[70ra455]

Hey Dead ... yeah I read the thread and see the bulbs ... I'm labeling everything on the rally harness now ... not sure if a/c yet ... lol ... but I have another harness in the garage that is rally gauge AND a/c which I need ... but it's an auto on the floor car and not the 4 speed which is in my car.

So because of the bulbs etc are you suggesting that I use the a/c rally gauge harness I have and then adapt it to the 4 speed (is there any adaptation necessary?)

Thanks for your help. It's a pretty interesting puzzle going through the wiring diagrams.

[Heybuck]

Originally Posted by 70ra455

Question: I'm going to put a Rally Gauge speedo cluster in the car ... are the plugs that plug into the warning lights the same as the ones that go into the 2 gauges? I see the wiring diagrams and the wires are the same for both versions BUT was wondering whether I need to make some connections?

And how can I test the oil pressure and water temp gauges while out of the car?

Thanks

Phil

Phil, before you go too far down this road, you need to find the correct oil presure sending unit. I understand they are difficult and expensive to locate.

There's a fair bit about this on these very forums. Do a search first.

Maybe you can fit the rally gauges later if and when you find the right sender

Ian

[Deadhead]

Originally Posted by 70ra455

Hey Dead ... yeah I read the thread and see the bulbs ... I'm labeling everything on the rally harness now ... not sure if a/c yet ... lol ... but I have another harness in the garage that is rally gauge AND a/c which I need ... but it's an auto on the floor car and not the 4 speed which is in my car.

So because of the bulbs etc are you suggesting that I use the a/c rally gauge harness I have and then adapt it to the 4 speed (is there any adaptation necessary?)

Thanks for your help. It's a pretty interesting puzzle going through the wiring diagrams.

Use the auto console A/C rally gauge harness. That will work best. The console deal just has a plug in for N/S switch and bulb in storage compartment & shift indicator. Jump the N/S circuit, and you may want to use the bulb if you have a 4 speed console.

You will kick yourself HARD if you have to change out the speedo cluster later. Taking dash pad off and snaking all that mess out from behind the dash is major aggravation. I did it last year, to fix my speed alert speedo, which has since gone bad again. Easy fix other than getting it out, which is an all day job, taking breaks to avoid collateral damage.

[70ra455]

Hi Dead: I looked at the harness I took out of the parts car ... looks like I did it really well without cutting wires ... it is an a/c car and I see the differences in how they wired both units ...

I'm going to use the harness from the parts car (after checking for continuity and resistance where necessary) ... then check out the accessories to make sure they work.

I think I already have a sending unit for the rally gauges ... I'll check my stash of parts that I used for my '65 Bonnie when I had it. I hope I bought one and didn't get gun shy by Sue's saying "another part?" lolol If I don't have one I'll get one somehow ... or maybe we need to have these made up and do a run of 500? LOL

took tires off the GP today and started removing the 8 lugs off the parts car to switch them but had to go out. I need to move the parts car (GP) out in order to put the running '66 Bonnie in that garage when it comes back with me on Monday night ...

I began restoring a really nice a/c dash pad today and it's starting to come out amazing ... gotta finish it next week but upon looking at my 4 dash pads I now know that the '65 and '66 are totally different. Not only the front edge shapes ('65 blunt angle and '66 rounded edge) but also the center a/c vent is TOTALLY different. The '65 has a much smaller "hump" in the pad and a smaller a/c vent which has straight sides ... the '66 is a much larger "hump" and the larger a/c vent is shaped on an angle coming down the sides to fit into the larger "hump" of the pad.)

I will have a restored '65 a/c pad to sell or trade for a similar '66 pad if anyone is interested ... I'll paint the '65 any color you want OR leave it in primer when it's done for you to paint.

Also I will have a restored '65 a/c pad with atc to either sell or trade for an a/c '66 pad. This pad is in such nice shape with only one "nick" in the pad ... it is turquoise and someone can use it as it with no issues if they want to ...

I have a core '66 a/c dash pad (probably 2) that will be available ... very reasonable ... one black and one turquoise ... for sale or trade (with me adding $$$) for a '66 a/c dash pad!

[Ragtop Man]

Mel rocks! Gave me some really good advice, too.

[70ra455]

Went 1400+ miles in 2 days and picked up the '66 Bonnie parts car.

2 extra rechromed bumpers ... MINT
NOS headlight bezels
NOS headlight flanges
New ashtrays
New sunvisor swivel mounts
Mint rearview mirror
Mint condition a/c compressor, and hose
New rear qtr out panels
Mint dash he was putting together with a mint working am/fm radio!
New fuel tank sending unit
New brake lines from Inline Tube

There's more that I can use for my GP then there's more that are for the Bonnie that I haven't decided what to do with yet. It runs like a top! It runs better and stronger than my friend's 70 Charger with 383 and 4 bbl! It rocks so I've got to decide what to do. It came with bucket seats from a '65. New carpet, NOS package tray, new headliner, a console in awesome condition and a shifter, NOS taillight assemblies, extra NOS lenses, extra grills in excellent condition (in a box somewhere ... haven't seen yet), and the list goes on and on. Crazy good deal I think.

Tomorrow is my first day in the garage in awhile and organize the garage and begin to take apart more of the GP ... I want to go to sandblasting in July if possible ... we'll see if I can get the body off the frame by then.

Have to bring my last pulley to the engine rebuilder (thanks Jeff Hillman!) tomorrow. So much to do ... so much fun!

I'll keep you all posted. It'll be time for more pictures soon.

[70ra455]

Oh yeah ... just remembered ...

Mint arm rest bases and pads
Mint dash map light ...

There's more as I open the boxes ...

[70ra455]

Was running the '66 Bonnie for kicks and giggles in the church parking lot and was amazed that it was spinning tires and leaving smoke all over the place! It was fun ... but I was curious so took off the air cleaner and ... wham ... Edlebrock Carb with electric choke ... almost new. I stared laughing.

Last pulley (water pump) brought to engine rebuilder. He said I was missing a bolt for the a/c bracket to head. I found it. He said I needed the 2 spacers for the bracket to the block and the bolts/washers ... found it.

LAST thing ... (I hope) ... is the valve covers so he can prime the engine. Are the '66 421 Valve Covers the same as used on the GTO?? Can someone post pics?

When the engine is COMPLETED with accessories hanging off it I'll take some detailed pics and post them.

Thanks for the help with the valve covers.

Oh one more question ... is the water pump pulley painted the engine blue or black like the ps pump pulley? Thanks ...

[Deadhead]

You should have chrome valve covers with the pyramid for a 421. Anything will fit to do the run-in, but that is what is correct.

[Jerry H.]

Water pump pulley is NOT engine blue! Painted for 65, painted semi gloss black or possibly cadmium plated for 66.

[70ra455]

Thanks Bruce and Jerry ... I thought so on both counts. I have the original valve covers here but wanted to make sure ... I'll use them and get another set that's replated for the "final" assembly.

As for the Water Pump Pulley I'll have it painted semi-gloss black ... that seems to be what I'm seeing on the web ...

[70ra455]

Trying to get my ac box out (has a crack in the cover AND I want to have the engine compartment sandblasted(

Ugh ... can't get to ONE bolt under the left hand (outer passenger) bottom side of the box ... under the blower. Was told to take off the inner fender ...

Removed all bolts (I think! lol) and it's just not slipping out? Do I have to take the actual fender off? If so maybe I'm better off just replacing the side of the box that's cracked (the driver's side) and cover it up real good before blasting??

HELP! LOL

[70ra455]

Update: (Pictures tomorrow)

Engine rebuilt and sitting on engine stand ... got a great deal on a NAPA geared stand ... a friend works for them and can get me his employee discount ... 40-50% off! So I'll be able to use NAPA for all tools and other common ordered parts (like mounts etc) in the future!

Radiator finished. Came out better than new. Mel at Ferndale Radiator is awesome! He is either finished or will be with the a/c condenser ... I'll have it next week.

Front clip is totally off the car. Amazed at how solid it all is.

Interior is out of car other than dash ... that'll be done this week.

Some moldings on outside of car (around doors and rear window) and the car will be ready to take off the frame for the frame to be sandblasted. I have a friend's rotisserie but will have to figure out how it mounts to the body! (Told you that I'm a total rookie lol)

Pictures of car as it is will be taken tomorrow during the day ...

While waiting for body to come off frame I'll start the following this week:

1. take tranny to get looked at
2. move further into my dash pad restorations (multiple pads for '65 and '66) which so far shows real good potential ... results so far on the '65 are great but have one or two things to iron out for outstanding show quality results ...

Once the rotisserie is figured out then I can take it off the frame ... call in the sandblaster ... start with the paint/primer ... and from that point on start the body work and rebuilding process ... I'm pretty excited to be honest ... I figure what's the worst than can happen? I screw it up? Do something twice? Oh well ... I've learned that there are much worse things to deal with in life so I'm just going to enjoy this adventure.

I'll get some pics tomorrow ...

[70ra455]

Some pics ...

[70ra455]

some more ...

[70ra455]

and some more ...

[70ra455]

and ...

[70ra455]

last ...

Wish Danny was here to see this craziness ... he was so funny, dry and sarcastic, and we would have been laughing at his take on all this ...

[Engine-Ear]

Thanks for sharing the pics!

As an aside, I didn't realize that 093 heads ever went in B-body cars (I thought they used 092s)...

[70ra455]

Only the tri power full size cars had the 093 heads as far as I know