Re: Killed my gauges

Posted by Dave Brownell On 2017/2/16 20:12:33

Once again, advice from this forum has warned me before I could do something I'd regret. Howard's advice on being delicate with the 67 year old wiring on my 1950 will now be extended to anything that I do with either of my 1956 cars. I have made a very large mental note to disconnect all battery power before any poking around is done. A smaller mental note will be to get all uncomfortable, lying on my back under the dash so that you can plainly see what you're doing rather than doing it by feeling around for nuts and fasteners. Inadvertently pushing old wires and straining old connections could get expensive, even without causing a fire.

Many of our more modern cars have their airbag components colored in bright yellow, the wires included. Manufacturers and mechanics emphasize the importance of powering down by disconnecting the battery and waiting minutes before working on or around these yellow things so that they are not accidently deployed. I will extend my own caution to any underdash work by making sure nothing can be energized when working under the dash of any old post-war Packard.