# Got my dash installed last night...



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

With all the wiring, controls, a/c duct, new stereo, etc. connected. The original warning lights have been replaced with a set of factory Rallye Gauges (with the right wiring harnesses and sending units) and the original clock has been replaced with an in-dash tach. One thing I still need to do is locate and bypass the resistor wire from the ignition switch so that I have full voltage full time to the HEI. 

(Anyone have a correct pin-out diagram for the 69 GTO ignition switch?) The wiring diagram shows pretty clearly that there's only one wire from the firewall connector to what used to be the coil, and that there are two wires coming from the igniton switch to the connector, but it's not really clear which one is the "start" wire and which one is the "run" (resistor) wire. I guess I could figure it out with my meter.

There are some new power connections to make also for things like the line-lock, exhaust cutouts, and "ignition on" feed for the electric fan relays.

Of course it was a challenge to adapt the aftermarket a/c system's controls and ducting to all the factory connections and controls.

Luckily I actually found the ignition and trunk keys the other day! After all they haven't been used in over 20 years...


Bear


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## BatmanGTO (Jun 18, 2011)

Looks like your doing some good work there!


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## 68GTO4004Spd (Jun 19, 2008)

Nice work. Are your hands cut to ribbons like mine were after installing the dash?


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## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

That looks great Bear, just like everything else you do to that car. Keep it up and you should be cruising it by October. I AM SO JEALOUS!
:cheers


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

top notch Bear, love the modern AC unit....i used a headlight relay for the ignition switch to HEI, looks unobtrusive on the firewall and saves you from having to wire back to the ignition (uses the 9 volt wire to switch to a full 12 volt feed from battery) i will dig up the instructions, switch is like 6 bucks...:cheers

Here ya go bud...

Full Power to HEI


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## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

Instg8ter said:


> top notch Bear, love the modern AC unit....i used a headlight relay for the ignition switch to HEI, looks unobtrusive on the firewall and saves you from having to wire back to the ignition (uses the 9 volt wire to switch to a full 12 volt feed from battery) i will dig up the instructions, switch is like 6 bucks...:cheers
> 
> Here ya go bud...
> 
> Full Power to HEI


Hey that's good stuff man, thanks, I just saved that in the old archive for myself.


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## Amigo-2k (Jun 18, 2011)

Where did you get your radio from?


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

looks good Bear...can't wait to get to that stage myself. I kinda enjoy electrical work......Vintage Air unit??? Eric


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Dash looks amazing but.... I only see two pedals? :confused


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## 69Goatee (Aug 14, 2009)

I am waving the green flag of envy! I hope to be at that point next spring.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Instg8ter said:


> top notch Bear, love the modern AC unit....i used a headlight relay for the ignition switch to HEI, looks unobtrusive on the firewall and saves you from having to wire back to the ignition (uses the 9 volt wire to switch to a full 12 volt feed from battery) i will dig up the instructions, switch is like 6 bucks...:cheers
> 
> Here ya go bud...
> 
> Full Power to HEI


Now that's just cool!! :cheers I love clean, creative solutions.
Thanks!

Bear


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Amigo-2k said:


> Where did you get your radio from?


I got it from Performance Years on a tip from Eric. (thanks man) Supposedly it's the only one "out there" that will fit the OEM location and doesn't require you to cut out the divider bar in the dash bezel that separates the push buttons from the dial.



> Vintage Air unit??? Eric


Not quite. I got it from Classic Auto Air in Grapevine TX (almost local to me). No one makes a "plug and play" kit for the 69 GTO that works with all the factory controls, at least not AFAIK. I talked with Vintage about maybe adapting their Chevelle kit, but they didn't really seem too interested in helping me do it. The guys at Classic came across as much more willing to help me "figure it all out" so I went with them. They hooked me up with a different condenser unit and universal refrigerant hose kit from the get go, because we already knew the Chevelle stuff wouldn't be right. Adapting the controls though was definitely plowing new ground so I was on my own there. It took some doing but I think it's going to be ok.

They contacted me awhile back and said they'd give me a discount if I'd bring the car by and let them "keep it awhile" so they can take it apart and understand what all I had to do. It's tempting, but I'm really not sure I want someone messing with it, or that I'll be willing to let it out my sight once it's done.

Bear


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

no problem Bear, just passing it along, Jetstang turned me on to it, works great, no run on, its either open to the battery or not and if it stops working simply replace a relay, i like the authors idea on the separate terminal block too as the whole dash on the stock harness is fed with just one wire. i have started running all my new accesories like that.....:cheers

LOL...yeah here's the keys to the 20 year resto i just finished, take your time with it tearing it apart to figure out how i did something your techs obviously don't have the wherewithal to do themselves, YEAH RIGHT!!!!


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

i dont know about 69, but my 66 resistor wire is easy to identify. it has a white cloth looking covering instead of plastic like all the others.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Yeah... I'd bet against them getting anywhere near this car  I might write it all up all nice and purty-like for them though, for a price.

Do you happen to have the part number for the relay you used and did it come with the wires/connectors? I'm going to do that -- it's just too clean.

Bear


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

they had it at Advance its a bosch 30 amp headlight relay think most of the corner part stores carry them. you should write it up for them for the discount and then they can offer it for our cars, sounds like a good market. i got the 2/65 AC...


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

66tempestGT said:


> i dont know about 69, but my 66 resistor wire is easy to identify. it has a white cloth looking covering instead of plastic like all the others.


I think it changed by 69. Some of the earlier years had two wires going to the primary side of the coil, one was the resistor wire for "run" and the other fed full voltage taken from the starter solenoid only when it was engaged. On my 69 there's only one wire going to (what would have been) the coil from the main engine harness connector at the firewall. The magic happens at the ignition switch. There are two terminals out from the switch, one is "start" and the other is "run". The resistance is somewhere on the "run" side between the switch and the main junction block, but I don't have the pin-out for the ignition switch connector so I don't know which lead is which. I love the headlight relay idea. That way I don't have to modify anything on the harness or the switch.

Bear


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Thanks Bear, I bought a Vintage Air system, as they do make a kit for 67 GTO. Having a place real local is always a help....If you take your car to them for research pourposes, it might end up in a magazine, or brochure! Tell them thet have to pay you,$ xx/hr while you watch and consult!!! Eric


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

BearGFR said:


> On my 69 there's only one wire going to (what would have been) the coil from the main engine harness connector at the firewall. The magic happens at the ignition switch. There are two terminals out from the switch, one is "start" and the other is "run". The resistance is somewhere on the "run" side between the switch and the main junction block, Bear


As per instigator, I found a relay, link out there, that shows the relay with a 18 and 18a imput, so you can have both wires actuate the relay and not lose voltage, and it doesn't matter if it's 6 or 12 volts, as long as it turns on the relay. Once the relay is on it gets full 12 volts from the battery, I use 10 gauge wire so it can get all the amps it needs. MSD boxes are powered the same way, switched internally and get the big power straight from the bat. I will have to check out my 70, as I just put the wire from the coil on the HEI hot, may have to disco it and wire it through a relay.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

I did that too, last night.

Big milestone for me --- I connected the all the harnesses (well, all except for the rear harness), installed fuses, connected the battery --- turned on the key -- and stuff lit up! Radio powered up (no speakers yet), heater-a/c blows air and cycles through the modes like it's supposed to, lighter works, courtesy lights work, glovebox light works, electric fans on the radiator work. Key-buzzer doesn't (yet) but I don't really care about that - maybe I'll try to fix it, maybe not. Wiper motor was "weird" - with the ignition on the motor ran all the time and actually got slower on high than they did on low.. so I reversed one of the connectors. Then it ran briefly, like it would do if it was moving the blades "down" after being turned off, but then it wouldn't run again when I tried turning on the switch. Weird.

Turned it to 'start' and nada.. then I rememberd I hadn't reinstalled/reconnected the interlock link between the tranny and the steering column yet, so I fiddled with the arm on the bottom of the column a little --- and the starter engaged! I didn't actually start it because the throttle linkage still isn't connected, but so far things are looking up.

This evening I'll connect that and see if it'll start and if the gauges etc. work, and try to figure out if something's up with the wiper motor or if it's supposed to do that.

Wish me luck..

Bear


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Good Luck Bear!....


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## Amigo-2k (Jun 18, 2011)

Bear, 

It looks like your dash is missing the radio spliter? I'm missing it on my 70, and I think this radio will look just fine with the split removed.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Howdy Amigo --- no, my dash has the splitter bar. It's just hard to see in the photo.

Bear


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## Amigo-2k (Jun 18, 2011)

Thanks for the reply!

here is a youtube video installing the radio:


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