65 clock bullet light

[John C.]

Anyone know where the center bullet light gets its ground from ? The 2 side lights get ground from the spring clips, but the center light doesn't. The clock, as far as I can tell, only gets 2 spring clips to hold it in place. There are 3 pins on the back side of the clock though. Am I missing something ?
JC

[Marco H.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

The bullet lights are not attached to the spring clips, that hold the clock in place. The metal bracket on the back of the dash panel has small notches/slots, where these lights and clips go to. The A/C cars should have three slots (two at the outboard ends and one in the lower center.) However, I have seen original A/C cars with the outer notches missing. The lights get their ground from the clock-ground-lead through the bracket. Hope this helps.
Marco

[John H.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

The lights get their ground from the clock-ground-lead through the bracket. Hope this helps.
Marco

Marco -

Actually, the "torpedo" lamps get their ground from the upturned end of their retaining clips touching the O.D. of the clock case, and grounding through the clock ground wire; that's why those lamps won't work if the clock isn't installed. The clock bracket riveted to the back side of the fiberglass dash panel isn't grounded.

[John C.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

I noticed that and understand exactly what you are talking about. But, the clock is held in by 2 spring clips and therefore ground 2 of the 3 torpedo lights. The center light isn't grounded by a clip because there isn't a 3rd spring clip. This is the light I'm referring to. Where does it get it's ground from.
JC

[Marco H.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

I noticed that and understand exactly what you are talking about. But, the clock is held in by 2 spring clips and therefore ground 2 of the 3 torpedo lights. The center light isn't grounded by a clip because there isn't a 3rd spring clip. This is the light I'm referring to. Where does it get it's ground from.
JC

Where are your lights attached? To the clock clips or the bracket?

[John C.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

The torpedo housing has a paper clip kind-of thing that slips onto the fiberglass housing , which holds it in place. The spring clip that holds clock in place touches the torpedo housing giving it ground. There are only 2 spring clips, one for each side. The lower (center) light doesn' t get grounded by anything that I can see.
JC

[Marco H.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

John,
The light housing should be attached to the metal bracket that the clock is attached to. As John Hinckley stated, each light housing has a tip that will touch the clock housing when installed. These lights are not grounded through the clock clips, they are grounded through the clock housing, which is grounded through the harness. (I do believe, that the clock housing also grounds the clock bracket.)
AIM UPC C60 sheet A8 shows the attachment of the two additional lights, the center light works on the same principle.

[John C.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

Ok, thank you Marco. I appreciate the knowledge you guys have. Invaluable resource !
JC

[Joe R.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

John,

Maybe the following pictures will help to clarify what has been said. The ground does indeed come thru the clock bracket for each of the lamps that illuminate the center of the dash. One pic is of a 63 with no slots for the lamps as 63's had metal identifiers and needed no illumination. The second with the clock installed in the bracket is of a 64 which had the plastic name plates and needed illumination. The next picture is from the assembly manual (1967) and shows all three slots for the lamps to be installed in the clock bracket. As you can see there was some engineering thoughts of running a seperate ground for the clock bracket. Some bright person probably pointed out that the clock bracket was already grounded thru the metal clips therefore saving the modification. Smart boy on the line!!!

JRDSCN3972.jpgCLOCKBKT.jpg

[John C.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

Fantastic ! Thanks so much. I have a shop manual, but as I see through the forum, there appears to be another commonly used manual , the" AIM ". Assembly instruction Manual ??????. Correct ?
JC

[Marco H.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

Fantastic ! Thanks so much. I have a shop manual, but as I see through the forum, there appears to be another commonly used manual , the" AIM ". Assembly instruction Manual ??????. Correct ? JC

Correct. You are correct.

[John H.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

Fantastic ! Thanks so much. I have a shop manual, but as I see through the forum, there appears to be another commonly used manual , the" AIM ". Assembly instruction Manual ??????. Correct ?
JC

John -

Compared to the Assembly Instruction Manual, the Shop Manual is almost useless in terms of how the car is put together; if you don't have the AIM, you're "flying blind" - it's available from the NCRS on-line store ("NCRS SHOP") in the blue band at the top of the page.

[John C.]

Re: 65 clock bullet light

I'll get that ordered ASAP.
Thanks everyone !!!!!
JC