Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

[Greg T.]

How is the ballast resister attached to the firewall? Is the screw threaded to the fiberglass or is there something that goes on the inside to thread into? The assembly manual is hard to see. Thanks in advance.

[Douglas L.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

Screw goes into the fiberglass - do not overtighten.

[Bruce B.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

I believe a thread cutting screw is used which goes into a hole in the fiberglass of the firewall.
Bruce B..

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

That bugger has fooled me a lot of times in the last 45 years. I keep thinking it looks like something I did - like I mounted it there and not some Joe at the factory. Lord knows I've had it on and off enough times. I once had a Prestolite ignition box mounted there with that one screw, and it still works fine (not stripped yet!).

Stu Fox

[Timothy B.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

I can't remember but does this screw have a attached star washer?

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

Tim;

That's what mine has (star washer). I guess that's why it looks so out of place like something I added; large phillips head screw w/ star washer.

Stu Fox

[Timothy B.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

Stu,

Do you remember if the star washer is crimped to the bolt or will it slide off.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

Tim;

I'm pretty sure it is crimped on, otherwise I would have lost or replaced it long ago. I will check it today as I have planned some time with the car to drain out some oil (I overfilled it, ya, not used to working with gallon jugs and pre-filling my filter). Us old guys need quarts so we can count how many we put in by the empties laying on the garage floor (just like beer bottles, I guess).

Stu Fox

[Alan D.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

The 64 AIM calls for screw 274326 with locking washer 121753 at 20-40 lbs ft. Unable to find spec on screw, perhaps somebody with the "screw" section will look up for you.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

Wow Alan!

20 to 40 ft-lbs and I'll be looking for a new attachment hole in my firewall! You sure it wasn't 20 to 40 in-lbs?

I think I'll stick with my; "ugh! That's tight enough".

Stu fox

[Alan D.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

Dah, yes in-lbs!!! Go along with the "ugh" Sorry old eyes.

[John D.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

You would have thought the engineers could have installed the ballast resistor in a more durable fashion that what they did. You see a lot of cars that have the BR's swinging in the wind because of the stripped out fiberglass. I guess they didn't figure the cars would still be around almost 50 years later.
The in-lbs versus foot lbs was very funny. We need to laugh more around as some of the posts are disturbing.

[Stan E.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

I,m a fool who overtightened the screw,goes in the glass.

[David D.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

Amen to laughing more, on this Sunday morning!

[John H.]

Re: Ballast Resister Attachment to Firewall

That star washer is the same one that's used at the instrument panel ground wire attachment to the lower brace just to the left of the radio.