Re: IML: Progress of a sort/Working on a '60 Imperial

["Rob van der Es" <r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yep, after removing it a couple of times now I can almost do it blindfolded..
And I thought that I was the only one that has removed the instrument
cluster as much as I already have done...

All the best,

Robert


Op Wo, 18 oktober, 2006 1:23 pm, schreef randalpark@xxxxxxx:
> I agree and understand the issue of having to remove the cluster to
> access the wiper switch. Amazingly, in the interest of servicability for
> both the switches and the dash lighting system, the wiring to the cluster
> in 1961 through 1963 was extended to allow for removal of the cluster
> without disconnecting everything. In 1963, the addition of the automatic
> parking brake release substantially interfered with access to some
> components, but it still isn't too bad to work on.
>
> Even so, on the 1960 model, the cluster is pretty easy to remove. After
> you have done it five or six times (haven't we all???), it becomes rather
> routine.
>
> Cheers!
>
>
> Paul W.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 1:02 AM
> Subject: Re: IML: Progress of a sort/Working on a '60 Imperial
>
>
>
> Hi Paul,
>
>
> I think you are making a very good point here, often one get confused and
>  distracted by all the wiring under the dash. Yes, the car was a little
> over the top with all those new technology in it but most of it still
> works in 2006. And when not, it is quite easy to repair both the radio and
> powerpack for e.g. Been there, done that :)
>
> The only not so easy thing to repair, as far as I can judge now, is the
> wiper motor and parking switch. Even the wiper switch is in-accessible, you
> have to remove the complete instrument cluster to get access to it.
>
> But as said before, isn't that part of the fun of owning such a beautiful
>  car?
>
> I won't give up and will stick to it like glue :)
>
>
> Robert
>
>
> Op Di, 17 oktober, 2006 3:12 pm, schreef randalpark@xxxxxxx:
>
>> I have found one thing that can be said for working on the 1960
>> Imperial
>> is this: when I decide that I want to work on a specific thing, I can go
>>  right to it, spend a few hours, and see the result. This has been
>> pretty much true of all of my Imperials (newest is '68), while other
>> stuff that I own is not that direct. Even when working under the dash,
>> it is fairly simple to focus on one item without having to disassemble
>> lots of other things to get to it.
>>
>> Human nature makes it easy to become totally mystified by a problem,
>> and get bogged down in the idea of electrical gremlins, or jump to an
>> incorrect conclusion, while in fact there are only a few things that
>> can be wrong. I believe that the '60 Imperial is a complex automobile.
>> Where
>> there could be a light bulb, there is an electro luminescent panel
>> powered by a transformer. That is one example of "over the top"
>> technology for its time. The radio is a "hybrid", consisting of both
>> transistors and tubes, as well as an electric motor, and more electro
>> luminescence. Still, owning, driving, and maintaining the car causes
>> one to become very familiar with those systems and features, leading to
>> little difficulty in trouble shooting and making a repair. There are no
>>  computers, sensors, or interactive monitoring systems that can create
>> multitudes of symptoms from a seemingly unrelated malfunction.
>>
>> Stick with it and don't give up, the more you do, the more you learn.
>> The
>> experience is invaluable, especially if you plan on keeping the car, or
>> buying another Imperial. What goes wrong in one usually goes wrong in
>> another without much variation on the theme. The bottom line is that it
>>  is a very repairable machine.
>>
>> Paul W.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sent: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 1:05 AM
>> Subject: Re: IML: Progress of a sort
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Donn,
>>
>>
>>
>> Ahhh, the joys of owning and maintaining a 1960 Imperial...
>> Been there, done that and as a matter of fact.. Still do!!
>>
>>
>>
>> Isn't it great fun to find yourself under the dash upside down (not too
>>  easy when you are size XXL :) trying to repair something that is
>> hidden there?
>>
>> Right now I am trying to fix the wiper motor, it suddenly stopped
>> working and haven't found out yet what is wrong. Since both the switch
>> and the wiper motor are really hard to accesss this aint a job for the
>> faint hearted!
>>
>> Another problem is that the EL dash lighting system from time to time
>> fails to work, I have already thrown in a new (=rebuild) power pack but
>> the dash still gets dark every now and then (after a few days everything
>> is working again for an hour or so..) Must be one of the gauges that is
>> shorting out I guess, so in a short time I will finding myself again
>> under the dash pulling white leads from the gauges to find out which
>> one is guilty.
>>
>> Then we have the strange problem with the dome-light, it stays on when
>> the doors are closed.. And even stranger it shines it's light at half
>> power or so. There must be a shortcircuit to ground (and no, the
>> doorswitches are ok and so is the manual switch: with all those
>> switches disconnected the dome light is still working at half power..)
>> but I haven't found out yet where.
>>
>> I learned from Richard Burgess that there is a connectionpoint under
>> the headliner, running from the manual switch to the domelight and then
>> to left rear wheel well where it connected to the doorswitches, so
>> problably the shortcircuit is in this area...
>>
>> Apart from all these electrical problems (the electrical system of the
>> 60
>> model year isn't of the same quality as the rest of the car if you ask
>> me) the car drives beautifully. Running strong and is shifting gears
>> perfectly, all I have to do in this aspect is to sort out a rough idle.
>> I
>> might be in for a new harmonic damper since the timing mark seems to
>> have slipped..
>>
>> So enough work to do, but it is worth every minute of time that I have
>> spend so far to make the car better then it was before I bought it:) It
>> is fun, and to see all those faces of people looking at a car that they
>> have never seen before...Well, it makes it all worth I guess!
>>
>> So Donn, keep up the good work and keep it runnin'
>>
>>
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>>
>>
>> Robert
>> 1960 Crown 4 door Hardtop
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Op Di, 17 oktober, 2006 5:16 am, schreef Donn Reese:
>>
>>
>>> In fits and starts the Imperial is getting more roadworthy, but good
>>> grief is it putting up a fight!  Maybe it's just tired and WANTS to go
>>>  sit in a pasture forever.  I've certainly been ready to oblige a
>>> couple times recently.
>>>
>>> The heater fan was making a loud scraping noise and the heater
>>> control valve had been bypassed so I decided to pull the heater and at
>>> least fix the fan.  I was surprised how easy the heater unit was to
>>> remove, just three screws.  Turns out the plastic housing on the
>>> outside face of the squirrel cage had deformed inwards pressing
>>> against the squirrel cage itself.  I used my heat gun to heat up the
>>> plastic then pushed the face out, reforming from a concave to a convex
>>> (btw, it's pretty crappy
>>> plastic).  But it's much quieter now and I didn't have to cut a hole
>>> in the housing.
>>>
>>> With that fixed I removed the heater control valve and (assuming it
>>> was just froze up with corrosion) proceeded to lubricate it and get
>>> the valve working again.  I reinstalled it and hooked up the heater
>>> hoses and fired up the car.  That's when I found out why it had been
>>> bypassed, it leaks. Soooo, I bypassed it again and will have to scout
>>> around for a new one.
>>>
>>>
>>> I discovered the cause of the slow turn signals at idle that I
>>> reported here recently.....bad flasher.  I put a new one in and now it
>>> works regardless of idle.  Seems strange to me though.
>>>
>>> Amongst all of this, last week the speedometer started making a
>>> horrendous noise and the needle would jump around.  The OIC archive
>>> came in handy, found the same symptoms there....who would have guessed
>>> you have to lubricate the speedo head periodically.  Definitely a new
>>> one on me.  Especially surprising considering they don't make it easy
>>> to get any of the instruments out to do any kind of maintenance.
>>>
>>> I made another little test run down the highway and back and
>>> everything seems to be fine for now.  Let's hope it stays that way as
>>> we're now getting frost at night and working outside is getting
>>> chilly.
>>>
>>> Donn Reese
>>> 1960 Custom 4dr hdtp
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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