"Salvage 1"

[phil cottingham]

Thanks guys, these little things sure slow down progress.

 

[smallfoot]

Yep, grind it...

 

[phil cottingham]

Started working on wiring today. Trying to use what I have. The steering column is out of a 85 El Camino and has all the components in tact. I kept all the wire ends and connectors. I also have an after market fuse box and harness that has had the wire ends all cut off. It was free. Most of the colors seem to match but I'm not sure about what is inside the column. Can I connect 12v to power wire and start checking circuits? Does the fuse box need to be grounded? Any advice would be appreciated

 

[kenny c]

You should be able to look on the internet and find the wiring diagram for the column

 

[smallfoot]

It's in the "diagrams" post in tech tips

 

[animal]

Do the wires on the aftermarket harness have labels on them, designating each wire's use?

 

[phil cottingham]

Yes the wires are labeled. The problem I am having is getting it straight in my head is how the wires from the fuse box ties to the wires on the column and what goes in between the 2. My old mind is just not getting it. The column has the switch, turn signals, hi/lo beam and other stuff I would like to use. I just can't grasp how to mesh the 2 systems.

 

[phil cottingham]

It's in the "diagrams" post in tech tips

Thanks Small, I have the little orange book. It's great. I think the real problem is me. I'm not sure I can be fixed. Gonna get back at it tomorrow after a couple of days off of it

 

[Skip]

Go slow. After I was done installing my Speedway kit, it all seemed to make sense. If I can, you can.

 

[rustybeercan]

I wondered if anyone would pick up on that. About 80 t0 90 % of my build is salvage parts. I loved that show where Andy Griffith made a spaceship out of a cement mixer.

Nothing wrong with that! [cl

Beercan

 

[phil cottingham]

Go slow. After I was done installing my Speedway kit, it all seemed to make sense. If I can, you can.

I didn't get back on it today. I needed a couple of days to get the wires uncrossed in my head. The wires on the fuse box, which are marked are pretty straight forward. The ones on column are not marked. Some are the same color and some are not. I'm not sure which ones are input which are output. I may try to rig a power source to help figure it out. Plus about half the wires on the column may not be used.

 

[phil cottingham]

I got off the wiring for a few days but got back at it today. I got things hooked up, mainly ignition and starter. I wanted to check things with a test light but had no power. Didn't have a battery I could hook up easily. I had a small 12v charger like you recharge a small tool with. Cut the end out and figured out positive and negative, put alligator clips on and hooked up. It worked good checking power going to the switch. Well after checking all the wires for power I hit the start position and it turned the engine over. I had no idea it put out that much power. Now I'm motivated to get more done. More pictures soon.

 

[Burgerman]

Nice progress. You're on your way. I will get my turn with this stuff.

[cl. [P

 

[Old Iron]

When I first started wiring, I would label the wires I knew where they went then figure out the rest. That way I only had about half to figure out.
Keep hackin at it, it's coming around.

 

[phil cottingham]

What's giving me fits are the wires coming out of the column. Just can't figure out which ones come in and which ones go out.