[jman271]

I would like to thank the team of engineers who designed the headlight switch to be one of the most in-accessible parts to get off this car! LOL, through some searches here though, I was able to get the switch out and clean it.
I am hoping the green funk that was corroding the electrical rheostat looking dial will now help me have dash lights!!?!?!

The bulbs were all good and accounted for, I am going to look now for backlight bulbs for the gauges and make sure they are good too.

The dash had to come out though, I was poking around under it and found wires going nowehere, clipped wire ends held on with tape,(not butt splices), etc and it was driving me nuts to think that this may have had something to do with the dash lights being out, we will see.

After the dash is back in and the lights all work, she is getting an updated stereo with CD player and some new speakers. The reciever has front l&r out but only that mono speaker in the center of the dash. I can wire that mono I guess? I don't want to cut into any door panels for mounting.

I also found a few rubber connectors that go nowhere but I am assuming that this harness went to a few different models or Fords as well that may have been equipped with different things so I am just taping them up and out of the way.

This week, my front headlight wiring harness and alt harness should be in, my alt light is constantly on with a new alt installed and both of these harness appear to have been spliced and taped by Stevie Wonder so I am starting over there in hopes that it cures the issue of the alt light and constant drain.

More soon- J

ps- I am having a blast!

 

[MrEos]

How's your heater core?

[Translation - the headlight switch is low hanging fruit- lol]

 

[Cougrrcj]

How's your heater core?

[Translation - the headlight switch is low hanging fruit- lol]

LMAO! If you're taking the dash apart for any reason, and you have not replaced the heater core in the last ten years, now is the time to tackle that 'having a blast' job - providing you like standing on your head/contorted like a pretzel with a flashlight between your teeth, the (wrong) screwdriver in your hand, and dust/funk falling in your eyes, then by all means - have a blast!

 

[jman271]

My heat works, so I would assume my heater core is fine? I don't see it with the dash off,(looks like a radiator, right?), so it is probably in that large black box on the passenger side behind the glove box?

Is it easy to get out and replace?

Judging from the sounds of it, I sense a small amount of sarcasm that the heater core is not an easy job, oh boy, what did I do,,,,,,,:bloated:

 

[Cedar Rapids Ia]

I think that in the sense of getting the heater core out of the dash, more four letter words have been uttered than you can count.

 

[woodsnake]

Yup...One of the worst jobs there is. I HATE anything inder the dash on these cars..

 

[Harvey]

Ha, My heater core came out very easy! Course so did everything else under the dash. I completely stripped the car so I recon that doesn't count. Now when I go to start reassembling stuff my vocabulary may change. I figure one little piece at a time. We will see as I am not touching the car till spring! Took a whole year just to get it stripped and painted. If I can get most of it together again next year then the engine and tranny the year after I will be tickled.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

For the dash center speaker, there are a few different stereo speakers available for this, or you can even buy the plate alone to put speakers of your choice there. As you might well imagine, the speakers that will fit here are small, two 3.5".

Hope this helps you.

Bob

 

[jman271]

Hmmmm,,,well the dash and gauge cluster are in the back seat along with the large metal lower dash that houses the radio, heater controls, etc, so I am looking at a steering wheel and a wire loom harness.

I am going to look at the core housing this weekend and see whats involved, I hope since all is out of the way, I should be able to get to it?

Also, all of the old dash "insulation", (it looks like brown dust now?), it disintigrated, I wonder, can I use regular insulation? Is this for sound or for heat retention?

Thanks all!

 

[1969XR7Vert]

ABSOLUTELY now is the time for the heater core if you have all of that out. But, if it is an AC car, and the AC works, it involves bremoving that whole big black box that houses both the heater core and the AC evaporator coil.

About the insulation you are seeing, that is the cowl blanket/insulation. Dunno what it is for in particular. Most people do not replace them (but I did). The only place you can get one (a reasonable faxsimile) to my knowledge is from Tom at KTL restorations (google that if you are interested). Tell Tom Bob sent you if you do.

Bob

 

[Bad69cat]

That insulation is supposed to be fire retardent for obvious reasons....so I'd try to get similar or modern stuff to fix it. I agree with needing a good 4-letter word vocabulary for heater core replacement! AND a good supply of knuckle bandaids...

BTW - Don't let Mr. Wonder work on your car anymore!! LOL

 

[jman271]

My car is an A/C car, I removed it though from the engine, only thing left over from it is the stubs that come off the fire wall.

I will jump in there and see what's up, heater cores don't seem that expensive so you guys are right, time to do this now!

More soon, thx all! J

 

[MrEos]

But, if it is an AC car, and the AC works, it involves bremoving that whole big black box that houses both the heater core and the AC evaporator coil.

You can remove the lower half the box and leave the A/C connected. That's the way the instructions that used to be on TCCN did it. With everything else that jman has out, should be easy.

Warning - this is the way full blown restorations get started. Proceed with caution.

EDIT due to simultaneous posting... since A/C is already disconeected, might as well remove the whole box. Be careful - it is fragile. There is a drain at the bottom with a rubber hose attached. That piece will bust off if you're not careful.

 

[jman271]

OK, will do, there are two parts listed for this car with or without AC, since I am not using it, can I just get the non AC core or should I stick with the AC version?

You guys are the best and my pockets are not that deep to do a full blown resto on it.

 

[MrEos]

Get the one for A/C - unless you are swapping out the box for a non-a/c version. Get the seal kit too - it's like $25.

 

[Cougrrcj]

OH NOES!!! :eek7: The dreaded "While I'm at its" have been the demise of many resto projects... Welcome to the affliction, LOL!!! BTW, my own has been a 27-year affair I'm afraid... It started out as 'I might as well detail the engine compartment while the engine is out...' Now I have a gutted shell sitting on six jackstands, in the third garage since this whole mess started!!!

 

[jman271]

Seal kit? For the housing that it sits in? Thx! J

 

[Cougrrcj]

Yes, the foam 'seals' on the flappers/joints degrade with age, so they really should be replaced if you intend to drop the heater/AC plenum...

 

[jman271]

MU has it for $11, done!

 

[leonbray]

Here you go - speaker solution