Ballast Wire

[abndad]

I have a 60 hawk with a 289. I went out to crank her up and just listen to her for a while but she did not want to play. I would hit the switch it started let go of the switch and it shut off. Well after much head scratching I broke out the service manual and found the wire. I do not have an external ballast unit so I jumped the wire out and she ran. OK found the problem to be the pink ballast wire that runs from the coil to the switch.
Question is does anyone know where or if there is a replacement wire for this? Any help would be great[?]

[gordr]

quote:Originally posted by abndad

I have a 60 hawk with a 289. I went out to crank her up and just listen to her for a while but she did not want to play. I would hit the switch it started let go of the switch and it shut off. Well after much head scratching I broke out the service manual and found the wire. I do not have an external ballast unit so I jumped the wire out and she ran. OK found the problem to be the pink ballast wire that runs from the coil to the switch.
Question is does anyone know where or if there is a replacement wire for this? Any help would be great[?]

You might be able to buy resistance wire on a roll from NAPA or another jobber, but I've never tried to buy any. I expect somebody here must have a parts car with an otherwise shaggy wire harness that might have a useable resistance wire in it. My "newest" parts Hawk is a '59, and I'm not sure if it uses the resistance wire or a discrete resistor.

The other alternative would be to replace the resistance wire with a regular piece of wire, and add in a separate ballast resistor, which ought to be readily available at your FLAPS. OK for a "driver" car, but obviously not concours-correct.

Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by gordr

The other alternative would be to replace the resistance wire with a regular piece of wire, and add in a separate ballast resistor, which ought to be readily available at your FLAPS. OK for a "driver" car, but obviously not concours-correct.

Gord,
Could you hide the ballast resistor under the dash (passenger side of the firewall)?

[gordr]

Gord,
Could you hide the ballast resistor under the dash (passenger side of the firewall)?





[/quote]

Dick, I don't see why not. It's a series circuit, which means the coil doesn't care at which end of the wire the resistor lives. The resitor will get a bit warm, so it should be mounted on a heat-resistant surface. On a C/K car, the round plate on the backside of the defroster coil would be an excellent spot.

That '55 President engine I just got yesterday has a nifty old coil with a resistor wrapped around a groove in the extended bakelite nose piece of the housing. Looks like an element from Granny's electric hot plate.

Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

[52hawk]

Back in my'Chrysler days',I learned to carry a spare resistor in the glove box too.

LaSalle,Il
61Hawk
60Lark