Is there a trick to getting the front lamp harness disconnected from the fuse panel or does it just pull right off?

 

Perspective: You've got the hood open, you're standing on the driver's side of the car.

To the right of the steering wheel entrance to the firewall, you'll see where the two main harnesses mate up to the firewall. One is the "engine" harness and the other is the "headlight harness." These descriptions are very loose since each harness contains wires for all of the many other detailed functions forward of the firewall.

The two harnesses are side-by-side. You cannot simply pull one of them away from the firewall. A thick plastic rectangular ring surrounds them. You must first remove this ring. It's held in place by two screws; one the left and one on the right side of the rectangular ring. With the rectangular ring removed you can easily remove (i.e. pull loose) the harness.....HOWEVER... on my 1968, on a 1969, 1970 and what ever years of early C3's....You've got to remove the vacuum reservoir tank to get it out of the way to pull the wire harness away from the firewall and install the new harness. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) OK...now to remove the vacuum reservoir tank ..........you've got to remove the master cylinder and brake lines (well at least the brake lines)..... Also to remove the vacuum reservoir tank, you have to remove the clutch "Z" bar and associated rods. (!!!!!!!!)

I removed my vacuum reservoir tank with the engine removed, the cluch mechanism removed, the master cylinder and brakes removed...and it was still very difficult to remove the tank. Once the tank was removed, I replaced all of my harnesses in the front of the car with repro's from Lectric Limited.

After I removed my original harness, I tried to lightly sand off all of the lugs inside the connectors. The Lectric Limited harness connectors come with some greasy like goo inside of them. Instructions say not to try to remove the goo. Hopefully, it's electrically conductive "goo." Instructions from Lectric Limited are to just push the new connectors into position and screw down the out rectangular ring.

Before I put the engine in, I'm going to check my electrical connections front of the firewall. Even if I have bad connections, it'll be a big problem. (I don't want to remove/replace the vacuum tank again.) If I put the engine in before trying the new harness out, it'll be just about impossible.

....( I had my vacuum reservoir tank powder painted. Even with everything imaginable removed from the engine compartment, I still had problems about getting it scratched while I tried to remove it. I think it was about the last thing I've had powder painted.)

I had so much trouble replacing the harnesses with just about every thing removed. Has anyone been able to replace the harness with more "stuff" still installed?

 

I was able to access the two plugs on the firewall with the eggcrate grill removed on my 70. I didn't realize there was a ring to be removed. I will look at this tomorrow.

Thanks

 

70LS1, what ever happened with the c5 dash you were contimplating putting in your car? Have you given up on it?

 

Future project when I save up enough cash is C5 dash, BCM, PCM, ABS and Active Handling. I pretty much have to do it all at once and I am still working on compatible wheel speed sensors.

 

Sorry, my memory was playing tricks on me. When I awoke this morning, the first thing I thought of was that I incorrectly described how the harness connectors are held in place.

They are held in place my a single screw between the two connectors. The "ring" that holds in the outboard connector, is actually a part of the inboard connector. (inboard as being next to the engine.) To remove the outboard connector, you have to remove the inboard connector.

Hope I didn't cause a problem. Let me know if you find an easy way to remove the connectors! I think removing them may be easier if you have, for example, a 1970 and can remove the louver assembly.

 

Late last night I gave it one more look and found the center screw. I was able to disconnect the two plugs by reaching through the removed louver opening. Didn't have to take anything else apart.