MC1970U

It’s been quite awhile since I have stopped into FGMCC. Have moved several, work related, times in the last year and just have not had much time. Need to upgrade the distributor and looking for experienced suggestions. I am looking to replace the old worn out stock distributor on my 70 with an HEI for everyday street driving. I have done this conversion in the past but it has been over 20 years. You guys and gals have any suggestions on distributors I should consider and what types of expectation I should have as well as any needed changes to the wiring, plugs, gap or any other considerations. The car has the stock 4V hypo 350 which I will be rebuilding at a later date but plan to keep as stock/unmodified as possible. A/C, power steering car. Currently looking at D.U.I. and Pertronix. Getting excited to get back to work on this car. In a couple months I plan on doing a complete interior kit. Thanks, MC1970U

The clip is kind of like a tube with a flange at one end and three small tangs for catching the sides, so it wont back out, once you push it through the hole. At the other end of the tube/clip thingy it has three gripping type of arms/claws for gripping the threaded portion of the switch. I didn’t realize there would be a difference between the standard switch and switch w/cruise. Mine has cruise. I would think if I found one in a wrecking yard it would probably be as delicate as the damaged one I have and need a replacement for. By the looks of mine I would have guessed this to be a common problem? Thanks for the suggestions and help, Sonny

My brakelight switch is held in place by a retainer/clip/sleeve type thingy and not by nuts. Does anyone know where I can source one of those clips or do you guys just install nuts when that clip goes? I have looked all over the net and come up short on the part. Thanks, Sonny

Thanks guys, I have not been on the computer for a couple days and while I was away you guys came through. With this I will be able to go out tomorrow and install them. I'll report the results. Thanks again, spoony

Originally Posted By: Sam (Bones) the cables has springs on them which pulls the pedal back up That is kind of what I expected but this is the first time I have ever pulled one for detailing and I wanted to make sure as the pedal was not fully returning prior to me removing it for cleanup. And you got to know the first thing I did was check those pictures and the comments Thanks again guys! I will have to take a close look at those cable ends because there is not enough tension to completely disengage the pedal/switch. Sonny

Anybody have a picture/link of the trunk lid springs/rods? When I bought my Monte Carlo the springs/rods had been removed and laid in floor of the trunk. I don't know why they were removed and laid in the trunk but I am having a hard time visualizing how to put them back. I would like to have my trunk lid open and stay open on its own. Thanks, Sonny

Well the under dash restoration is starting to come together and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me. Today’s question? The brake release is supposed to have some kind of spring mechanism which pulls the pedal upward when the release handle is pulled foreword correct? Anyone know where that spring is on the release handle assembly? I am assuming that is inside on the pivot point. Is it repairable or do you have to buy a whole new assembly? Thanks again, Sonny

Thanks everyone for sharing thus far. I have not worked on the Monte in a couple of days. I am real interested in where the other end of that resistor goes to! Bruce, I have used that link dash/heater core link many times. Thanks for making it available to all of us. I Will let everyone know what’s up when I get a chance. Tomorrow we go play in the snow. spoony

Hey Robert thanks for your help, I am not sure I understand what you mean. Do you mean that is a factory plug meant for the 400 but someone has used it for this red wire that goes to the ignition wire. "As for the hole the tach wire comes out of is correct and what the factory probably did was used a drill bit for the hole as the firewall is pretty much the same on non-tach option cars and ones that got the tach." Like i said the engine side looks nice but the interior side has pushed out jagged edges like some one used a punch. They may have used a bit to start the hole but I think a punch finished it up. The rubber grommet you see in the picture is just hanging there as it is way to large for that hole? "I would try and trace the black wire coming off the resistor and see where it goes." I will do that in the next day or two. Got to call it a night. I will report my progress in the next day or two. Really appreciate the help. Thanks, spoony

Robert, I was composing my last reply as you posted yours. This is all correct. I found this page http://hem.bredband.net/chevellegearheads/documents/Idiot%20light%20to%20gauge%20conv.pdf which had the info you linked. Great stuff. All is correct. Do you have any idea about that resistor? It looks to have been installed around the same time as the after market radio and there may have been some kind of security system at one time? Also what about that firewall hole and grommet for the tach wire? Would GM have done it that way? I will have to clean that up. Anyone have pictures of what it is supposed to look like? spoony

Ok ok I am a little closer. I found some great information and after reading it I understand this a little better. 9-brown coming from coil is for the tach. The ammeter is number 3-black/white and number 4 black. Still not sure what the resistor on the firewall is for and why the factory would install such a shoddy hole, looks like they used a large punch, for the tach wire? spoony

Hello all, As many of you know, after whining about my bad clock repair experience, I have my dash apart. I have a couple electrical issues left unresolved. 1st. The amp gauge was not working in the car but when I pulled it out and tested the gauge it worked fine. It appears that the brown wire, see pictures, going from the negative terminal of the coil ends up connected to the amp gauge/tach? That wire travels from the coil, through a really rough hole in the firewall, taped up into the under dash wiring and ends up in the number 9 contact of the dash gauge wiring connecter. After doing a little trouble shooting with my meter I think that is what is happening. If the gauge package was factory to this car why was there such a crude firewall hole cut for that wire. Take a look at both the hole and the gasket? Do you have any ideas if this is correct and why it might work out of the car but not mounted up? Any schematics available for the amp gauge? My factory manual just shows a light. 2nd Any ideas on the resistor that is attached to the ignition wire? Thanks, spoony

I recently had the same issue, loose latch/assemble, and had the same frustration trying to get at it. With all the searches and links I found there was one thing missing that was paramount to getting this done. Once you do it you’ll find it very simple to remove the assemble from the door. When you put your small scribe/screw driver in that channel you have to push the link down from the rear and while you have it pushed down you have to move that little link towards the front of the door as you do that you will start to see some movement. Keep at it until you see the next little link repeat a few more times and before you know it you will have it out. That is the only way to get at the nut to tighten down the whole assemble. I put a little thread lock on the nut so it wouldn’t back off. spoony

Yeah this is what I already thought about doing but I thought I'd first ask the experienced here on how they dealt with it. I think I should have asked more questions regarding my clock, still pretty sore about that, and might of saved myself some trouble. It pisses me off that whenever I have business dealings with someone new there is a high probability I’m going to get bent over. Other then the clock issue my whole dash renovation is going quite well. I installed the LEDs for the gauges and am very happy with how that experiment turned out. I can’t tell if the heater core was the original, it was a Harrison, but it was in great shape with no leaks what so ever and was quite heavy duty compared to the replacement I installed. Our local hardware store Jerry’s airs commercials prompting us to “Better head for Jerry’s” and I guess I will. Thanks guys for the continuing help I appreciate it, Sonny

Anyone know where I can find the soft foam seal/tape that is used for the under dash heater ducts/deflector/plenum conections? Thanks, spoony

Guys I came up with a full set of spokes, drivers, for a price that I could not pass up. They will do while I look around for ideas on the center cap trim ring combo I'm thinking about. Thanks for all the help, spoony

Here is the wheel I am working with. The EBay link is to a cap I was considering but between the time I was out measuring and came back to bid it got sold. http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-VINTAGE-CHEVY-...=item43aabcbaa3 Anyways I was thinking of something along of that cap with a narrow beauty ring might look good and be a bit different. As you can see a center cap like what you can use on a rally wheel just wont work. What do you guys think of where I'm going with this? Thanks, spoony

Yeah there the stock steel wheels. I was thinking about doing something along the lines of what you and others have mentioned. Trim rings and center caps as well as painting up the rims real nice. The problem is none of the local tire/wheel dealers in my area have any idea of what will fit. They basically want to sell you wheels and that’s it. If your needs require any time they don't want to deal with it and that’s why I thought I'd ask here. I just installed new Michelins 215/70 15 hydroedge’s on the car. I was hoping I could put on some kind of decent looking trim parts on the factory stamped wheels. Do you know what the factory width is? I was thinking of some kind of ring but don’t know what I should be using and what kind of cap dimensions will work? Would it help if I posted up a picture of the wheel? Thanks again for all the help, spoony

Went to get some new tires for the Monte Carlo and one of my wire hub caps flew off on the freeway. Searched for hours trying to find it with no luck. Anyways now I'm in need of some hub caps and wondered if you guys might have any ideas on something that might look different/nice and fit my stockers? Doesn't have to be wires. Thanks, spoony I put a wanted add in the classifieds.