first problems power steering - hope i didnt buy a 64 galaxie lemon

Stop adding issues... Work it out then rewire. Fords are just fancy lawn mowers..

 

The brake light problem may be related to your other electrical issues. But old Fords have a brake light switch screwed into the master cylinder. I think up until 1964. My 65 has the one mounted on the pedal. Anyway, the ones that screw onto the master cylinder are known to go bad. If you choose to replace it, a cheap one will run you about $4.00 and usually will only last a couple of years. Go to NAPA and spend the big bucks, about $8 or $9 dollars, and get a good one. It may be something as simple as that for the brake lights. Good luck, Im pulling for you

 

Load it up take it to them before you damage more stuff. Can we see a picture of this car you gave $4000 for and expected it to be without any issues ?

 

Seems like the problems have grown quite a bit. Can't be all this bad if you
took it for a test drive and all was well

 

hi all, i appreciate the feedback. i am on vacation this week so i cant do any more damage than i prob already have. i am by no means any sort of good mechanic and i know enough to be dangerous. i have built a few bikes from scratch and done some basic wiring on other vehicles so i sorta get some of the concepts. kind of.

with this car it did run and drive fine. i cant say if it ever charged only because the battery that came with the car went, and after i put a new one in the key switch broke. after that i simply loosened the pow steering pump and removed the belt to see if i could find the cause of the whine coming from the engine. that's it! i put it back and went to start it and the whole solenoid clicking thing started.

at this point the car is back to the same way i got it - same alternator, everything rigged up. the only thing that is different is i replaced the broken key switch with a new OEM one from napa.

i am sure it is a simple issue that is eluding me. prob a short or something somewhere. i know it will get sorted. again i do appreciate everyone's help.

 

well looks like the neutral safety switch went the way of the dodo bird. i decided to try and bypass it just to see if that was the issue and the car runs again. so that's good. considering the amount of wiring junk thats everywhere i wll be calling the hot rod shop to have them do a full rewire in exchange for a website. ill post the site when i am done. hope this does it as i really am looking forward to driving it. just have no idea how i fubar'd it even more as i know at least the brake lights and such were working when i got it. i cant be sure of the reverse or signals as i idiotically didnt check.