Register now to get rid of these ads!

51 Chevy Wiring questions

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by playinsafe44, Mar 27, 2012.

  1. I have slowly been rewiring my brother's '51 Chevy coupe using a rebel 14 circuit kit. I have the everything wired now except for the interior. Well I did get the turn signals wired, but that's it. I don't know how to wire up the rest.

    I need to hook up the stock fuel gauge (I installed a ground from a bolt on the sender, and I have the pink gauge wire that I installed on the post of the sender), but I don't know how this hooks to the gauge. I know the gauge has two posts on it, but I don't want to fry something by installing the wiring incorrectly.

    The next question is the ignition. This car has a newer standard ignition switch installed, but it also has the original push button with it. I have five wires here. Ign Sw Start, Ign Sw Ign, Ign Power, Ign Sw Acc, and Coil. He wants to keep the push button.

    Now the worst part... the headlight switch. I thought this would be easier than the turn signals, but I guess not. The wires I have are; Headlights Power, taillights, parklights, 2 dimmer powers, one high beam, and one low beam. He still has the original headlight switch. The wiring diagram shows it had headlights, taillights, parkilights, battery, instrument, stop, and dome... it wouldn't be right to just install the rebel wires to these positions would it?

    The dimmer switch would just take the hi and low, and one dimmer power, but what about the other dimmer power wire?

    This project has been a struggle to say the least, but I feel like I am learning A LOT from it. Any help would be great.
     
  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    It's kind of hard to tell you how to do it when we can't see what your switches look like....

    The gas gage originally had a tag on it on one of the posts, pretty sure it was the sender side, warning not to connect power to that side. Is any of that tag remaining?
     
  3. silversink
    Joined: May 3, 2008
    Posts: 916

    silversink
    Member

    can't answer the first question ,but post the other 50 and maybe i can help you.
     

  4. I'm glad I asked because there is not tag on the backside of the gauge. I attached a picture of the switch and wiring diagram. That switch is of another one I found online, but the only difference with mine is that mine only has one connection at the back of it.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Just trying to get a some help with a wiring project. I'll try to keep things shorter. Thanks for the help Silversink.
     
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

  7. 24riverview
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,052

    24riverview
    Member

    Hopefully some of this will help
    The answer you need for the gas gauge should be here
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=679721
    Pay attention to the need for a voltage reducer on the power side of the gauge.
    Igntion switch- Do you have 4 terminals on the standard igntion switch, bat, acc, ign. and st (start)?
    Is the start button 2 terminal? If yes, the Ign sw start goes to the button, Ign sw ign and coil go to ign on switch, Ign power goes to bat and Ign sw acc goes to acc. You will have to add a wire from the igntion switch, Ign or bat (your choice, cranks anytime or just with key on) to the other side of the starter button.
    Headlight switch-not sure why you would have 2 dimmer powers, I would think you would have a headlight power, taillight power and dimmer power. That older switch should only have one power feed, newer switches separate the headlight feed (non fused)from everything else (fused). Your head light power wire should go to the original power terminal (Bat) on the switch, tail and park to tail and park. The high and low beam wires should go to dimmer switch, I assume one of the dimmer power will go to the dimmer also (usually the center terminal). Ignore the stop and dome terminals on switch, that's where the power came from originally for those, should be fed from the rebel harness now. You should have a wire in the harness to feed the instrument lights somewhere (sometimes gray?).
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2012
  8. I already have the gauge resistor, but I was getting lost on where to wire things up. I have that ignition switch so I will give this a try. I do have a separate dash light wire, and this lets me know that I don't have to have it going back to the switch. Thanks and I'll let you know how it goes.
     
  9. el caballo loco
    Joined: Mar 7, 2012
    Posts: 166

    el caballo loco
    Member
    from colorado

    It's a little overwhelming when you first start. My advice is 1 circuit at a time and cut NOTHING until you have all circuits run. It'll make your project look like a pile of spaghetti on LSD for awhile but the 1 circuit at a time trick kept me from going totally insane and i only had a 9 circuit rebel kit. : ) Worked beautifully, after i got the signals figured out..
     
  10. 24riverview
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,052

    24riverview
    Member

    Didn't want you to misunderstand, you do still need to hook a dash light feed wire up to the headlight switch at the terminal shown in the manual above.
     
  11. I want to thank everyone for all the help on this. I haven't started the car yet, but the lights, blinkers, dash lights, horn, and so far all the gauges work. The only issue I had was the rear taillights acting funny. I added a ground wire to the housings and everything is working great now. You guys are awesome!
     
  12. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    That's good to hear! sounds like you learned a lot too.
     
  13. Morgan91
    Joined: Sep 12, 2010
    Posts: 560

    Morgan91
    Member
    from Australia

    Sorry I know this thread is old but I'm facing a similer problem bit with the EZ WIRING harness. Most of it makes sence but at what terminal on the stock Chevy switch do you actually hook up the actual headlights?

    Cheers
    Morgan
     
  14. DD COOPMAN
    Joined: Jul 25, 2009
    Posts: 1,122

    DD COOPMAN
    Member

    You must remember that the DIMMER switch is what actually feeds either the LOW or HIGH beam filaments of the headlights. NOTE the terminal on the HEADLIGHT switch (marked: DIMMER SWITCH) that feeds power to the DIMMER switch. DD
     
  15. Morgan91
    Joined: Sep 12, 2010
    Posts: 560

    Morgan91
    Member
    from Australia

    Ah I see Thanks for clearing that up, do the other second wire marked "dimmer" goes to the floor mounts high beam/low beam switch
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.