1966 c20

[Hantke]

Now to fix the wipers! I've got a bit more work ahead of me... Why did the previous owner have to cut all the wires when he removed stuff? Just tape up the plugs and move it, don't cut the plugs off and leave it there...
Since nobody makes these switches anymore (other than classic truck places) I'm going to need to jimmy rig this until I can afford better. Is anybody here good with wiring? My fuse wire is gone, can I skip it?
I have the black, dark blue, and light blue wires, presumably either on off ground, or power high low. I always assume black = ground so I need to figure out which will work. I'd like to use a simple on / off toggle switch if possible for now.


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[FetchMeAPepsi]

I don't know the wiring, but I bet you can do a three way switch to get the high, low, and off running.

She looks great all washed up!

[Hantke]

I had assumed mine was a single speed, but now that I think about it, I bet it is a multi speed wiper! I'll have to find some diagrams and see what I can fab up.


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[Hantke]

I just got offered a complete 350 V8 W/ automatic transmission for $250 from my girlfriends dad, engine needs a rebuild (bad head gasket so he got coolant in the oil), and I could rebuild it myself given the time and money. Not sure if I want to put a 350 V8 in my C20 or not though, it's a 90's Vortec engine.


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[Culver Adams]

Hello Hantke,

Fine looking truck, fresh out of the wash, dressed in patina and standing tall.

You write about, "Skipping the Fuse".

The guy who invented truck wiring thought electrons are like Husky dogs: eager to pull a sled all day on a piece of dried salmon. They're not. More like cats. Hard to herd. They prefer to run for the battery from whence they came. One short between wire and truck metal and they are on their way. They push and shove and get hot under the collar. Hot enough to melt insulation onto your legs, drop sparks into your shoes, and try to celebrate Fourth of July early. (Don't ask me how I know about this: I'm too busy trying to get the hardened vinyl out of my jeans.)

Fuses discourage this behavior. A fuse on each circuit makes life more enjoyable when a short somewhere drains the battery overnight: pull the fuses until the problem circuit is found and the search for trouble is reduced to a few feet of wire.

Fusing a circuit costs me a few minutes and a couple of dollars. I saves me a half an hour of taking various names in vain and gives me more truck driving time. I'm a fuse fan.

Regards and Enjoy that truck,

Culver

[Hantke]

I don't particularly want to skip having fuses, but I needed the wipers to work for the weekend, and I'm not entirely sure that then fuse panel is even wires correctly. There are so many cut wires and missing pieces and parts (presumably from when it was swapped from a 327 to a 250) that I'm a bit lost.


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[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by Hantke

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I just got offered a complete 350 V8 W/ automatic transmission for $250 from my girlfriends dad, engine needs a rebuild (bad head gasket so he got coolant in the oil), and I could rebuild it myself given the time and money. Not sure if I want to put a 350 V8 in my C20 or not though, it's a 90's Vortec engine.


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Alot of those 90s vortecs have 300k miles on them now. I'd take it if for no other reason than putting it in the garage for a future project.

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[Hantke]

I can't store it in a garage right now, it would be in the back of the pickup because I don't have a cherry picker! Lol! Th engine had 220K on it before he replaced all the wrong parts and it blew on him. Simple rebuild should do the trick!


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[Culver Adams]

Originally Posted by Hantke

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I don't particularly want to skip having fuses, but I needed the wipers to work for the weekend, and I'm not entirely sure that then fuse panel is even wires correctly. There are so many cut wires and missing pieces and parts (presumably from when it was swapped from a 327 to a 250) that I'm a bit lost.


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Hello Hantke,

The bigger the current electrical mess--the greater the opportunity (and incentive) to re-do things better.

Good background info can be found at:

M.A.D. Enterprises
P.O. Box 675
Springville, CA 93265
(559) 539-7128


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Their tech. info, "CHEVY Main Electrical Power System 1963 thru 1971 Chevy" gets you started and has a photo of the Horn Relay Buss Bar.

For quick and dirty wiring the windshield wipers, when you don't know how the fuse box is wired, you can connect Windshield Wipers Power Lead to the Horn Relay Buss Bar--with an inline fuse installed in your Windshield Wipers Power Lead close to the Horn Relay Buss Bar. Follow M.A.D. Enterprises' advice about clean, tight connectors. This is quick and dirty wiring because the Horn Relay Buss Bar is powered whenever the battery is connected--leave the wipers on and the battery drains even though the ignition switch is off--not good. Now you have fused power to your Windshield Wipers Power Lead. Install a switch in the Windshield Wipers Power Lead. To get you through the weekend, almost any switch will do. If you have a 2-speed wiper motor and your switch only handles a 1-speed, pick the one speed that makes you happiest--this is quick and dirty, as in temporary. Connect the switch to Windshield Wipers Power Lead and Windshield Motor. Connect Windshield Motor to Ground. Truck manufacturers call sheet metal Ground. Trucks older than a couple of years don't. Spend your weekend enjoying your windshield wipers, not cleaning sheet metal to frame and frame to battery rust. (Take a few minutes to install a copper ground wire to the bolt securing your battery ground wire to your starter, or something similar. Don't just do a wire wrap-around--install a connector with eye, or whatever fits.)

Now you are good to go for the weekend.

Chevy has wiring (I call them connecting) diagrams in their manuals. They are a starting point. M.A.D. Enterprises discusses improvements--a big one is a better power buss bar than the Horn Relay Buss Bar--another is installing relays on higher amp. things like headlights and electric radiator fans.

There are better fuse boxes than Chevy provided. Lots of fuses, visible and numbered, shorten investigating time. Many working/cruising boats have good systems.

Regards and Hope this helps,

Culver

[Hantke]

Awesome! Thanks! I'm going to grab a roll of wire and solder some connectors up and test the motor off the original fuse box, if that doesn't work I'll have to pull power from somewhere else for now. Thanks for the info! I would love to re-wire the entire truck and do it properly so I know the wiring is good, now is just a really bad time for me. I will definitely do everything properly when I have more time to tinker and test each part for sure!


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