How this for a Touring Car

[Gerard F.]

Got back from the Tahoe Regional safe and sound, and thought I'd share this photo going up, with the mountains in the background:



And I had my California or Bust luggage with me, with all my spare parts within:



Luckily, at the last minute I threw in a spare signal switch, which I had replaced with a new repro and did a soldered repair on, a few months ago.

I thought just in case, and as it turned out, I needed it to get home safely with signal lights. Noticed (on the Sportsmans field) that whenever I turned the Ignition (or Accessory) switch on, both rear lights would start blinking dimmly, and the signal flasher would start clicking. Tried troubleshooting everything, but it all pointed to something shorted or crossed in the signal switch within the steering column.

As it was a safety item for going home, I bit the bullet and changed the signal switch in the field (again the Sportsmans field). Thanks, Roy Braatz for the tip on how to remove the steering wheel without a puller.

Here's the two flukes:



The repaired one worked perfectly for the trip home, but I don't trust it.
Gonna put an order in for the expensive USA made one tomorrow.

And when I figure out what happened to this one I put on less than six months ago, you'll see a story.

Having fun,

[Louis T.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Hi Jerry,

Great photos!

It’s a good thing you replaced the switch before smoking and possibly worse ensued. Your experiences with the repro should give pause to owners of C4 and later cars, which are chock full of assorted sophisticated electronics. One wonders who will be supplying those replacement parts 15-20 years from now…

Glad you’re still having fun,

Louis

PS – I’ll be looking for that Restorer article!

[Joe C.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Thanks for the great photos, Jerry!
Serendipitous that you brought along a spare signal switch, and even more so that you were able to swap it in without any special tools. That's a great "trick" certainly worth hearing about.
Joe

[Roy B.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Gerard! An other member needed my help on their electrical problem , I remember when we were young ME and had to do with out the correct tools , we learn fast how to do with out them and get our cars fixed or running using common tools. Glad you got home OK. Great talking with you.

[Dale S.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Glad you got home with no wheel problems. Dale

[Steve D.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Jerry

Great fotos.

As I am hoping to do some touring in my 63 sportsman, I am curious about your lugage rack. Is that adapted from a C3, and are there any installation issues (such as lifting the body) to attach it?

Steve

[Gerard F.]

Re: How's this for a Touring Car

Steve,

The luggage rack in the photo above is a 68-69 aftermarket luggage rack which I put on in 1969. I think the same one is still sold for 68-75's, with six supports. You have to drill six holes through the body for rubber expansion fittings.

On a C2 convertible, you just have to be careful where you drill the holes, and get it centered so the gas cap cover will open. You do take a point hit at judging for the drilled holes in the fiberglass.

My chrome one is getting a little worn. I should have probably gotten a stainless steel one, but I guess I wasn't thinking about longevity or restoration 40 years ago.

[Steve D.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Jerry

Thanks. With a little luck, I'll be touring this summer.

Steve

[Richard M.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

.....ok, I give up. How do you get the wheel off without a puller?

Rich
p.s. Nice photos!

[Gerard F.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Steve,

Use flat thin suitcases, or put the big one on the drivers side like mine.
Otherwise, you will have a 63 convertible with the rear visibility of a 63 SW coupe.

Also, don't use a real long drill bit, you never know what you are drilling into. Just use one of those hole saw bits.

[Gerard F.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Rich,

I gave it a couple of wacks.

Just loosen the steering wheel nut to the top of the threaded shaft, don't take it off. Then give the nut and shaft a number of wacks with a soft hammer (I used the plastic butt end of a screwdriver) while you are applying upward pressure on the steering wheel.

Then with both feet on the floor board, and both hands on the steering wheel, apply upward pressure and rock the wheel back and forth. If you have a partner, have him give the nut and shaft a few wacks while you are applying pressure. If not, a few expletives help.

Once you break it loose, it comes off real fast. That's why you leave the nut on, so that you don't break your nose.

[Joe C.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

It's done like this:

[Duke W.]

Re: How's this for a Touring Car

Steve,

The luggage rack in the photo above is a 68-69 aftermarket luggage rack which I put on in 1969. I think the same one is still sold for 68-75's, with six supports. You have to drill six holes through the body for rubber expansion fittings.

On a C2 convertible, you just have to be careful where you drill the holes, and get it centered so the gas cap cover will open. You do take a point hit at judging for the drilled holes in the fiberglass.

My chrome one is getting a little worn. I should have probably gotten a stainless steel one, but I guess I wasn't thinking about longevity or restoration 40 years ago.

I've been watching the first Season of "Route 66" on a DVD. Your luggage rack is just like Todd and Buzz!

Like 40 year old cars, 40 year old TV programs are a lot better than contemporary offerings!

BTW, in the first episode the Corvette is a '60, but they switched to a '61 for the second episode. No doubt they had mulitple cars in use. Some are clearly manual trans, but most of the time they sound like PG cars. I don't think I was able to pick up that subtlety when I was watching those shows at age 14. Back then it was the car that held my interest. Now I find that it was actually pretty good drama that dealt with issues of the time that I had not come to understand at that point in my life.

Duke

[Steve D.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Thanks for the tips.

[Michael A.]

Re: How this for a Touring Car

Gerry
Great pics and I love to hear the stories of "field" repairs. I can just see you whacking and yanking on that steering wheel! Good stuff.

As for the suitcase, I much prefer the original hardside Samsonite without the sissy wheels! It looks like it would not have obstructed the view as much either. There I go again, resisting change :-(

Keep driving, keep waving, keep smiling and keep posting.

Cheers,