upgrade turn signals on a 63 convertible

[Brian Lydford]

Hi all,

 I have a 63 series 62 convertible.

 Thought it would be a good idea to make the fin lights flash as well as tail/stop lights.

They did this in 64 i believe.

i replaced single filiment bulb holder in fin lamp, to a twin filiment.

ran a wire from the tail/stop lights to this extra filiment in the fin light.

its the pink wire on the color diagram i have. purple on passenger side.

Any how, yes it works and looks great, during the day.

problem is with side and full lights on at night....no flashing.

i can only think it must be the flasher unit cant cope with powering the extra filliment ive added to the top fin light.

Perhaps i need a 64 flasher unit. wiring on the 64 diagram looks just as ive done it.

 Any one tried the same trick? 

   Brian

[Kurt]

Brian,

Can you post a video of the taillight/fin lights. I modified mine with LED strips in the fins for brake/turn signals. I left the stock bulb in for runnng lights. I considered swapping out the sockets to accomodate dual filament bulbs but the LED strips were an easier fix. I also replaced the tailights with LEDs. See my entry in this post: https://6364cadillac.ning.com/forum/topics/1157-bulb-conversion-to-...

[Brian Lydford]

Just changed the flasher relay. seems to all work now, looks really good.

looks like the 63 and 64 use the same one.

thanks for the help.

next job getting fuel gauge to work. 

 Brian

[Brian Lydford]

i wired it all from inside the trunk, and behind rear bumper.

The colum is another problem. it seems the cable isnt doing its job properly.

i have disconected the cable to move the switch manually.

thats all im doing under the dash.

[Jason Edge]

Brian, I guess I am confused by why you are up at the column? I would have:

- run the dim filament wire to the Dark Green wires (#5 on page 16-121, Fig 16-148 in wiring schematic) for the tail/park light function on left and right side

- on the left side, run a bright filament wire to the the pink wire (#6) and used a tap-in or splice to connect in that circuit

- on the right side, run the bright filament wire to the violet/purple wire (#2).

That way, any time 12 volts is sent to the brake/turn signal brighter filament in the tail lamp it is sending 12 volts to the brighter filament up in the new tail fin light with 2 filaments.

I've never done this and may be forgetting something but seems it would be straight forward. 

See my illustration below for a visual of the wiring. I would think this would work.

 

[Brian Lydford]

Hi Jason, thanks for any advice.

I made sure both new fillerments are turn signal brighter ones. dimmer for tail lights

I had to disconect the switch on the steering colum from the cable that run up to the lever.

so ive been pushing the slide lever on the switch it self, which has been working.

i note its not earthed to the colum, on the diagram. so no issues with bad earth.

it now flashes once and stops. the same for both sides.

i disconected the upper fin lights, and the same ..flashes once and dies.

perhaps il replace the flasher unit. i had stripped and cleaned the switch on the colum.

at one point the top fin light and bottom tail light pulsed slowley between the two. i have made sure my new bulb holders in the fin lights are well earthed.

Il check earth on lower tail lights, and replace flasher box under dash.

so there is no special conversion item for doing this job i guess.

electrics simple but confusing at times.

                        thanks for the help

                               Brian

[Jason Edge]

So no flashing on anywhere at night when park/tail lights are on? Also, what happens if you simply remove the bulb out of each tail fin at night when the turn signal is on and park lights are on? That should test the current theory.  It sounds like  you replaced the single wire base in the chrome 63 tail lamp fixture with a double would with the double contacts? Just confirming and running the dimmer filament lead to park light wire and the brighter filament to the purple & pink wires. That should work and thought I remembers others doing this without any issues. I recently repaired a 63 Tail Lamp and put a new bulb base contact with wires and the main thing was making sure I had the correct wire leads connected, else you would have brake and turn signal on the dim filament and the brighter one on the park light wire.