Reaching out

Hey everybody,

I currently go to West Point in upstate New York. I grew up around muscle cars my whole life back home in Texas, and recently got one over the Summer. I got a pretty sweet deal on a running and driving 1967 Firebird, but it needs some work. Overall, it's a really nice survivor.

I have had a tough time finding the time to work on it. USMA keeps us busy! If any folks in the area know of some reputable shops/car clubs I can reach out to for a helping hand, that'd be great. Or even if you have general expertise on first-gen Firebirds, I'd love to chat as well.

Mason

 

Nice looking HO. 326 engine? It would help with getting responses if you said what type of work you are needing a hand with. I have a 68 conv with a 350.

 

Thanks! Yeah, it originally came with a 326, but I checked out the block numbers and it is a 70-71 Pontiac 350 from a Formula. I assume it was an early swap because it still has the manifolds and HEI hooked up to it. I am good with mechanical stuff, just having a tough time with electrical issues. I had the car shipped from Washington state all the way to New York, and it started right up off the semi truck (had been sitting on the truck for 4 days). But now, anytime I leave the battery hooked up overnight, it is flat dead by morning.

Checked the alternator voltage, and it read good, so I am really stuck trying to chase a ground or some other random issue I am not aware of. My next move is to replace the voltage regulator in hopes that will fix it.

 

Google "parasitic battery draw" for some testing methods.

 

Hook a test light between battery and cable on the positive side. Then start pulling fuses one at a time till light goes out. You found what circuit is running down the battery.

 

I'd have the battery load tested.
NAPA store will test it if you bring it in.
I've had a load test at Autozone, they came out to the car to test.

 

I have just bought a brand new red top from Autozone, not sure if that is the problem. I will have to take it to autozone to get juiced back up anyways. It drained too low recently that the alternator is having a tough time recharging it.

 

That is a smart idea. I'll give that a shot this weekend.

 

I think I would just check to make sure the brake lights (or a dome light) are not staying on. If the car has not been regularly used, those old brake light switches can hang up a bit. Having the brake lights (or any light) on over night will kill a battery.

 

If you don't even know if you have a draw, hook a test light between the black cable and negative terminal with a charged bat in the car. If there's a draw somewhere, it'll light faintly.

Edit: awesome car!

Hey, where are you located? If you're down the road I'll come drink your beer and mess up your car for ya!

 

I haven't noticed the brake pedal switch sticking, but I can double-check when I go work on it this weekend. I do, however, have some finicky turn signals. They work intermittently. Took off the steering wheel a while back to set it straight (at some point someone took it off and put it back on at an angle) but the TSS looked pretty clean in there. Not sure what is going on with that.

 

Hey, I appreciate it! I'm located at West Point in Highland Falls if you know the area. There is a classic car show every month in town, just have not had the opportunity to meet any locals and connect. We can both go and mess up the car if you have the time, lol.

 

Aw shux, I'm in MI... Good luck tho, cool car for sure.

 

hey, thanks for the offer anyhow. I'll reach out ifI ever need some advice.

Btw, I used to live in Dearborn, MI when I was a kid. go Buckeyes tho, lol.

 

Your finicky turn signals could be as simple as a bad ground. Back then, all the lighting was done by means of the screws that held the light into the car's body. Those screws go into the sheet metal. It doesn't take much of anything to cause a bad, or finicky turn signal. If there are other light that are turned on in the same light fixture (like a tail light or parking light) there may not be a good enough ground to always light the turn signals.
The easiest fix is to remove the light fixture and shine up the metal where the screws pass through the sheet metal and reassemble, but I often just add an extra ground wire (with an enclosed eyelet on each end of the wire) to another ground screw in the area of the light fixture (make sure both ends of where that wire connects is shiny clean and the screws are tight).