Just bought a 68 conv and have some mechanical questions

[Michael L.]

Guys,

I just bought a clean 68 SB conv at a local auction. On the whole I think I got about what i paid for but it does have some mechanical issues I'm hoping you guys can help me with:

1) When I put the headlights on, the red brake light and the left green indicator light go on. Why? When I put the blinkers on the lights on the console blink but not the green indicator lights. Obviously I'm thinking a short somewhere but for the life of me I can't see how these lights, in totally seperate systems, would go on with the headlights.

2) The shifter linkage is very sloppy. when I put it in any of the 4 gears it slops back to almost a neutral position. It doesn't pop out of gear or anything and it shifts ok, but I'm wondering if there is a way to rebuild the shifter linkage and make it tighter.

3)The windshield wipers don't work. When I put them on, nothing happens. What's the best way to start trouble-shooting this? Could this be as simple as a fuse?

Thanks for your help.

Mike

[Wayne W.]

Re: Just bought a 68 conv and have some mechanical questions

Your dash light problems would appear to be a ground problem. Just clip a lead to the dash and a ground and see it they clear up. The ground is the only common link between them, however wires could be crossed somewhere.

The wiper problem could very well be the same thing. It is common for the wiper to be found ungrounded. Use the same method to check the ground, also try the heater motor. It has the same ground wire as the wiper. The 68 wiper system has a rather strange hook up, so make sure you have a 68 specific diagram before you work on it.

The shifter can be rebuild. This kind of looseness is sometimes a problem with the mounting bolts, either the bracket or the two shifter mounting bolts. It is common for the mounting bolts to get loose.

[Reba W.]

Re: Just bought a 68 conv and have some mechanical questions

Also check the wiper overrride switch under the steering column. Turning that knob fixed several of them that came into our shop.

[Paul D.]

Re: Just bought a 68 conv and have some mechanical questions

I can't speak to '68 as I don't have a '68 TGM, but on my '71, those indicator lights on the console are actually fiber optic idicators running from the individual bulbs monitored. Across the top are, from left to right, LH turn signal, LH low beam (Green), LH high beam (Red), RH high beam (Red), RH low beam (Green), and RH turn signal. At the bottom , from left to right, are LH stop, tail, turn, (Red), taglight (Clear), and RH stop, tail, turn, (Red). As for the wipers, my limited typing skills keep me from covering all possibilities. Check the overide that Reba mentioned first, but also know that the wiper motor will not run untill the wiper door is open and the switch on the firewall is depressed. lots of vacuum and electrical diagrams are available on this site as well as others on the web. You will also find them in your factory shop manuals. Many years ago when I got my car, one of the most rewarding weekends I ever had with that car was sorting out the fiber optics and wiper door. Chip.

[Michael L.]

Re: Just bought a 68 conv and have some mechanical questions

Thanks guys. I think about the lights going on with the headlights, I should have been more clear about what was going on. It's not that the dash lights aren't working (or the console indicator lights for that matter); its that when I put on the headlights, the left green indicator light on the dash goes on and the red brake light on the dash goes on. These circuits, as far as I can see, don't have anything to do with the headlights. So why would they become energized when the headlights are turned on??? That's what I don't get. I can put up with lights that don't work; the car is old and connections can go bad or bulbs can burn out. But why would those lights go on when the headlights are turned on? Any thoughts?

Mike

[Wayne W.]

Re: Just bought a 68 conv and have some mechanical questions

Usually when strange lights are coming on when other items are turned on, the ground is bad. Electricity seeks a ground. Often that is through some other circuit. Make sure you have a good ground on the radiator support, and the dash. Clip lead both of them to ground and see.

True the headlights may not have a direct link to the dash, except the high beam indicator, but the parking/turn lights come on with the same switch and they certainly do. Check the parking light grounds too.