'71 coupe interior work/questions
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 154
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From: Grand Haven Michigan
'71 coupe interior work/questions
After finding my electric choke was tied to the motor coil, I searched for the fuse box and found a few disturbing things, like foil wrapped fuses. So I decided to go ahead and get the dash panels off and check the wiring. Cause where there is one wiring problem there is probably more.
So as I started taking piecesof the dash apart, its the first time i have done this, im finding that I have to take other pieces off. So as i move to the top frame pieces I am noticing a lot of material is falling off, it looks like the previous owner glued/sealed the pieces to the frame. Is this normal?
I have one more piece to get off, but the last screw is stuck, does anyone have any suggestions on getting this last screw out? I have tried with a screw driver, then with the socket set and i still can't get it to budge. Because I am thinking that I need the whole front paneling off to get the dash pad off and the drivers side console.
I am also going to guess that the following isnt normal, the black bubbly stuff.
Gotta love that mysterious duct taped cloth package under the dash....
And the other fun stuff from inside..
So as I started taking piecesof the dash apart, its the first time i have done this, im finding that I have to take other pieces off. So as i move to the top frame pieces I am noticing a lot of material is falling off, it looks like the previous owner glued/sealed the pieces to the frame. Is this normal?
I have one more piece to get off, but the last screw is stuck, does anyone have any suggestions on getting this last screw out? I have tried with a screw driver, then with the socket set and i still can't get it to budge. Because I am thinking that I need the whole front paneling off to get the dash pad off and the drivers side console.
I am also going to guess that the following isnt normal, the black bubbly stuff.
Gotta love that mysterious duct taped cloth package under the dash....
And the other fun stuff from inside..
Team Owner
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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that black bubbly stuff as you call it looks like rubberized undercoating. and that would not be normal. someone might had tried to stop a water leak at one time
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi ej,
The 2 pieces of windshield trim you show were held on with screws and Velcro type plastic tabs originally.
ORIGINALS are often pretty ugly on the back side. The metal that forms the shape of the trim piece is often rusty and there's also extra foam material from when the piece of trim was vacuum formed.
The undercoating MIGHT be hiding something, but hopefully not!
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
The 2 pieces of windshield trim you show were held on with screws and Velcro type plastic tabs originally.
ORIGINALS are often pretty ugly on the back side. The metal that forms the shape of the trim piece is often rusty and there's also extra foam material from when the piece of trim was vacuum formed.
The undercoating MIGHT be hiding something, but hopefully not!
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 140
From: Western New York
Now you've got my attention! What's in the duct taped package? Maybe Bubba ran drugs with your car a few years ago. Let us know the contents when you find out. If it just looks like some old oregano, put it in a box and send it to me. I'll use it in some pizza sauce.
Duane
Duane
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
Looks like it used to be part of the stereo.Why would anyone try to hide something under that undercoating when you can't see it with the dash pad on anyway.I would take a hard look at the windshield Frame and that body mount for rust.Looks like your opening a can of worms.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 154
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From: Grand Haven Michigan
Everything else I have seen from under the dash doesn't look that bad. I have the center and drivers side to get out yet. Any advice or tricks?
Once I get to the rest of the wiring I will open up that mystery package.
Once I get to the rest of the wiring I will open up that mystery package.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 154
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From: Grand Haven Michigan
Got the rest of the dash out this morning. Had two mystery switches that I did not know where or what they did.
I know what the middle 3 are, but the turn **** on the left and the toggle switch on the right.
I traced the toggle switch wire.
Down the drivers side of the car to just before the hood hinge
Nice loose exposed wire here, but the wire kept going. Up to this point
And then down and under to what i believe from the AIM is the horn.
I know what the middle 3 are, but the turn **** on the left and the toggle switch on the right.
I traced the toggle switch wire.
Down the drivers side of the car to just before the hood hinge
Nice loose exposed wire here, but the wire kept going. Up to this point
And then down and under to what i believe from the AIM is the horn.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 154
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From: Grand Haven Michigan
I then looked at some of the other wires, just inside the engine bay.
a nice bunch of wires not hooked up to anything.
Not to sure what this is too
I see one wire repair on the light switch, and one wire not fixed
and.. i know several people have wondered as to what was in the cloth bag.
Its and aftermarket cruise control system!
a nice bunch of wires not hooked up to anything.
Not to sure what this is too
I see one wire repair on the light switch, and one wire not fixed
and.. i know several people have wondered as to what was in the cloth bag.
Its and aftermarket cruise control system!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Grand Haven Michigan
And now some other photos, along with a question. Is there any good way to get a look at the horn assembly without removing too much stuff?
Also, if you notice anything that looks odd or bad please let me know.
After i look into the obvious problems all but 1 gauge was working so I have to track that down too.
Thanks!
Jay
Also, if you notice anything that looks odd or bad please let me know.
After i look into the obvious problems all but 1 gauge was working so I have to track that down too.
Thanks!
Jay
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
Use dish detergent to thoroughly clean the vinyl panels. Then rinse really, really well. If you need to repair small areas, use polyester body spot putty. To re-color parts, use [liquid] SEM "ColorCoat" vinyl dye and spray it on with PreVal gas/bottle sprayer (find both at pro auto body paint supply store). Have dye mixed to GM interior color code or matched to a sample part you bring in.
The "glue" you see on the backside of the parts is original from the factory. It is actually some excess residue from forming the foam interior of the parts. As long as the vinyl is intact...not cracked, etc... just reuse them.
The "glue" you see on the backside of the parts is original from the factory. It is actually some excess residue from forming the foam interior of the parts. As long as the vinyl is intact...not cracked, etc... just reuse them.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 154
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From: Grand Haven Michigan
I am currently testing the gauges now that I have them out to see if they are working or if it is a harness or sender issue. With the battery gauge in a '71, it is supposed to show the voltage in the battery right? Which terminal should the + voltage be hooked up to?
I have found diagrams on the fuel and temp so that is not a big deal.
Also, I found the gauge bezel was already cracked before i removed and now it is definitely broken. I am willing to replace the radio and it doesn't matter if its stock or not to me. So any recommendations on some of the radio kits w/ bezel?
Thanks,
Jay
I have found diagrams on the fuel and temp so that is not a big deal.
Also, I found the gauge bezel was already cracked before i removed and now it is definitely broken. I am willing to replace the radio and it doesn't matter if its stock or not to me. So any recommendations on some of the radio kits w/ bezel?
Thanks,
Jay
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
The stock '71 car did not have a "voltmeter"...it is an "ammeter". It reads the amount of current flow in the electrical system, rather than the voltage level of the charging system.
If you put 12volts to that meter, you will 'fry' it. You can test it by applying a signal from a 1.5 volt battery to the terminals...very briefly (like, 1/2 second). That will cause the needle to jump. And, if the needle jumps, the meter is GOOD.
Now, if the gauge dial is labeled "VOLTS", perhaps a PO changed out the gauge for a voltmeter. Then, applying 12 v. would not be a problem.
If you put 12volts to that meter, you will 'fry' it. You can test it by applying a signal from a 1.5 volt battery to the terminals...very briefly (like, 1/2 second). That will cause the needle to jump. And, if the needle jumps, the meter is GOOD.
Now, if the gauge dial is labeled "VOLTS", perhaps a PO changed out the gauge for a voltmeter. Then, applying 12 v. would not be a problem.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 154
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From: Grand Haven Michigan
Thanks, after looking through a few things I did see it is an ammeter. Will have to try the battery trick I read about tonight. Luckily all the other gauges appear to work as their supposed to.
The vinyl dyeing stuff I am still slightly confused about. If I get the stuff from say Corvette America that is supposed to be the same color as my interior. After cleaning, I just spray it on like I am spray painting anything else?
The vinyl dyeing stuff I am still slightly confused about. If I get the stuff from say Corvette America that is supposed to be the same color as my interior. After cleaning, I just spray it on like I am spray painting anything else?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,264
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From: Vero Beach FL
Thanks, after looking through a few things I did see it is an ammeter. Will have to try the battery trick I read about tonight. Luckily all the other gauges appear to work as their supposed to.
The vinyl dyeing stuff I am still slightly confused about. If I get the stuff from say Corvette America that is supposed to be the same color as my interior. After cleaning, I just spray it on like I am spray painting anything else?
The vinyl dyeing stuff I am still slightly confused about. If I get the stuff from say Corvette America that is supposed to be the same color as my interior. After cleaning, I just spray it on like I am spray painting anything else?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
You can use any "dye" you want, but I only use SEM "ColorCoat" dye in liquid form that I spray using a PreVal gas canister/bottle sprayer. That bottle sprayer with a couple of gas canisters is less than $10 and it works really well with vinyl dye. You just need to get all the oil/dirt/etc off the plastic/vinyl parts that you want to recolor (use dish detergent, rinse really well and let dry completely). Then spray light, covering coats (2 is enough to turn a black part into a white one, but you can shoot as many coats as you want). Each coat will dry in about 10 minutes, so this is a pretty quick and easy process.
You can buy SEM dye and the sprayer at any local pro auto body paint supply store. And, they can mix it to the GM color code (on your car's trim tag) or match it to a part you bring in to them. If you buy "unknown" dye [or whatever it is] in spray cans via mailorder, what you get is what you get.
You can buy SEM dye and the sprayer at any local pro auto body paint supply store. And, they can mix it to the GM color code (on your car's trim tag) or match it to a part you bring in to them. If you buy "unknown" dye [or whatever it is] in spray cans via mailorder, what you get is what you get.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 803
Likes: 4
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
You can use any "dye" you want, but I only use SEM "ColorCoat" dye in liquid form that I spray using a PreVal gas canister/bottle sprayer. That bottle sprayer with a couple of gas canisters is less than $10 and it works really well with vinyl dye. You just need to get all the oil/dirt/etc off the plastic/vinyl parts that you want to recolor (use dish detergent, rinse really well and let dry completely). Then spray light, covering coats (2 is enough to turn a black part into a white one, but you can shoot as many coats as you want). Each coat will dry in about 10 minutes, so this is a pretty quick and easy process.
You can buy SEM dye and the sprayer at any local pro auto body paint supply store. And, they can mix it to the GM color code (on your car's trim tag) or match it to a part you bring in to them. If you buy "unknown" dye [or whatever it is] in spray cans via mailorder, what you get is what you get.
You can buy SEM dye and the sprayer at any local pro auto body paint supply store. And, they can mix it to the GM color code (on your car's trim tag) or match it to a part you bring in to them. If you buy "unknown" dye [or whatever it is] in spray cans via mailorder, what you get is what you get.
Also, avoid the temptation to handle your newly re-dyed parts for a couple of days, just to let the dye toughen up. I sprayed my parts with an HVLP spray gun. A quart of SEM Colorcoat goes a long way with a well set up gun!
Cheers
Grant