![]() ![]() ![]() My ignition switch is actually a replacement and has been just hanging below the dash all this time, and is on its own three-wire harness to the coil and starter relay. I later noticed this wire is marked "RESISTOR - DO NOT CUT OR SPLICE." It is also spliced onto another wire which goes somewhere out of sight, backtracking this resistor wire. One of them even has the insulation burned off for several inches. So now the old switch is hanging down below the dash, ready for its replacement, which will arrive this week.īUT, I also discovered that some of the wiring behind the instrument cluster is in bad shape. The fuse "box" is actually connected to the lightswitch itself! And the dash's sheetmetal curves around the bottom making removal or access just about impossible without going through the instrument cluster, which I wanted to remove and inspect anyway. I also ordered the shop manual, but in the meanwhile, it took me about three hours to figure out how to get the old switch out of the dash, even with help from Google. The restoration catalog listed the part as $40, but when I called to order it, it was only $22, even after verifying the part number. I suspect the switch in the dash because I often had to play with it to get the lights to light at all, so I'm hoping it has some unnecessary resistance that goes away when I replace it. This week, I'll get an actual reading of the voltage for you. The voltage setting on my high-dollar Ideal clampmeter doesn't work anymore, of course, so I can only verify it with a test light that also is dim. After noticing that, I realized the taillights are dim, too. I've got the headlights on, they just hadn't been plugged in to the harness. When I do, I'll upload the latest pictures. Looks like I'll be shelling out for it this week after shopping around for the best method: air card or DSL or cable. Damn neighbor finally shut off his Wi-Fi, I guess. Did any of you guys who had them, have the same thing? One other thing about the '57 Ranchero, mine had a rear window, made out of plexiglas. It didn't reappear until '64, on the Chevelle chassis, this time. They only built the El Camino one more year, then dropped it. When more was summoned, it arrived in a '57 Ranchero, according to the article. The El Camino was built from scratch, from behind the windshield to the rear bumper.Ī magazine that did a road test on the all new El Camino, ran out of gas in the process. At the time, Chevy had no 2-door wagons to borrow from. The El Camino didn't come out until '59 and it cost Chevrolet a lot more to produce than the Ranchero cost Ford. The sub title was " Chevy played the waiting game and lost". I remember an article in a truck specialty book a long time ago, comparing the Ranchero to the El Camino. The '57 Ranchero was able to borrow body panels from Ford's 2-door wagon. I've lost brakes before and that's more excitement than I need in a year.:eek: One upgrade I wouldn't be without is a dual reservoir master cylinder. Thanks for the stroll down Memory Lane:D. Dennis Carpenter is a good source for parts. Mustangs were mostly Falcon parts (Mustang guys hate hearing that) and usually the same parts are cheaper for Mustangs (well 5 years ago they were.) I have some chrome strips that go on the top of the bed if you need them you are more than welcome to them. Sold it to a friend who had restored it to original condition. Second Ranchero wife(now ex)/life/work all conspired to not leave any time or money to work on it. Great for burnouts with the light rearend and 289 it would really smoke the tires. Had to sell it two years later when I moved to Indy for a job. Wish I still had that one, because it was our first real "Father-Son project" and it was when I finally started realizing that as I got older my Dad (and Mom) were getting smarter:rolleyes. My Dad & I removed the 6 banger and installed a Hi-Po 289 and 4 speed trans. I always liked the Falcons, especially, the Rancheros. Oh, and my Corvair and the Ranchero both, took the same weird, skinny battery, a 29NF. One day, I was checking the flashers and apparently, the radio had been left on when I had shut the engine off and somehow, was back feeding the radio because, it was flashing on and off with the lights. I hooked up to those wires and all was well. ![]() When I crawled under there, I found marks on the wires that matched the same connectors that came with my kit so, it had 'em at one time. ![]() So, I got a nice switch kit that mounted under the dash. When I went to get it inspected,(yes, we have to do that in PA.), they told me I needed 4-way flashers because it was considered a commercial vehicle. It had a 292 with thunderbird on the valve covers, 3 on the tree and overdrive. Unfortunately, I didn't get it on the road until fall, after graduation. Bought it in my senior year in high school and started restoring it. ![]()
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