A warning to anyone with a 60's mustang and or with a Grant Steering wheel
Tonight after visiting the Local Burger joint i found out some faults with Ford Engineering during 1960's era, as i was pulling out the steering wheel horn contactors broke off of the steering wheel mount and caused a direct short, normally this wouldnt be a problem, however i discovered that ford had failed to install a fuse on the Horn live wire! The steering column burst into electrical sparks and ultimately into a small fire, thankfully i had a half inch wrench handy to kill the battery and ultimately save the car from further destruction. JUST A WARNING IF YOU HAVE NOT FUSED YOUR HORN DO IT NOW!
this is what happens after 50 years.. and I find it hard to believe that ford "forgot" to install a fuse to a live wire.. maybe.. but not likely. I'm betting to blame a previous owner or whoever did work last in that area
1967 fiberglass fastback, all aluminum 427 supercharged and racing coilovers all around. "Still waiting to find a sequential manual transmission under 20k "
I'm under the impression that, unless it's been modified, the horn circuit uses the circuit breaker in the headlight switch. Thus the lack of a fuse...
this is what happens after 50 years.. and I find it hard to believe that ford "forgot" to install a fuse to a live wire.. maybe.. but not likely. I'm betting to blame a previous owner or whoever did work last in that area
If you are looking at a '67 (and perhaps other year models?) Ford did indeed build cars with un-fused circuits. The main feed from the solenoid into the car and to the ignition switch is un-fused, and IIRC there are two other circuits that splice into that circuit as part of the main underdash harness which are un-fused as well.
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*67 Vintage Burgundy 390GTA with most of the bells and whistles*
If you are looking at a '67 (and perhaps other year models?) Ford did indeed build cars with un-fused circuits. The main feed from the solenoid into the car and to the ignition switch is un-fused, and IIRC there are two other circuits that splice into that circuit as part of the main underdash harness which are un-fused as well.
Well then that is a fire hazard if the wrong thing comes loose lol.. guess they didn't expect the original wires to still be in cars almost 50 years later
I ripped both stock harnesses out of my cars without a worry because I was custom wiring one and getting a new updated harness for another with the diagrams.. this makes me glad I didn't reuse them
1967 fiberglass fastback, all aluminum 427 supercharged and racing coilovers all around. "Still waiting to find a sequential manual transmission under 20k "
My money is on the Grant (spelled "CRAP") steering wheel. That design has been used unsuccessfully for over twenty years with no effort on Grant's part to improve it. Unless you re-design the wheel yourself, you can count on horn contact problems as well as broken harness cancel arms.
Best,
Al
Question! How could ford have know people might use aftermarket (junk) and that their cars would be soo sought after 45 plus years later?
From a product liability standpoint, with something like 20,000 + or - parts,
a prudent car manufacturer should presume that someone will do something inappropriate (CB radio/ Stereo Amp/ Alarm system/etc.) at some point. Have you read the owners manual in an SUV lately? IIRC the '92 Explorer I bought new had a 1" thick book, probably written by their lawyers, that seemed like 75% "warnings" about flipping over...and this was before the Firestone tire debacle!
In the context of an automotive electrical system, even Ford used a fusable link in the main power feed coming off the solenoid by 1970, maybe earlier. If the main unfused power lead grounded out for any reason, the result was likely a car-b-que.
I put a 35 amp fuse in the main power feed at the solenoid to avoid such a catastrophe. I commend everyone to do the same.
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*67 Vintage Burgundy 390GTA with most of the bells and whistles*
Hmm...I thought it was pretty much a requirement that you disconnect the battery whenever working with the electrical parts in cars...particularly older cars?
Ford did not fuse the circuit because before horns were used only to express anger, they were considered safety equipment. You will find that brake lights are also unfused.
Ford did not fuse the circuit because before horns were used only to express anger, they were considered safety equipment. You will find that brake lights are also unfused.
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A warning to anyone with a 60's mustang and or with a Grant Steering wheel
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