That sucks! Jeep Cherokee's were bad for that. I wired my headlight switch to a relay system to prevent this sort of thing. Glad you saved the car though!

OUCH, glad you got it out. Tail lights still work? will you need a wiring harness?

 

-- Edited by hawkeye5766 on Friday 6th of February 2015 12:04:01 PM

A speedo lens is on the top of my list. Let me know what you want for it!

 

thanks

Gerald

That's a heartbreaker that can be healed. Take care.

Let me check with my car buddy in Eastern WA. I remember he had a '64 star chief (US made) at his property he sold the 389 out of to a GTO guy. I plan to head out there in March. I'm sure if I bring a case of Fosters Lager Beer he will just let me take it and send it to you (just reimburse me for the beer and S&H) I will let you know. I will find out on how to remove the cluster safely (and pray there are freakin spiders like the last '70 Impala I parted out there) I should be good. I will let you know,Raj.

My switch died a while back as well. Apparently upgrading to halogen lights eventually overloads it. Thankfully it passed quietly and didn't go out with a blaze. There is a relay wiring harness available that will draw the current directly from the battery. Haven't done it myself, but its on the to do list for sure.

I had a fellow tell me some years back, he put halogens in his car and the wires melted on his floor high/low beam switch.

Carguy327 wrote:

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I'm digging into the dash now and it doesn't seem like the headlight switch was the culprit. I'm thinking it was the battery gauge..not 100% sure yet. ??!!

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That's the next thing I'm thinking of modifying or disabling. I've never had an issue but I've heard of guys who did.

Been a while since I did a 64, but I just pulled out a 62 a while ago. The chrome instrument cluster surround, which is almost the width of the whole dash, has about a dozen or so studs and nuts holding it into the metal dash housing. I undo all the nuts and unplug the wiring from all the various instruments, and take the whole thing out in one unit. I did a 65 Custom Sport a couple years back, same thing. I take them all out now, and save them until I sell my driver, just in case I need anything. You have to work around the steering column, if you aren't pulling it.
You may only need a few pieces changed, in which case you may not want to pull your whole dash out. I did the one in my 65 442 last year. It was so damaged that I yanked the whole cluster, pulled another out of a 65 f-85, made whatever changes I needed, and re-installed the dash cluster. You carefully plug on what you can before insertion. I try to leave the radios in as well. Be really delicate with any wiring that plugs onto pins. The solder points crack easily, I've found.
I recommend dropping down the steering column, or removing it. They're a real b--ch to work around. Also, if you are small, it's really helpful. I'm fairly large, and my wife usually hears a lot of foul language when I'm stuffed under a dash. It's muffled a bit, though :)
If you don't have A/C you're in good shape. None of the extra vents and hoses to work around.
What you need to do is actually quite simple once you understand how it holds together. Just be patient, don't rush, and when you get mad take a coffee break.
I save all my wiring harnesses as well, now. I've got boxes of them from sixties Oldsmobiles and some Pontiacs. When I find a melted plug, or butchered wiring, I just dig through a box until I find the correct ends, and either change them or cut them off and solder them on the harness.
Almost every sixties car I get has something melted or butchered somewhere.

your not going to be able to take off the chrome dash bezel it's all one piece

- remove the wipers, then the cowl vent sheet metal ,  there are 2 speed nuts holding the dash pad.

- remove all the screws under the dash pad.. and remove it.

- now you can access the 4 - 5/16 bolts the hold the cluster in.  2 on the top , 2 on the bottom.  and you can see the wiring. 

 

it took me 5 minutes to pull this one out.. From the top...

 

 

-- Edited by rabbit64cs on Sunday 8th of February 2015 11:42:47 AM

-- Edited by rabbit64cs on Sunday 8th of February 2015 11:43:40 AM

Gasonmiles wrote:

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Sorry to hear about this and guess I haven't heard the headlight switch issues. I was thinking of putting a relay on my convertible top circuit, anyone done this? I guess I will look into the headlights too.

Thanks for sharing this info, why this site is so cool!

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 Isn't that relay in the left foot area, just under the upholstery, for the power top?

HonestDave wrote:

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Gasonmiles wrote:

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Sorry to hear about this and guess I haven't heard the headlight switch issues. I was thinking of putting a relay on my convertible top circuit, anyone done this? I guess I will look into the headlights too.

Thanks for sharing this info, why this site is so cool!

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 Isn't that relay in the left foot area, just under the upholstery, for the power top?

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 Same 20A relay in the same location is used for power windows.