Ah come on! Another one? Enough Already. Oh Fine.

[zKars]

Staying on the topic of electrical issue handling, yesterday was combo switch cleanup and modification day.

Now this car is a 5/70, and as I mentioned the dash from a 71, but fortunately the dash wiring harness is still the early type. Now what does that mean? Well two things identify it as such. One, the fuse block is the LONG pigtail style, and two, the head light wiring is what I call "Ground Switched" rather than the later "12V switched" variety.

In the early cars, the head light switch connects the dimmer switch common terminal to GROUND to turn the headlights on. When in the OFF postion that terminal is simply left to "float" (not connected to anything). The headlights themselves have their common terminal directly wired to the fuse box  (top right two fuses) and has power at all times. The dimmer switch just decides if hi or low beam bulb terminals are grounded. 

In the later cars (can anyone nail down a  build date or VIN where this started?) the headlight switch connects the battery (white red wire at the switch) to the fuse box two fuses via the red wire at the switch to turn the lights on. The center terminal of the dimmer switch is hard wired to ground all the time. The position of the dimmer switch determines if hi or lo beam is on. 

Electrically it is better to turn power off in most of the circuit except when needed. Also its an easy system to design and document.

Now in my case, while the dash wiring harness is "early", the combo switch that is in the car is the later version. Who knows where that came from.  So the head light switch has the usual White and Red 12 gauge wires dangling there. And worse yet there are no 12gauge white/red and red wires coming to the combo switch in the dash harness from the battery and fuse box. So what to do? Get an early combo or modify what I have? Well I only have one early combo half with the ground switch wiring, so I don't want to use that up, so I just modified the wires on the late combo I have to appear to be the early type.

All you do is un-solder the. white/red and red and solder on black wire and terminals so that you replicate the early arrangement. The dimmer switch common (center) also gets a red wire rather than the usual black. All other components are identical. 

Here is the starting point combo head light switch wiring.

Fat white/red and red wires. Red wire turns on the fuse box top right two fuse positions. White/red comes direct from the battery.

Here is what a real "early" switch looks like. Two blacks on the center terminal, and a red  pig tail with a FM bullet. The fatter black goes to a large 0.313 spade FM that connects to the fat black chassis ground in the dash harness in the wiring at the combo. The smaller 18 gauge sneeks under the bottom and provides a ground for the wiper switch. 

 

 

 

 Here is the finished mod with the Fat and skinny black on the center HL Switch (skinny black sneaking underneath to the wiper). The and the new red pigtail connected to a new matching red pigtail from the center of the dimmer switch (instead of the usual black). Now the switch when turned on connects the center dimmer terminal to ground.

 

Edited November 6, 2017 by zKars

[zKars]

For completeness, here is the back of the two types of fuse boxes.

First the early long tail. Power comes in on two identical white wires and powers all five fuses on the right side of the box, including the top two for the head lights.

The later short tail box has the top two right side head light fuses separated from the rest.

The lower three are powered by a single white wire with a ring terminal and screw fixation system. I wonder if my wire crimp corrosion and those aweful 0.312 spade connectors in several places that corrode and melt the coverings. 

[diego1988]

Thank you for the pictures, I have a 78 280z needs manny electric problems

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Classic Zcar Club mobile

[240dkw]

Jim you have a seroius problem. Too bad that car is not closer to me, I could help you kick the habit.

[zKars]

3 minutes ago, 240dkw said:

Jim you have a seroius problem. Too bad that car is not closer to me, I could help you kick the habit.

You just noticed my addiction now? You looking for another project? Talk to me in the spring.

[240dkw]

Possibly, I keep the spring in mind

[zKars]

So this chapter is now closed for the winter. I finished the mechanical/electrical stuff to make it operational and mostly safe, then put it in storage until next spring. We'll see how I feel about its fate then. Restore, flip, pass on to friends (^).

Fun to find all the Canadian UN specific stuff (or lack of stuff) on this one. Hope to find others.

I have another 510 project to work on this winter and couple of friends with strip/paint/re-assemble projects and the usual quicky stuff that happens, and that's enough.

Keep tuned spring 2018.

[zKars]

Well here we are, Spring 2018.  if you call this "spring"...  Spring = green where I come from, not white... 

Well I've decided to let this one go to a good home. Anybody want a very restorable 5/70 that is currently running and safe, let me know.  

Comes with a solid roof section to solve that skylight problem too. Have lots of S1 donor items from 2744 as well that can go with it as well at extra cost. 95% of what you need to make a very nice early Z. Just add hours, welding rod, and $$.

You can have it for what I paid and the labour and parts I put in it to get it running and safe. PM me or z240@shaw.ca

[zKars]

Well that was easy!

Seems 3798 will be going to new good home out east. It will be well cared for. 

[grannyknot]

1 hour ago, zKars said:

Well that was easy!

Seems 3798 will be going to new good home out east. It will be well cared for. 

WHAT?  I thought I was buying #0037  

No, No,  I'm good with any Z,  but I guess I'll have to keep this one stock, that's going to be a challenge.

Thank you Jim

[zKars]

Cat's out of the bag. New owner revealed! 

 

[zKars]

Due to unforeseen circumstances, 3798 is back up for sale. All is good, no need to be concerned.

If you are interested, please let me know.