

When I press the rocker switch for parking lights, they come on normally.  When I press the rocker switch again for headlites, the front parking lights turn off, but the headlights turn on fine.  It works this way whether the headlights are on hi or lo beam.  This isn't normal is it?  I would think the parking lights should stay on, even with the headlights on?

Since the car is wired correctly, I have to assume this is a normal function, or there is an internal problem with the headlight switch, correct?

Where's a good place to purchase a headlight switch, if I really need one?  Thanks!
Mike

[terrible one]

It is normal. IIRC, on 69's the park lights stay on when the headlights are turned on, but not on 68's. If you search you can find a few threads discussing this as well as a way to make them stay on when you turn the headlights on if that's what you want.

[68neverlate]

I've never owned one of these cars before either and I went through the same thing last winter when I was going through the electrical to clean up connectors etc..  Threw me off for a few days until I got a hold of a wiring diagram and had a look at the switch itself... then I realized the '68s were unique in that way.  Course, if I would have just come to the site and searched a thread or two, I could have found out that way as well.  I was trying to pass an inspection to allow the car to be registered and was concerned that the lights going out would cause it to fail, but because it was designed like that, it wasn't a problem!     

If you do decide to override, a true '68 owner will know you've done it!!   

I like to stick to original, so I left mine the way it was...   

[Ghoste]

66 and 67 are also like that, it wasn't until the 69 model they all stayed on.

[Carrnutt]

Would that be late 69? mine is august 68 build, no headrests, and parking lights go off with headlights on.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

AFA

Would that be late 69? mine is august 68 build, no headrests, and parking lights go off with headlights on.

AFAIK it shouldnt work like that for '69....early or later build

[elacruze]

Yup, strange but true. My '68 D200 pickup is the same, parks go off when headlamps go on.

[bobs66440]

Same here...

[Brock Lee]

My 1969 is an early November 1968 build and they stay on.

[BigBlockSam]

yea, kinda freaked me out a bit when i first noticed the the parking lights go out . mines a 68 charger

[A383Wing]

every car I have owned that had teh park lights go off when headlights are turned on I changed.

I just wired the front park light circuit to the rear light circuit...that way they are on with headlights as well

Bryan