reassurance sought....wiring

[jvandyke]

My '63 has a custom oak dash. Pretty but it also has a mix of old and new switches and controls and the wiring is highly suspect, everything worked but no lights for fuel gauge or temp/oil (the wood is 1" thick and I think these two have the lights in a ring or something in the back to shine through the blue plastic edge? any pictures of that anywhere?) Anyway I have a new harness from the PO so I launched into dewiring the whole car, putting in the new harness, adding relays for the headlights and probably the horn.
I'm hoping I can rig some lights for those two gauges. Not being able to check temp and oil pressure or fuel after dark is very disturbing, not to mention not having fuses for anything (there's a few in line fuses, at least one for the electric fuel pump).
I do have an old dash blank, I could ditch the whole wood thing.
Guess I'm just venting and trolling for general advice.
I like this car, don't want it to burn to the ground and my headlights were VERY dim, the original dipswitch was replaced by me right when I got it, it was burned up pretty good (relay!).
Pictures of those goofy light rings would be great.
Opinions on keeping or ditching the wood dash.
How risky is unhooking the oil pressure line or water temp line?

 

[JPSmit]

well, let me start.

1. FWIW I like the wood dash - it adds character, so if it were me, I might look for newer gauges. My fuel and oil/H20 both have lights that fit in the gauge itself (as opposed to "strapped" to the side.)

2. I would put a fuse on the dash lights and if they are hooked up to a rheostat - take it off the rheostat - when do you want to dim the lights anyway?

3. I would check and recheck and clean and dielectric grease all my ground wires for the dimness - I might even add a few new ones.

4. I would add relays and fuses for the headlights with heavier wires directly from the solenoid for the headlights. (There is some opinion here that wires don't deteriorate, but switches do increasing resistance and more to the point, wires loose voltage over distance - even "midget" distances - the thinner the wore the worse it is and Midgets are fairly thin (18 gauge?) wire. I know mine are much brighter with 14 gauge wire and relays (which I can talk you through)

5. While I was at it I would throw a relay on the horn.

6. I don't know that it is THAT risky disconnecting the Oil/H20 but, only if you are confident of your engine and hopefully only as a temporary measure.

 

[jvandyke]

Thanks for the feedback. Once I had the wheel pulled, dash loose laying flat and saw what a mess I had on my hands I started to freak out. I've been researching the relay thing, seems simple enough. No rheostat I also question the need for that. Wiring seemed pretty simple studying the diagram, looks pretty wild now! Lots of loose, uninsulated and just twisted connections. I'm doing the right thing.

 

[vagt6]

I'd suggest to go through your behind-dash wiring completely. This is not as daunting as you might thing, should take a day or less if you have all the wiring and tools you need.

On most LBCs that haven't been professionally restored (very few, actually), the first order of biz before driving should be to carefully inspect and repair the behind-dash wiring. Everything that goes thru the firewall, at least.

Just check all wires for condition and a solid connection. Be sure the connectors are clean, and very importantly, your grounds are solid. A volt meter is a big help here to check for continuity, etc.

Again, an easy job. Just take your time and figure a few hours' worth of work. Very good insurance.

Goodness knows how many myopic POs have messed up that wiring!

Clean up your wiring, which is obviously suspect. You'll never regret it.

Safe, not sorry.

 

[drooartz]

I started over completely with the Tunebug's wiring when I got the car -- just wasn't worth trying to track down any issues. These cars are very simple to rewire.

If nothing else, you should be able to go over every connection in a day or so. Not that many to check, really.

 

[JPSmit]

BTW, I know there are wiring diagrams on the web and available on Ebay. I took my manual to Office Depot & had them blow mine up to 8 1/2 X 17 - and copied the "key - wiring code" at the same time. I then sat down with some markers. It made my life way easier - and, as has already been said, it gets easier - just one step at a time.

 

[WALTER]

Sounds like you're on the right track. While you have the dash out you can route around your gauges to let the light in.

w

 

[jvandyke]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, create some recesses or tunnels in the wood to point a bulb at to let some light through. Seems they used marine style push/pull switches so now I can match up some more. Was thinking of maybe using some tiny letters like charm bracelet stuff to epoxy on the knobs to indicate what they do.
Good thing to haul into the basement work room while the garage is so cold.
I swear there was a thread about dash turn signal warning lights here but I can't find it back. I want better ones. (currently has two, like a modern car, on passenger side, holes are there so I'll reuse the idea but the lights have black plastic grommets and everything else is chrome so, well, would prefer to spruce it up)
Anyone have a source for such a thing? Maybe just some chrome finish style washers would do it for that matter.
Eventually I'll have to ask how to properly set up the aftermarket horn push, no contact "ring" anymore. I was thinking just normal wires with enough slack to allow for the wheel spin?