'61 wiring challenge

[Richard P.]

I am trying to reconnect a bunch of loose wires under the hood of '61. Here are my issues for which I could really use some assistance. Sorry to throw so much out at one time, but I thought there may be someone out there who is the "electrical guru".
1. There is a black wire coming through the firewall on the drivers side in the same grommet as the harness for the dimmer switch and the harness for the front lights. Where does this wire connect?
2. AIM, page 144, View C, what wires connect to the left side of the resistor? One goes to coil, but what about the other one? What color?
3. AIM shows black ground connected under washer motor. Where does the other end go?
4. I read about a black radio ground wire that connects to the valve cover. Where does it connect to the radio; come through the firewall; and which valve cover bolt does it attach to?
5. AIM, page 147, shows Lt. Green to resistor. Is this the same green as shown on A144 going to the resistor?

Many thanks

[Donald O.]

Re: '61 wiring challenge

I am trying to reconnect a bunch of loose wires under the hood of '61. Here are my issues for which I could really use some assistance. Sorry to throw so much out at one time, but I thought there may be someone out there who is the "electrical guru".


1. There is a black wire coming through the firewall on the drivers side in the same grommet as the harness for the dimmer switch and the harness for the front lights. Where does this wire connect?
If it is the 14 gauge Black, it is the ground wire for the lights, horns, horn relay.
2. AIM, page 144, View C, what wires connect to the left side of the resistor? One goes to coil, but what about the other one? What color?
It should be 2 wires, both a Light Brown or Tan, with one going to the windshield wiper switch and the other going to the ignition switch.
3. AIM shows black ground connected under washer motor. Where does the other end go?
To the engine grounding point on the passenger side rocker cover, intake mfld side, rear screw.
4. I read about a black radio ground wire that connects to the valve cover. Where does it connect to the radio; come through the firewall; and which valve cover bolt does it attach to?
I believe the radio is grounded to the dash, which is in turn grounded by an 18 gauge wire, joined to the same 14 gauge wire in your question #1.
5. AIM, page 147, shows Lt. Green to resistor. Is this the same green as shown on A144 going to the resistor?
Yes, and it should be a Dark Green wire.

Many thanks

Your AIM page 147 should really be identified as Section 12, Sheet 4.00
and page 144 should be a double size page identified as Section 12, Sheet 2.00

Don

[Richard P.]

Re: '61 wiring challenge

Thanks for the info. It leads me to some obvious follow-up questions.

1. Where does the ground wire to the lights, horn, relay, etc connect?
3. Exactly where will I find the "grounding point" on the passenger side?
4. Do you mean that both black wires connect to the same place on the dash? Where? And where does the radio ground connect on the valve cover?

[Donald O.]

Re: '61 wiring challenge

Thanks for the info. It leads me to some obvious follow-up questions.

1. Where does the ground wire to the lights, horn, relay, etc connect?
There is a splice where seven Black wires are joined, I believe is near the front or where the headlights harness crosses over from drivers to pass side. Thee 14 GA Black wire I mentioned comes from another splice that joins at a point inside the passenger compartment. There should be 3 Black wires: #1 goes to the "birdcage, #2 goes to the dash panel near the radio and #3 goes to forward splice.
There are also four Black with a white strip wires coming from the splice in the cabin: #1 goes to the left door jamb switch, #2 goes to the right door jamb switch, #3 goes to and through the body harness connector for the rear lights and fuel sending meter, #4 goes back into the engine compartment and attaches to the drivers side of the engine at the intake manifold side of the rear rocker cover attaching bolt or screw.
3. Exactly where will I find the "grounding point" on the passenger side?
The grounding point is the passenger side of the engine, on the rear rocker cover bolt or screw on the intake manifold side of the cover.
4. Do you mean that both black wires connect to the same place on the dash? Where? And where does the radio ground connect on the valve cover?
I don't believe that there is a ground wire coming out of the radio
The grounding point is the passenger side of the engine, on the rear rocker cover bolt or screw on the intake manifold side of the cover.

Hope this helps,
Don

[Christopher R.]

Re: '61 wiring challenge

The radio is grounded via a dedicated black wire. It goes from the radio support to the inside rear passenger side valve cover screw. There's another ground wire there too. This is shown in the AIM on the radio page in the options section at the end.

The ground wire on the driver's side, with the horn, high beam, and some other wires, goes to the inside rear driver's side valve cover screw.

[Geoff C.]

Re: '61 wiring challenge

This certainly is a 1961 wiring challange, particularly if you don't own a 1961, never owned a 1961 or even worked on a 1961 or any C1. Although I haven't owned a 1961 for nearly 20 years, I for one would like to locate that birdcage ground referenced by the member above. Perhaps he will tells us where he saw that ground or what his source was for that information.

Geoffrey Coenen

PS I hope this answer will not be another tasty excuse that was kept in a Funk & Wagnall dictionary, wrapped in banana peel, inside a large jar of pickled eggs behind Duke's sausage grill counter at Carlisle.