Have dash out of my 68 coupe and have a few electrical problems I need help with. I am looking for someone who can come to my garage in Milan In and help fix these issues.From other threads I understand I have some grounding issues( no gauges,dash lights,courtesy lights etc. Have changed fuses, new ignition switch,new headlight switch and still have issues. Price is not a problem(within reason) I just want it fixed. Willcox offered to help but the tow to him and back will cost $300 before any work is done. I'm near Cincy( about 40 miles from Tri County and 20 miles inside Indiana along Rt 74.. I know its a long shot but hoping!! Thanks Paul BTW I have every manual and schematic but either I'm too stupid or too old to figure it out!! Its a BB 4 speed that I'm sure may be missing some pieces as the car seems to be a mix of parts( the typical 68)

 

Might be money well spent.

 

$300 towing fee to a proven, well respected, highly knowledgable repair shop with 1968s is a great deal. The cost in time for someone to learn the 68s quirks alone is worth the towing. Electrical mistakes are costly.
Besides once fixed don't tow it home, drive it!

 

No one that's professional, competent with old vettes, has tools, etc will even show up onsite for $100.
Rent a flatbed, tow it yourself. Or pay the $300.

 

If you are up for some testing, we can probably figure this out here... There is strong base of 68 owners on here that are always willing to help.

You'll need a multi-meter, a test light, and a couple of six packs in the fridge. Oh yeah.. Ibuprofen or similar will possibly be a needed tool...

If you are game we'll try it.. just post and let me know. I should have some 68 dash pictures too..

Another alternative might be a new dash harness! For the most part, the dash harness is plug and play! By the time you tow it to me (300), then we start fixing a old chopped up harness (if that is the case) ... You might be better off going that way.

Willcox

 

If you were closer, I'd help you out.

 

I'm game to try it with all the experts on this forum( have had great success with other cars and problems here) Willcox, I have a multi meter,need a test light and have a month's supply of Ibuprofin and liquid courage in large quantities. The left side dash is out,center dash is back in. This much I know- the gauges were checked and functional on the table before putting in.The center gauge ground under console was not connected to anything and your prior pic showed me how to ground it. The oil pressure gauge works plus the radio.no gauge lights or ones for lighter. The left side speedo and tach will work but lights do not. Headlights work,bright light indicator works and the seat belt light on center dash did work. the signals work but tail and marker light do not. I've done this much- changed headlight switch(2nd one in now i have not tested as last new one failed) new ignition switch,new dash light bulbs,several new pigtails for those. Sounds like multiple problems but may not be(hope) I have several grounding straps I can use if grounding is an issue.. As I previously said,I'm not smart enough to figure out.. Tell me where to start Thanks Paul

 

Check the IP fuse. Check to ensure the illumination lights are dimmed up.

Check the fuse.

Make sure the main dash harness is grounded well on the driver's door hinge post.

 

For the gauge lights to work, you have to actually apply ground to each one, to get them to illuminate. The Grey wires are always hot and it's only by putting ground to them, that the circuit is completed and the lamps illuminate. Note, that there are only one grey wire for each lamp, so to complete the circuit, you're gonna apply ground, as that's the only way the lamps light up.

Use a test lead (two alligator clips on a wire) to attach one side to ground and then touch the metal surrounding each lamp to see if it lights up.

 

I've been working on some pictures to help you with this... As Indicated you need to check the fuse first. I'm going to take this one step at a time too.. hopefully if we go slow some things will clear up when fixing others.

Look at this fuse panel in the picture below. What do you see... I see a mess. One common mistake made when working with issues like you have is testing the fuse. Look at it.. Sure looks good huh. No... It looks horrible. The fuse in the panel was good, but the terminals are not... testing the fuse first from end to end and then test from terminal to terminal... While the fuse in this picture is good, it isn't making any contact from the corrosion present. If you see this in your fuse box, pull the all of the fuses and clean the contacts. The see where you are at.

The Green side of the dash lamp fuse (A in the picture) gets power straight from the headlamp switch green wire. So if I had your lamp issue, with the headlamp switch off..

1) Test the fuse continuity (checks the fuse)
2) Test from terminal to terminal(A to B)for continuity, if bad, clean the terminals and test again.

Next, pull the headlamp switch on and test at A and then B for voltage.
If you have voltage there then ground the metal retaining ring in the bulb socket and see if the bulb comes on.

If you don’t have voltage there... then go to the headlamp switch and check the dark green wire at the lamp switch for power. This wire could be broken between the switch and the fuse panel so testing this wire for continuity from A to the headlamp switch connector would be my next test.

 

Great info,I really appreciate your willingness to help.I will get at it late tomorrow morning and see how it goes.Spent tonight putting new door glass in. Anxious to get started Thanks Paul

 

Spent some time checking wiring and updated Willcox with my findings. More confused than ever now!!!!

 

ground wire by starter is on the B+ of the starter rather than block ground

 

may have the culprit! The green wire coming from the headlight switch is not powered so I traced it back to the fuse box(no apparent flaws in the wire) but when I pulled on it from behind the fuse box,the entire connector and fuse appears to be loose and after moving it back and forth,I took fuse out again and found a piece of tin foil behind it! being a Micket Mouse electrical guy even I know that tin foil is a bad sign. Can I take that wire from the fuse box and reconnect it elsewhere to make it work or am I better off getting a new fuse box. That small fuse is difficult to remove and I guess maybe a former owner broke something loose as the dash lights didnt work when I got the car and now tail lights are out as well

 

With the lamp switch pulled out you should still have power on the green side of the fuse.

 

will have to take light switch and ignition from the housing and check further when they are plugged in. So apparently,I haven't found anything yet???? Why would I not get any power on the right side of fuse box and the small gauge fuse location?

 

The right hand side is the gray side (B in the picture). The left hand side should be the green side. If you have power on the green (A in the picture), then the fuse carries it to the other side...

 

Did you check that ground wire, is it on the block, or B+ accidentally? the reason i stated this, is i have done it myself, and it is a very easy mistake, ... and I had the same symptom.,. just a shot..

 

going to get back at it tomorrow. Will hook up ignition and headlight switch take the ground from the left frame piece,clean it up and see what happens then. will be redoing the center console ground as well.. thanks for all the help. Will report back what I find tomorrow. in the middle of all this,I'm finishing up all new glass and rear speakers!!!

 

making some progress. headlights,taillights,marker lights work. with center dash panel in,I am getting the dash lights working but gauges not.I did find the connection for the stop lights but when I press down on the pedal,the lights go dim? I am doing this with ignition switch and head light switch plugged in but not in the left side dash panel so I get no dash lights to the dash lights for the speedo/tach. Ruined my radio taking it in and out so many times that the on off switch is broken so now looking for another radio. any ideas as to gauges not functional? could it be that they arent grounded because the gauge pod is not fastened in? What should I try next. Thanks for all the great tips guys Paul