re-wire progress
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
re-wire progress
70+ degrees here in Northeastern Pa. today. I'm realy getting itchy to go for a ride. As usual , I have some questions regarding my re-wiring project.
The car is a 63--cluster is a 65.
1. When I installed the new ignition switch, the only way the it would fit through the cluster means the key goes in upside down. It seems to turn OK, but that can't be right.
2. Brown wire , female connection. Diagram says it's a ground for the gauges. Where does it gound to?
3. Whats the trick with those two clips for the clock? I can't seem to find anything to clip them to. The back side of the dash center is flat. The car didn't come with a clock. Someone had put a c-4 logo where the clock was supposed to be. I hope a prior owner didn't remove something.
Any replies are greatly appreciated.
The car is a 63--cluster is a 65.
1. When I installed the new ignition switch, the only way the it would fit through the cluster means the key goes in upside down. It seems to turn OK, but that can't be right.
2. Brown wire , female connection. Diagram says it's a ground for the gauges. Where does it gound to?
3. Whats the trick with those two clips for the clock? I can't seem to find anything to clip them to. The back side of the dash center is flat. The car didn't come with a clock. Someone had put a c-4 logo where the clock was supposed to be. I hope a prior owner didn't remove something.
Any replies are greatly appreciated.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,015
Likes: 331
From: Southeast Missouri
70+ degrees here in Northeastern Pa. today. I'm realy getting itchy to go for a ride. As usual , I have some questions regarding my re-wiring project.
The car is a 63--cluster is a 65.
1. When I installed the new ignition switch, the only way the it would fit through the cluster means the key goes in upside down. It seems to turn OK, but that can't be right.
2. Brown wire , female connection. Diagram says it's a ground for the gauges. Where does it gound to?
3. Whats the trick with those two clips for the clock? I can't seem to find anything to clip them to. The back side of the dash center is flat. The car didn't come with a clock. Someone had put a c-4 logo where the clock was supposed to be. I hope a prior owner didn't remove something.
Any replies are greatly appreciated.
The car is a 63--cluster is a 65.
1. When I installed the new ignition switch, the only way the it would fit through the cluster means the key goes in upside down. It seems to turn OK, but that can't be right.
2. Brown wire , female connection. Diagram says it's a ground for the gauges. Where does it gound to?
3. Whats the trick with those two clips for the clock? I can't seem to find anything to clip them to. The back side of the dash center is flat. The car didn't come with a clock. Someone had put a c-4 logo where the clock was supposed to be. I hope a prior owner didn't remove something.
Any replies are greatly appreciated.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
2. Brown wire , female connection. Diagram says it's a ground for the gauges. Where does it gound to?
3. Whats the trick with those two clips for the clock? I can't seem to find anything to clip them to. The back side of the dash center is flat. The car didn't come with a clock. Someone had put a c-4 logo where the clock was supposed to be. I hope a prior owner didn't remove something.
Any replies are greatly appreciated.
Any replies are greatly appreciated.
Last edited by 62Jeff; Apr 21, 2007 at 06:25 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
I'm definately screwed with the clock. My center opening doesn't have the support piece as shown in the picture. It's just a hole. I'll try to figure something out.
I might be screwed with the ground for the cluster too. The car came with one of those audio sound aftermarket units in it. it doesn't have the same type of connections that a factory units does. Could I attach the ground to the cross member under the dash?? If not where?
Re: the ignition switch, it has a flat spot at about 1 o'clock. This matches up with a flat spot in the cluster. When I insert it this way , it also matches up with the release button hole in the front. But the key only goes in upside down. Once again, it does appear to turn to the on and start positions OK. It just doesn't seem right.
I might be screwed with the ground for the cluster too. The car came with one of those audio sound aftermarket units in it. it doesn't have the same type of connections that a factory units does. Could I attach the ground to the cross member under the dash?? If not where?
Re: the ignition switch, it has a flat spot at about 1 o'clock. This matches up with a flat spot in the cluster. When I insert it this way , it also matches up with the release button hole in the front. But the key only goes in upside down. Once again, it does appear to turn to the on and start positions OK. It just doesn't seem right.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
Originally Posted by ren
I'm definately screwed with the clock. My center opening doesn't have the support piece as shown in the picture. It's just a hole. I'll try to figure something out.
On my 65, the cross member under the dash is the source for the ground that goes to the cluster, but the cluster still needs to be grounded.
You could fabricate and run a dedicated ground wire from that cross member, to one of the small screws in the back of the cluster. I did that during testing while chasing my wiring issues last Fall.
As for your ignition switch - don't know what to tell you, but here's a picture of the one in my 65. That terminal that is folder over was eventually straightened before finishing the wiring.
Last edited by 62Jeff; Apr 21, 2007 at 10:32 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
But, I don't think your idea is the right one. Connecting a ground wire to your female connector, simply grounds the wiring harness to the cross member - you need to be grounding the cluster to the cross member.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
My harness is for a 63 so I'm sure that there are a few differences from your 65. Doc ReBuild's diagram clearly shows the brown wire with one female connector and lists it as the grownd for the cluster. Before I cut the anything I'll double check the back of the radio to see if I can connect it there. If not, I'll do as I stated in my previous post. Based on what you're saying, shouldn't there be another ground?
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Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
My harness is for a 63 so I'm sure that there are a few differences from your 65. Doc ReBuild's diagram clearly shows the brown wire with one female connector and lists it as the grownd for the cluster. Before I cut the anything I'll double check the back of the radio to see if I can connect it there. If not, I'll do as I stated in my previous post. Based on what you're saying, shouldn't there be another ground?
The factory ground circuit for my 65 is as follows:
Frame gives ground to the birdcage (and dash cross member) from the frame to the front left corner of the rocker through a ground strap
The dash cross member gives ground to the main dash wiring harness from the cross member to the harness through the 14 gauge wire running to the radio connector. That radio connector has a ground wire that comes back out of it and ends up on a tab at the top of the cluster. In the picture below (borrowed from another post on a different topic), you can see the little tab peeking out of the top of the cluster just to the left of the BRAKE light...
So, for the question about "another ground" - my 65 has a ground wire that connects to the cross member with the other end of the wire going into the radio connector. The radio connector has a ground wire coming back out of it into the main harness which ends up at that tab on the cluster.
Did you connect any wires to the top of your cluster in that location?
Jeff
Last edited by 62Jeff; Apr 21, 2007 at 10:53 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
No. There didn't appear to be any that should be attached. The cluster is in, and the only wires that aren't connected are the one's for the steering column( install later) and the light for the ignition. Your pictures are great. I'm beginning to feel that I bit off more than I can chew. The fact that my car has mixed componants is just one problem after another. It might have been easier if I ordered a 65 harness.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,142
Likes: 704
Well, I think it's possible that Doc Rebuild's wiring diagram may be wrong. According to mine, for a '63, the brown wire is for the radio capacitor. The ground wire for the cluster, as well as the clock, is black with a white stripe.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,808
Likes: 24
From: Westport CT
I have his diagram right in front of me (albeit for a 65), the "cluster ground" terminal is a single black wire. There are no brown wires that are marked ground.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 844
Likes: 2
From: Westminster Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08
From working on cars, computers and cellular equipment, if you let the smoke out or break the mirrors, stuff stops working... 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 978
Likes: 1
From: Scranton Pennsylvania
Regrettably, I wasn't able to spend too much time on the car today. I did see brown wire that is on the left side of the cluster and I can't see where it's supposed to go.This wire is a female and has a chrome clip on it. If the cluster should be grounded in the locations in 62jeffs picture, I'll have to remove the cluster again. I'm really more concerned about the missing piece from the dash center. I've seen them advertised for around $100. I'm assuming that a new piece would include the mounting bracket for the clock. I think that if you replace the center piece, you also have to remove the entire dash. Not sure that I'm up to that. Also, I removed the ignition switch again today and once again , the only way that it fits, the is upside down. I really getting frustrated. Not that I thought re-wiring would be easy. I just felt that if I had the proper diagrams and took my time, I could get it done. Every step of the way, there have been problems. Most of the issues were related to the mixture of mid-year componants. I'm almost ready to raise the white flag. I'm going to try to call a few local "vette" guys tomorrow. I don't even know them that well. Just hope that they can help me out of this mess. Tune in tomorrow for the next episode.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
So, IF your cluster has that tab there, you shouldn't have to remove the cluster in order to connect a ground wire to it.
You mention a brown wire with a chrome clip on it. Would it be possible to post a photo of that chrome clip? It doesn't sound familiar.
Keep your chin up - we're all here to help!