Crazy brake lights on a 64 Polara.

[toolmanmike]

I have been told my drivers side brake lights don't work at times. Also my turn signal switch is wonky, not smooth and it doesn't cancel when turning right at times. Tonight when I put it in the garage and closed the door, I stepped on the brakes and sure enough the left lights didn't light. Without turning on the key, I could switch from left to right brake lights by switching the turn signal switch. I had heard here that a bad switch can cause this.

 

[Kern Dog]

Whoa......

I'm going to be watching this one....weird stuff like this can be interesting.

 

[RemCharger]

The switch is the brain. And it has dementia. Let him go.

 

[toolmanmike]

The switch is the brain. And it has dementia. Let him go.

 

[toolmanmike]

Anybody have any good luck with the current aftermarket turn signal switches?

 

[themechanic]

Anybody have any good luck with the current aftermarket turn signal switches?

I have one in my 69 Coronet; it works. I don't drive the card much. So. I can't speak to the durability of the switch. IIRC, the wires on some switches are different colors.

 

[themechanic]

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[toolmanmike]

Oh, my horn doesn't work either. I haven't looked into that but it all goes to or through the T/S switch.

 

[themechanic]

Oh, my horn doesn't work either. I haven't looked into that but it all goes to or through the T/S switch.

Might be time to pull the steering wheel and have a look at the switch.

 

[toolmanmike]

Might be time to pull the steering wheel and have a look at the switch.

I think you're right.

 

[Ron H]

Maybe not related to your hassle, but thought I'd toss it over. After restoring the light housings and after the car was painted, had poor grounding. Road vibrations would create flickering. After trying to do the typical grounding fixes, ended up putting in separate grounding wires solving the problem. Another weird electrical problem I ran across some years before restoring was the fuse block. Tiny blocks they were and after decades I suppose putting in extra stuff, stereos, speakers, tape player, cruise, etc. before I bought it, there were extra spades left in the block and connections coming in contact that weren’t supposed to be in contact and some corrosion. Re-did all of this including new-encased connectors. Better solution would have been an improved fuse setup I was thinking of doing, but after doing the repairs getting desired results I left it be.

 

[toolmanmike]

Maybe not related to your hassle, but thought I'd toss it over. After restoring the light housings and after the car was painted, had poor grounding. Road vibrations would create flickering. After trying to do the typical grounding fixes, ended up putting in separate grounding wires solving the problem. Another weird electrical problem I ran across some years before restoring was the fuse block. Tiny blocks they were and after decades I suppose putting in extra stuff, stereos, speakers, tape player, cruise, etc. before I bought it, there were extra spades left in the block and connections coming in contact that weren’t supposed to be in contact and some corrosion. Re-did all of this including new-encased connectors. Better solution would have been an improved fuse setup I was thinking of doing, but after doing the repairs getting desired results I left it be.

Thanks. Good points there. I will have to check those grounds out when I can get iti to act up. I was messing with it a few days ago after reading a comment from one of you guys that suggested clicking the turn signal switch. I did and of course the left brake lights came on and worked as designed.

 

[Cranky]

Found this out by accident years ago. A car with hazard flashers....turn on everything (but the lights). Then turn on the hazards and turn on a turn signal. Ignition off....don't even need a key. Never tired it on anything older than a 66 though but were hazards available for 65's and older?

 

[Ron H]

I read they were invented in 1951 which is a surprise as I can't say I've ever seen them on anything earlier than later 60's. My dad had a '66 Caddy and don't recall that car having them, thinking they would have been an option or on fancy cars before standard equipment. Maybe it did and don't remember. Think they were mandated around '67 or '68.

 

[Cranky]

I read they were invented in 1951 which is a surprise as I can't say I've ever seen them on anything earlier than later 60's. My dad had a '66 Caddy and don't recall that car having them, thinking they would have been an option or on fancy cars before standard equipment. Maybe it did and don't remember. Think they were mandated around '67 or '68.

Not sure when they were mandated.....but my first 66 Belvedere had them as an option and my present 66 doesn't.

 

[toolmanmike]

I says. Emergency flashers, also known as hazard warning signals, were first available as an option on Dodge vehicles in 1966 and became a standard feature starting in 1967, according to the Antique Automobile Club of America - Discussion Forums. This coincided with broader industry-wide regulations mandating hazard warning signals, which were likely driven by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers).

 

[retractable]

Mopar had a 4 way flasher kit that could be used on many years of cars. I have installed them on a 64 Fury. Not a difficult install.

 

[toolmanmike]

Mopar had a 4 way flasher kit that could be used on many years of cars. I have installed them on a 64 Fury. Not a difficult install.

Out of the 65 Accessories catalog.

 

[Project66]

I just installed 4-ways on my '66 Satellite. I used the switch from a '67 Belvedere. The cool thing about that '67 switch is that it's made to retrofit into the '66 dash, so all I had to do was drill a hole. I was concerned that it might look weird because the other switches fitted into embossed dimples in the otherwise round dash profile, but the bezel and switch on the '67 was apparently made to work with the earlier, non-embossed dash design. It looks like a factory install.

I wired it all up by following the factory '67 wiring diagram. I was a little surprised when it actually worked!

 

[retractable]

I have used this switch kit and was easy to install on a 64 Fury. You can also just get a 4 way switch and make the rest.