I just bought a 1965 convertable and was told on the way home that I had no brake lights. As I was backing into the driveway I saw the brake lights come on. Confused, I pumped the brakes three or four times and the lights stopped working again.
Thinking it must be a loose brake light switch, I checked that first. It seemed to operate fine. I removed the switch and checked the wires which I disconnected. With the ignition off, the black/orange was hot and the black/white was not. I jumped the two wires without the switch and still no brake lights. It was then that I noticed that this also stopped the clock, which is on the same circuit. Disconnect the wire and the clock started again. Did the same experiment with the switch and again the clock stops when the brake switch is activated seemingly to rule out the swith is bad. However...this does not blow the fuse at the fuse block.
All the other lights including the turn signals work as normal. I do not have interior/courtesy lights or glove box light in this car. I did find on the ride home that the turn signals did not turn off automaticaly. I understand that the brake light circuit runs through the turn signal switch.
What are your thoughts on this? Is the turn signal switch the most probable cause or are there other things I should check first? What do you think of the clock stopping? I appreciate any help I can get!
Larry

 

What voltage do you measure on the hot wire to the clock with the brake depressed? What voltage do you measure at the brake light switch with the brake depressed? They should be the same battery voltage (12.5v appr)

 

I was checking with just a test light for power as I don't have a meter. I should be able to pick one up tomorrow. I do have the brake switch out and disconnected. The clock runs fine. When I plug the switch in to the two wires (with the button extended out) the clock stops. Push the button in (as in releasing the brake pedal) and the clock works again. The brake lights do not light at all. In my limited knowledge it would seem that when the brake switch is activated either something is grounding or something is diverting the power from the clock. (I think this is why you are asking what the meter reads). Assuming the clock voltage reading is lower when the brake depressed...what do you think is the cause?
BTW..I've read some of your other posts and thank you fot your help.

 

I'm really having a hard time coming up with a scenario when that could happen. The courtesy lights are on the same circuit. Do they go bright or dim when you press and release the brake switch? The only thing I can think of is when the load of the brake lights is applied, the voltage is dropped too low for the clock to run. Maybe a bad connection at the supply where the clock and brake switch are connected. I'd like to know what happens to the actual voltage reading when it happens. This is a new one and a puzzler in my mind.

The ground for the clock being corroded or loose might cause a drop that would stop the clock with a load on the brakes. Other than the ground at the dash, I don't know of any other connection between the two. Make sure the ground is good in the front behind the dash. The ground for the rear body connector is at the instrument cluster and could possibly be higher than a zero connection. The fact that the tail lights work makes that less likely, but it's all I can come up with.

Edit, I just saw that you said you don't have courtesy lights in the car. When you measure the voltage, let me know what happens.

 

I've owned this car for about 72 hours now and have found some good things such as this must have had a frame-off restoration because it is factory new underneath. I've also found some bad things like the headlights were installed upside down (don't ask me how this could be done) with no adjuster in one. Under the dash, things have been moved..for example the headlight breaker switch is zip tied to the steering column. My point is that in it's 48 years I know it's been tinkered with.
I will go out today and look for the grounds you are talking about. What confuses me is that pulling into the driveway I did have brake lights for a few seconds. I can't seem to make that happen again though.

 

Alright...I stand corrected. While poking around under the dash I found that I do have courtesy lights. I found one on the drivers side that has a bulb in it, however doesn't seem to work. I found a second on the passenger side with no bulb. Also located the cargo area light also with no bulb in it. I removed the bulb from the drivers side and tried the brake switch again. Same deal...no brake lights and clock stops. The bulb has two contacts on it and the socket does also. I used the test light and found power to one of the contacts. When I accidently touched the side of the socket with the test light while checking the contact...the clock stopped! Also..it didn't seem to matter if I turned the headlight switch to the left or not..it had power.
I did find one ground directly above the radio which appeared clean and tight...not sure if this is the ground for the clock. Kinda hard for a guy my size to twist to see up there. Any ideas?

 

Did you blow the fuse when you touched the side? It's the bottom fuse. I'm not sure what you mean by turn the headlight switch to the left. If a door is open, the headlight switch doesn't affect the courtesy lights. If the doors are closed, rotating the headlight switch full left will turn on the courtesy lights. The fact that your car is now not stock will make it very difficult to troubleshoot remotely. Leave the bulbs out of the courtesy lights until you fix the other problem, then make sure you put in #90 bulbs. The wrong bulb will short the circuit again. They must be single filament, double contact bulbs. Any bulb with the base used as a ground will short your socket to ground.

 

The tail lights and brake lights worked screwy when I got my car, too. Sometimes the turn signal lights would work, sometimes not. One night my brake lights stayed on all night.

Replaced the turn signal switch and everything returned to normal and has been that way for a year.

-- Steve

 

No...the fuse didn't blow. The clock stopped working until I removed the test light then ran again. Call me stupid...I didn't see the courtesy light switches that are shut off by the door hinge. I was looking for them by the door latch side. Anyway, I removed the one bulb which is a #90 bulb. Not sure where to go from here.

 

Thanks Steve. I'm wondering if that is the cause too. I know the auto shut off is not working as the turn signals will keep flashing until I manually turn them off. I'm not sure how you test if this is also the problem with the brake lights without tearing it apart and replacing the switch.

 

It should have blown the fuse, what size do you have in there? A 65 uses 20 amp. I'd still like to know the voltage you have on the brake light switch with and without switch closed.

 

If that's the case, you're probably going to want to replace your switch anyway so I'd do that and maybe you'll kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

-- Steve

 

If the turn signal switch fixes your brake lights and cancelling problem, that means you have other issues with at least the clock and the courtesy lights to work on too.

 

Looks like success. I could not understand why the clock would stop and sometimes when checking with the test light, the light would come on but very dim. My first thought was a short somewhere or a ground as suggested. The fuse did not blow, so as 65ggvert suggested, I pulled the fuse. It looks like a 30amp (very hard to read) where it should be a 20 amp.
I then was checking for power at the harmonica style plug. Again, the dim light with the tester. ( I know I know...get a meter!) Plugging the plugs back in caused the clock to stop again.
I cleand the terminals on the connector and the ends in the fuse block. Put things back together and ..voila!...brake lights work, clock works, and all the other lights work. So much so that the courtesy lights don't shut off! lol. I tried with both doors shut and checking the headlight switch. Then opening the doors and pushing the door plunger in by hand. Still stayed on. Right now I only have one bulb in...so I just took it out for now until I can figure it out.
As Steve suggested...I did but a new turn signal switch and the cancelling cam which should arrive today. I have to change the cancelling cam anyway but will hold on to the switch.
Thank you for all the help and suggestions..
Larry

 

Corrected from earlier have power to bottom left side of fuse.This fuse is located at bottom of fuse block identified for courtesy/stop lamps.
Removed all courtesy,dome bulbs, disconnected Brake switch, clock,cigarette lighter, harmonic connectors,Left the headlight switch connected to wiring harness, as soon as the replacing fuse is touched to the bottom fuse block location identified for courtesy/stop lamps it blows. Get a spark off the battery when touching neg battery cable to post. Was "14R" pictured in a earlier post to the cigarette lighter? Get a reading of "12" with multi-meter on left side of bottom fuse identified as courtesy/stop lamps .Both the turn signals and tail lights work.
Thank You
bill

 

This thread is 5 1/2 years old. You'll get more answers and better results starting a new thread.

 

Some advice, forget this old thread and start a new one. This time state clearly what the issue is and what you are doing. This description is too confusing. Think through the question and then re read it before you hit submit. For example, I don't know what a lefty headlight switch is, nor which fuse blows when you touch what.

 

Revised my post .New to and learning how to navigate forum. Though I started a new post
Thanks