COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 544
From: Flemington, NJ
COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
I was upside down in my 74 today looking at the fuse box for a ignition connection to run a new wire from the box to a new HEI distributor.
I was gently movingsome wires aside when I heard the dreaded crackling noise of wires doing things they shouldn't.
It took me a while to find out where it was comming from.
Turns out there is a dash light socket hanging down with no bulb in it.
The two wires comming into the socket were shorting to the button in the center of the socket that the bulb would touch.
I tried to get a better look at what was going on and the dam socket caught on fire, yes on fire.
I wound up ripping the wires out of the socket before I fried my Vet.
Scared the crap out of me.
Never had anything light that happen before.
This makes me thing I should rewire the car because if I wasn't under my dash today this could have happened on the road.
Schoon
I was gently movingsome wires aside when I heard the dreaded crackling noise of wires doing things they shouldn't.
It took me a while to find out where it was comming from.
Turns out there is a dash light socket hanging down with no bulb in it.
The two wires comming into the socket were shorting to the button in the center of the socket that the bulb would touch.
I tried to get a better look at what was going on and the dam socket caught on fire, yes on fire.
I wound up ripping the wires out of the socket before I fried my Vet.
Scared the crap out of me.
Never had anything light that happen before.
This makes me thing I should rewire the car because if I wasn't under my dash today this could have happened on the road.
Schoon
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 527
From: Killeen, Texas
RE: COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
Schoon,
Don't jump off and rewire the whole car. Is it really in that bad of shape? A bulb socket w/ no bulb in it doesn't sound bad. Possibly a socket that someone got the bulb out off and caught hell trying to get the bulb into, and then gave up and left it hanging.
If the harness is a mess or the wiring is just a hacked into bowl of speghetti, I understand, but if not, chill for a day or two and get after it again later.
Don't get discouraged. Be glad that you had the state of mind to ****** that wire and get it out of there. Just remember, it could have been much worse. Talk w/ you in a day or 2. Keep your chin up...w/ a cold oneunderneath for support.
Don't jump off and rewire the whole car. Is it really in that bad of shape? A bulb socket w/ no bulb in it doesn't sound bad. Possibly a socket that someone got the bulb out off and caught hell trying to get the bulb into, and then gave up and left it hanging.
If the harness is a mess or the wiring is just a hacked into bowl of speghetti, I understand, but if not, chill for a day or two and get after it again later.
Don't get discouraged. Be glad that you had the state of mind to ****** that wire and get it out of there. Just remember, it could have been much worse. Talk w/ you in a day or 2. Keep your chin up...w/ a cold oneunderneath for support.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 152
From: Millbrook,Alabama....Slap dab in the middle of God's Country
RE: COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
You just lived thru my worst fear. Hope you had a fire extinguisher handy. That cold one Jim mentioned sounds pretty good.
I'm glad it wasn't any worse.
Good luck with the repairs.
David
I'm glad it wasn't any worse.
Good luck with the repairs.
David
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,244
From: Reno, Nv.
RE: COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
If your wiring looks like mine, you have an undecernable ball of twine. I'm going to start over. 
Glad ya got 'er under control. Hang in there, you could be lookin' at my mess.
Glad ya got 'er under control. Hang in there, you could be lookin' at my mess.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 544
From: Flemington, NJ
RE: COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
This has been a bad week for me!
Last night I had the Camaro out at a show and when I was comming home with the headlights on I noticed my left food was getting very warm.
Turns out I had a short in the dimmer switch and it was heating up fast.
After pulling over and ripping up the rugs and pulling out the connection to the dimmer I was ok.
After market crap!
What next?
Last night I had the Camaro out at a show and when I was comming home with the headlights on I noticed my left food was getting very warm.
Turns out I had a short in the dimmer switch and it was heating up fast.
After pulling over and ripping up the rugs and pulling out the connection to the dimmer I was ok.
After market crap!
What next?
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,328
From: Dickson, TN.
RE: COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
Damn SCHOON, Sorry 'bout the bad luck. Cars are fun aren't they. They don't just drive you from point "A" to point "B", they drive ya crazy as well. Hope you get it sorted out.
On another note...........Did I hear you say "Camaro" and "Show" ???......You been holdin' out on us???...What's the dang deal???....Where's the pictures of the Camaro???.... huh??
On another note...........Did I hear you say "Camaro" and "Show" ???......You been holdin' out on us???...What's the dang deal???....Where's the pictures of the Camaro???.... huh??
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,152
From: NC
RE: COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE
Look on the bright side, you got your Vette light switch fixed, you replaced some loose bulb wires behind the dash you installed a new dizzy, with great results and you had fun with the Camaro at the show.There is always something else to fix but thats just part of owning a classic. How do you think the last buyer at Barret-Jackson felt after he paid 6 figures for the same Camaro that you own had the same problem? PG.
