I just got my car 3 days ago and until I get my owners manual I have some basic questions.
1. How Do I turn the brights off?
2. What's the **** under the steering wheel? The one that pulls toward the driver.
3. A choke? If so, what is a choke?
4. I have a red wire coming down next to the gas pedal, any thoughts?
(driver side window isn't working)
5. When I turn the car off the flap for the windshield wipers always stays up.
6. What type of additive to add to the gas tank and when.

Thank you so much! I love it more each hour...!

 

1. How Do I turn the brights off? Dimmer switch, should able to tap it with your foot. its under the carpet to the left of the clutch(brake if auto) pedal
As for the rest

 

There should be 3 switches under your steering "column".....the black **** in the middle that twists is the wiper override that parks your wipers on the glass so you can change the blades......the pull down switches to right and left are vacuum overrides that "disconnect" your headlight doors and wiper door...sorry, can't remember which side operates headlights/wiper door......

This could be related to the position of the switch below the steering column, but could also represent a vacuum leak "anywhere" in the headlight/wiper door system......this vacuum system is time consuming but not impossible to troubleshoot.....there's plenty of info on the vacuum system if you run a search...

I have a blue wire, three black wires, a brown wire, 2 purple wires and one red wire hanging around my console and dash.....I don't have any idea what they're for..... ...

...I suggest you buy a chassis service manual for your '70 and study the wiring diagram......It's not hard at all.....I've solved a couple of issues doing that....or take it to an auto electrician, but that'll cost you more money.......

Hope I've helped

 

The red wire hanging down into the driver's footwell...
Is it a thick wire or a thin wire? That's a subjective question so can you compare it with any of the wires in the engine bay?

The wires that feed the windows are thick, heavy-duty wires that are the same diameter on my '76 as the main red wire that feeds the distributor. There is a thinner wire going to the distributor as well, next to the thick red one. Could you compare the dangling wire with the two at the distributor and let us know which it most resembles?

 

You don't want that red wire to short out on something. Use electrical tape and tape up the end of it for now, until you have time to figure it out.

You say the window isn't working. It's possible that it could have something to do with the red wire.
Easy enough to find out.
If you don't have one, get a circuit tester. It's a little gizmo that has a light, a wire with an alligator clip, and either a metal probe or another wire with clip.
Clip the tester wire to the dangling red wire and touch the probe to a good ground (you can use the bolts that hold the steering column in place). with the key off, see if the light illuminates. If not, good. turn the key to run, and repeat the test. Should not light up. Next, press and hold the window switch to the up position and repeat the test. If it's the wire for the window, it should light up. If it does, that is in all likelyhood your window power wire.
If you don't get a light for any of these tests, check your fuses.
It could also be that the other end of the wire you are seeing ends at whatever component it's going to, and not coming from the voltage supply, in other words the wire was broken or cut in the middle. If thats the case, you may have another hanging red wire somewhere up in your dash that may have voltage on it.


Good luck, have fun, be safe!

 

Thank you for taking the time to post these detailed responses. I'll do what you all suggest including taping up that wire until I can test it out.

 

**** that pulls *toward* driver? The only one I can think of is for a tilt-telescoping steering. The ***** that control the wiper door and wipers either rotate or pull down toward the floor. It's not for a choke. All the chokes work automatically. A choke "chokes" off the air to a carb until the engine heats up, then it opens. In 1970 Vettes they operate automatically.

If your system is working, push up on the two outer ***** (controls actually) under the steering column. That will lower the door when the engine is running.

With all the additives in gas nowadays, I don't think you need to add anything more to the tank...