1968 Trunk wiring

[dalorzo_f]

Saw to old post on taillight wiring/ground and started looking at the repair. In the trunk I found two wires spliced into the taillight harness. See below. the wires do not apper original and as they terminates at cut ends I can't figure out what they would have been used for... any suggestions?

There is also a trunk light, which does not apper original, wondering if this location would have been used, or if an OEM would have been placed in the lip of the trunk lid as with the standard installation.

 

[robert campbell]

Ground wire should be screwed on the framework that kinda surrounds the gas filler pipe on the passenger side of it in the trunk area. It goes over under the trunk opening lip and feeds in on the right side taillight harness. D

Do you have a sense of humor? My guess for extra wires was for a fifth wheel trailer!!! Did you find a hitch mount in the truck??? Ok that was just mean!!

The ground wire is so important. When I redid my lights I replaced all my sockets and soldered a ground wire on each socket that runs into the stock ground spot in the trunk mentioned above. It is totally hidden yet ensures a good ground to each socket. I highly suggest you so this!

Rob

 

[dalorzo_f]

Robert,

Yeah, I figured out the ground after posting, I was looking for a separate add-on...

No clue why someone would have dont the wo wires, they were just lying under the pad. Odd... and no hitch!

On the soldering, a question. Every time I try to solder I end up wanting to stab someone with the iron. Clean the surface, add flux, heat, add solder... it either ends up in a blob, refusing to flow onto the wire/surface and providing pretty much a useless "connection", or just rolls off.... what am I doing wrong?

 

[somethingspecial]

Sounds like you are not getting the wire hot enough for the solder to flow. Try putting a wooden block under the solder joint and hold the wire down with the iron, place the solder on the wire away from the iron until the solder flows. Think about putting shrink tubing on the wire before you solder, but make sure it is far enough away from the heat so it doesn't shrink before you get it into place.

 

[dalorzo_f]

Thanks...

 

[Ruppstang]

One other explanation is on older wire that has been striped gets corrosion on it and even with flux is very hard to flow the solder. Try flowing the solder on each wire seprately then place them together and flow the solder. Best of luck Marty

 

[rvrtrash]

Agreed on the corrosion. If the wire looks brown instead of shiny copper, I wire brush it, spray a little contact cleaner, and then coat it with rosin flux. Also consider that a wire acts as a heat sink and if the harness ends are plugged in, you're increasing the size of the heat sink. If it's a shot section, unplug the ends. Finally, you may have to use a small torch, because of the heat sink issue. On larger gauge, old, or long runs of wire, 25 watt irons can't keep the wire hot enough. One last tip. When I solder, I place the iron or torch below the wire, heat it, and then apply the solder on top, so that it flows down through the strands and makes a strong connection.

Steve

 

[Ruppstang]

Dalorzo,
Did you know in your last picture, the trunk light should be mounted in the trunk deck lid?

 

[dalorzo_f]

That was my question. In looking at the wiring it appeared added-on, I thought it probably should go in the trunk lid as on the standard install.

 

[CougarCJ]

Wait a minute...

How would a trunk light ground to fiberglass?

 

[Ruppstang]

My brain was not engaged. I was thinking of standard Mustangs not GT-CS. No GT-CS had the trunk light, but the Shelbys did. As CougarCJ said you will need to run a ground wire as well. The hole is in the deck lid for it. Marty

 

[nfrntau]

I installed a third brake light on mine at the rear shelf at the bottom of the rear window.
If those wires are hot when the brake is engaged your already there. Ground to the body below the shelf. Easy upgrade and nice safety add-on. (if your not into concours)
I know we have plenty of brake light back there, but a little more higher up never hurts.

 

[dalorzo_f]

Hmm... I'll take a closer look to see if that may be it...