Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hey Guys:
I'm installing new wire harnesses and I'm not sure of the path for the gas gauge wires. Where do they enter the trunk area?

Also, can someone tell me how the horn ring is removed from the steering wheel.
I tried pushing the center button and turning it CCW but it won't move.

Thanks

The tank sender wire is part of the body loom. I believe 23rd series body looms still followed the older path above the headliner rather than across the floor. If not someone will say so but if it does go above, that loom starts at an opening under the left half of the windshield. There will be some inline connectors at that location to join most of the body loom wires to the main loom. IIRC, the gas sender wire and a power wire called body feed are longer and will connect directly. Sender to the fuel gauge and body feed to a circuit breaker.

At any rate, if going above the loom runs up the windshield pillar and then in a channel above the doors rearward to the left side of the package shelf where it drops down into the trunk. It then is carried by clips follows the lid opening to an area by the left tail light. There are inline connectors near the tail light which join the body loom to the tail light and to another short continuing portion of the loom that crosses over below the trunk lid opening to the right tail light. No matter how the incoming body loom enters the trunk, once in the trunk it joins other wires via inline connectors near the left tail light.

To connect to the sender, somewhere along that short loom continuation from the left tail light over to the right side will be a grommeted hole where two other lengths of wire -- one from the gas tank sender and the other being a license lamp wire will come up into the trunk. There will be more inline connectors that join those two wires to wires either in the body loom or in the short continuation loom. If the hole is nearer the left tail light, probably directly to the body loom. If the hole is nearer the middle, to wires carried in the continuation portion of the loom. On some cars the inline connectors for the sender or license lamp could have wound up positioned underneath the car very near the hole.

On the horn ring it should just release as you said you tried.. Since you are pushing against a sponge rubber piece that acts as both a spring and anti vibration control there is every possibility the sponge rubber has deteriorated and either turned hard as a rock or else turned into a gooey mass which is acting like glue. All I can suggest is keep trying gently because there is no easy solution that does not risk damage to the emblem if either has occurred.

Here is a bit from the parts manual showing the horn ring assy.

Attach file:

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  horn ring.jpg (122.17 KB)

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