63 under dash wire

[Norm B.]

Re: 63 under dash wire

This morning I checked that solid green wire. With the coil disconnected and all the fuses pulled it still shows continuity to ground. Having said that, one of my insulation issues earlier this year was with the pink ignition wire so at this point in time I would not put too much stock in what I am getting on this particular car, it may be related to my earlier problems. I really can't see where this wire physically comes out either.

I also called Owner #2 this morning. He said that the car did not have back up lights when he had it and as far as he knows it never had them.

[Dino L.]

Re: 63 under dash wire

When I first read this thread, I thought you all had it wrong because I thought 64 was the first year for back up lights T 86, I have never seen a 63 with them .....checking the fact book, there it was, ,$10.80 option on 300 plus cars.....next year 1964 same cost, and ordered on 11000 plus cars? Why such a large jump? T86 available only late in 63 production? Problem with part supply in 1963?

[Brian K.]

Re: 63 under dash wire

Norm, the 63 doesn't have back-up lights and I don't believe it ever did. Sorry still haven't seen the car to get the VIN so don't know if early or late. But here is another thought since it's looking like more 63's have this wire maybe GM went to only one wiring harness which included this back-up light wiring or maybe a shortage caused them install this harness or they installed them just to use up stock.

[Monte M.]

Re: 63 under dash wire

Rich,
Isn't the picture you posted in thread #25 a 1967? If so, that may be the difference.

Norm, As mentioned before, my interior is out of my 63. I tucked the wire harnesses away, but will try to dig them out in the next few days. Being out of the car, it should be very easy for me to see if my car has the wire and to check the two red wires to see if they are connected as in Rich's picture.

My 63 is a coupe that was built on November 8th. Your car is in the general time frame, if I am not mistaken. I have a friend with amid November 63 and I will ask him if he still has his original harnesses. If he has them, I will ask him to take a look.

Anybody else out there with an early built 63, feel free to chime in and let us know what you find.

If we do this right, we can give Norm a new hobby tracking which cars had the wire and which cars did not.

Just don't want you to be bored, Norm.

Monte

[Norm B.]

Re: 63 under dash wire

Monte

Mine is a dreaded "Monday morning car". It's #2507 built Oct. 29.

As for being bored, I never believed what people told me when they retired until I did the same about 6 years ago. It's true, I now don't know how I ever had time to go to work.

Norm

[Richard M.]

Re: 63 under dash wire

Rich,
Isn't the picture you posted in thread #25 a 1967? If so, that may be the difference.
Monte

Monte,
Yes that's a '67 panel. We were trying to ID those 2 terminals. The '63 may be different, but the wiring diagram shows those 2 terminals tied together direct from the Red wire. It could be physically different on the '63 panel.

This morning I checked that solid green wire. With the coil disconnected and all the fuses pulled it still shows continuity to ground. Having said that, one of my insulation issues earlier this year was with the pink ignition wire so at this point in time I would not put too much stock in what I am getting on this particular car, it may be related to my earlier problems. I really can't see where this wire physically comes out either.

I also called Owner #2 this morning. He said that the car did not have back up lights when he had it and as far as he knows it never had them.

Norm,
The green is probably spliced to the IGN circuit wires somewhere in the harness. The IGN circuit also powers gauges, fuel sender, park brake lamp, etc. Since you pulled the coil+ and all fuses and still see a short to ground, you'll have to try to isolate. Unless there's something else still powered by the IGN circuit I forgot about, and therefore still giving a erroneous reading. Since the wiring diagrams are incomplete, and the AMA specs don't even acknowledge that Backup Lamps existed for 1963, I'm at a loss.

Rich

[Norm B.]

Re: 63 under dash wire

Norm,
The green is probably spliced to the IGN circuit wires somewhere in the harness. The IGN circuit also powers gauges, fuel sender, park brake lamp, etc. Since you pulled the coil+ and all fuses and still see a short to ground, you'll have to try to isolate. Unless there's something else still powered by the IGN circuit I forgot about, and therefore still giving a erroneous reading. Since the wiring diagrams are incomplete, and the AMA specs don't even acknowledge that Backup Lamps existed for 1963, I'm at a loss.

Rich

I think the best way to deal with the solid green wire at this time is to wait and see if someone else has a '63 with the same wires and can test it out for ground, at least until I can prove or disprove that it's not an insulation problem on my car. Too bad we are finding this now, about 14 months ago there was a nice pretty line up of 63 '63's in Carlisle. We sure could have got a good sampling there.