Hello all,and Merry Chistmass.This was my first season with my 64 convertable and boy my wife and i had a great time crusing,putting on 3500 miles. I joined up last month and also joined my local Ontario Chapter.I,ve posted a few times with great respone and i have browsed the forum with fantasic info and responces from very helpfull hobbiests.My questions are 1. My manual shows lights for the ignition and cigarette lighter.They would only be usefull at night and judging,but i,ve read about fires.Should i leave it be, my car is a driver.#2 my rocker moulding has scratches on the top area.Any simple fixes.Thanks Elio
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Re: New Member with some questions
Hi Elio:
Welcome. Nice to hear you put so many miles on your car in a short period of time. Too many just sit and are not driven.
I don't think I would have any worry about a fire as the bulbs are the same as several other in your dash. It just is up to you. No one else is going to know whether they work or not. If me, I would fix them.
As for the scratches, it depends how deep they are. There are plenty on here with experience that should be able to guide you better than me.
Happy motoring.
Bob -
Re: New Member with some questions
I know little about midyears, but I suspect those rocker moldings are hard anodized like later versions. If that's true, then the simple solution for a driver car is to replace the moldings with reproductions.
However, I wouldn't discard the originals...once restored (a complicated and expensive process not possible in your garage), they will be valuable and preferred for a restored car.Comment
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Re: New Member with some questions
Elio, I agree with Chuck 100% about the rocker moldings. I believe they were hard anodized, so hand polishing is not going to be very successful. All excellent restored originals that I've personally seen, were sent off to experts for at least part of the restorative process, and ...it was costly.
I've seen near mint NOS pieces sell in the $500 to $1,000 range (in better economic days). Don't ask how I know this...
I think the advice was perfect. Consider repos for driving, and save your originals in case you decide to restore.
Welcome aboard, Ridge!Good carburetion is fuelish hot air . . .Comment
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Re: New Member with some questions
Elio......Welcome!
About the ignition switch & light......
Did you check to see if the switch has the provision for the light socket? Some replacement switches were a generic type without the housing for the light. Our '63 had a wrong switch, but the light was hiding up inside behind the instrument cluster. I replaced the switch with a original and connected the bulb that was already there.
RichComment
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Re: New Member with some questions
Hi Richard, l was under the dash today and found a grey lead for my cigarette lamp and it looks like l have a regular ignition switch so l,ll have to order a new switch and a new panel bulb socket to mount to it.If l have a 2nd. gray wire thats ok if not l,ll just split the one thats there. l,ll take another look tomorrow. ElioComment
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Re: New Member with some questions
Elio,
Is the hot lead to the cigarette lighter fused? If not, I would recommend adding an inline fuse for fire prevention purposes!
JoeComment
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Re: New Member with some questions
It is not just Corvettes with unfused cigarette lighters. I once had a 1989 Celebrity that nearly caught fire because the cigarette lighter shorted out while the car was parked. I noticed the car filled with smoke and pulled the battery cable before it did more than minor melting of the dash.
I think I'll add a fuse to my 1967 Chevelle just to be safe.TerryComment
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Re: New Member with some questions
Terry,Joe wouldn,t the hot wire for the cigarette lighter come from the fuse panel. Looking at my wiring diagram the hot wire goes to many devices but does start out from the fuse box, it,s easy to add in.What size do you think 5 amp or 10. ElioComment
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Re: New Member with some questions
This is a broad brush answer, ignoring that there are different types of fuses with different response times. I don't wish to get that technical, nor would you want me to. You want to know what time it is and not how to build a clock.
Fuses are generally sized based on the wire size, not the load. I don't know the wire size involved (a look at the wiring diagram for your car will tell you). If it says 10 that wire is good for 30a -- not that the cigarette lighter should draw that, nor would I suggest that large a fuse.
Number 12 wire is good for 20a
Number 14 wire is good for 15a
It is not uncommon to fuse at one size lower than the maximum capicity of the wire. You want the fuse to blow before the wire insulation begins to melt.
Those values are in air, not a tightly wrapped wire bundle. Just a guess -- a 10 amp fuse should be enough for the cigarette lighter, but you really need to check the wire size just to be sure the wire is not too small for that fuse.
I would have to look up the lower wire sizes as I don't know them off the top of my head. They should be someplace on the Internet. I usually deal with much larger wires that are fused at 100, 140, and even 200 amps.
Above that we use switches that are good for 600 to 2000 amps, but those are another story.
TerryComment
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Re: New Member with some questions
Thanks Terry, It,s a 14 g wire so i,ll use a 15a fuse inline when i go to install the new retainer with the bulb housing attachment. ElioComment
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Re: New Member with some questions
Elio -
The Corvette lighter wasn't on a fused circuit until 1967. Your '64 lighter is fed directly from the main buss on the horn relay; that 12-ga. red wire enters the car through the bulkhead connector on the engine side of the fuse block, but just passes through the block on the way to the lighter - it isn't connected to any fuses.Comment
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