<VV> funny (IMHO) story about working on my Vair'

[BBRT]

True. We haven't had an awardee in a long time....

Chuck S
BBRT
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Norris" <ricknorris at suddenlink.net>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>; "Ray Rodriguez III" 
<ravensong13 at verizon.net>
Cc: <fastvair at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> funny (IMHO) story about working on my Vair'


>
> I think we have a contender for the Bohunk Award!
> Rick Norris
> #36 Sunoco Corvair
> www.corvairalley.com
>
>
>> This morning I decided I was finally going to straighten up all the extra
>> wiring under my dash and make it nice and neat (wires from my stereo
>> system, GPS, etc.)
>>
>> Many of you will know where this is going long before the end!  =P
>>
>>
>>
>> While under the dash I found a wire that was not connected to 
>> anything....
>> I traced it and found that it was connected to a trunk light (luggage
>> compartment), obviously with the wire disconnected the light was inop so 
>> I
>> hadn't noticed it before.  The wire just went straight to the light
>> fixture...  all in plain sight except for where it runs inside the hood..
>> no switch etc.
>>
>> I thought a little about how I wanted to wire this thing up for best
>> convenience and finally decided I wanted it to work even with the key 
>> off.
>> I hooked the wire directly to 12v.... but the light didnt come on, so I
>> went to the trunk to fiddle with the fixture.
>>
>> I removed the one screw holding it in place and observed that the fixture
>> only had a single lead so I hooked a jumper to it and connected to 
>> ground.
>>
>> I removed the bulb and found that it was burnt out, so I replaced it...
>> but still no light.
>>
>> I spent the next hour checking things...  first I made sure my ground was
>> good.. it was...   Next I started testing the 12V wire at various points
>> to see where the problem was...  but I seemed to have 12v everywhere...
>> after fiddling around for a minute I even got 12v from the socket... odd.
>>
>> I put the bulb in and twisted it back and forth and wiggled it.. it
>> flashed a couple times then VOILA!!! it came on steady!  I reinstalled it
>> in the lid and moved on to the next step.........
>>
>> At this point the light was just connected directly to "always hot" 
>> 12v...
>> I was lucky enough to find a door switch among the junk in my garage...
>> disconnected the battery and set to installing the switch.
>>
>> I wired the switch into the 12v line and JB welded it to a convenient 
>> spot
>> inside the trunk... then let it harden.
>>
>> Next I reconnected the battery.... light on..  depressed the switch with
>> my finger... light off.... so far so good!
>>
>> After that it was time to check the placement of the switch.....   I
>> started closing the hood slowly and.... the light went out long before 
>> the
>> lid contacted the switch... what the heck????
>>
>> I lifted the lid back up... the light came back on.....   halfway down...
>> the light went off again...  I spent a few minutes looking for a bad spot
>> in the wire... jiggling it around etc...  but the light didnt blink....
>> it only went out when I lowered the lid.....    WAIT A MINUTE!!!!  I
>> traced the wire again....  nope...  definitely no switch in the line....
>>
>> At this point it occured to me that maybe it was the ground that was
>> switched...  I checked my shop manual and couldnt find any reference to
>> it...  I went over to my disassembled 65' and looked at the hinge
>> assemblies...  all metal.. no way the ground could be switched.....
>>
>> Time for Google!!!!  I just came upstairs and quickly found the answer
>> online....  an angle switch built right into the little tiny fixture...
>> who'da thunk it?
>>
>> So now I know why the new bulb didnt work at first (the fixture was
>> dangling and tripped the angle switch), I spent all that time installing 
>> a
>> redundant door switch...... and a LOT more time troubleshooting a
>> non-existent problem =P
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Ray Rodriguez III
>> click here for a pic of me and my car
>> http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f90/Swiftblade13/?action=view&current=sigphoto3.jpg
>> Lake Ariel, PA
>> CORSA member
>> 66' Corsa 140/4 hot rodded coupe
>> 65' Corsa 140/4 coupe (under construction)
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>
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