Restarting My '70 Nova Project

[the old grind]

We've got the entire wiring diagram, and only the tach doesn't work. It was fun while I put <20k mi on it last century but it's not a NOVA so why keep it? OK, enough of this side note & back on topic ....

 

[BravoXray]

We've got the entire wiring diagram, and only the tach doesn't work. It was fun while I put <20k mi on it last century but it's not a NOVA so why keep it? OK, enough of this side note & back on topic ....

Goof looking Vette! I always liked that body style, way better than the recent incarnations.

 

[BravoXray]

Yesterday afternoon, I stuck the dash back in the car, hooked up all the wiring and tried the turn signals. Right side, good, left side, no indicator and I could hear the flasher clicking a lot slower than normal. Checked at the cluster connector and had turn signal, but was still flashing slower than normal. I was hot, sweaty and pissed off, so I turned everything off and went to the house.
This morning, I went back down to the shop, disconnected the dash and set it aside, turned on the left turn signal and it was still flashing slowly. A data point nere is that when I pulled the dash oput, you have to turn the headlights on, pull the knob all the way out, to push a button on the bottom of the switch to get the knob and shaft out. This leaves the headlights on, so I stuck the shaft back in turning off the headlights, and parking lights, and the turn signal started flashing at the normal rate. Sounded like a bad ground. (Been watching too many South Main Auto and Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics videos.)
Turned the headlights back on and walked around the car, and the left rear tail light was flashing dimly, and had no parking light. Popped the trunk and the turn/park light holder was popped out of the taillight housing. Popped it back in and the flashers worked properly. So I Plugged the harness back into the cluster and still no indicator. Pulled the bulb holder out, and there was no bulb in it! Turned the cluster over and shook it and the bulb fell out. I examined the holder and the little contacts looked deformed, so I tweaked them a little, stuck the bulb back in it and into the cluster, and now it works. The holder doesn't hold the bulb as tightly as it should, so I'm going to replace it so I don't have this problem again. I though I might have a spare bulb holder in all my collection of "sfuff", but I don't, so I'm going to order a couple, and when I get them, I'll reassemble everything, again.

Stay tuned...

 

[dodge man]

Sounds like you have it figured out. Do you feel a little beat up after this battle?

 

[BravoXray]

Sounds like you have it figured out. Do you feel a little beat up after this battle?

I don't know about beat up, but I'm sure effing tired of taking the dash in and out.
The crazy thing is, sometimes the left turn signal would flash at the normal rate and sometimes it didn't, have no idea why though.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I don't know about beat up, but I'm sure effing tired of taking the dash in and out.
The crazy thing is, sometimes the left turn signal would flash at the normal rate and sometimes it didn't, have no idea why though.

If it were me, I would be using hand signals out the window or park the car and never drive it again. Of course I'm joking.

I had an 86 Mustang notchback with tinted windows. After 2 tickets for those tinted windows, I parked it for 10 years and never drove it. It sat there and rotted basically. I'm kind of stubborn. You have more patience than I can imagine.

 

[BravoXray]

I had an 86 Mustang notchback with tinted windows. After 2 tickets for those tinted windows, I parked it for 10 years and never drove it. It sat there and rotted basically. I'm kind of stubborn. You have more patience than I can imagine.

I have a scratch built diesel, 10KW generator that I started building back in 2010. It had a serious malfunction on the first test run and bent the shaft on the generator. It sat in the back of my shop until 2020 when I finally pulled it out, repaired it and got it all finished up. Sometimes you have to walk away from a project or you'll just make the problem worse, at least in my experience.

 

[BravoXray]

Today I finally got everything working as it should and got the instrument panel reinstalled. Not sure exactly was wrong, but I think there were several different issues that were intermittent or inconsistent. But, I got everything to work with it out on the floor, worked when set in place, worked when it was screwed in place, and finally worked when the heater controls, radio, headlight switch and speedo cable was installed. In all, I must have had it screwed fast then had to remove it , at least a dozen times, I lost count.
So all I have left to do is clean up the carpet and put the driver's seat back in. One day soon, I'll take it for a drive, maybe to Dairy Queen for a Blizzard as a reward for getting it done.

 

[MossRoad]

My wife and I met while we were both working at the Dairy Queen on LWW in South Bend. The car I was driving at the time....

1970 Nova.

Enjoy yourself!

 

[dodge man]

I was a little afraid you wouldn’t get it sorted out until an actual blizzard hit. I hate electrical problems, I’m glad you had the patience to sort it out.