Yadkin
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- Last seen
- Joined
- May 28, 2023
- Thunderbird Year
- 1964
The old fuse panel, glass fuses, had corrosion on the contacts that I could not clean off. So I replaced it with a marine grade panel from Blue Sea Systems.
The Blue Sea panel has a separate section for fuses powered by key on. In order to reduce load on the factory ignition switch, I used the switched wires as a trigger for a relay.
The Blue Sea panel had a ground section that I had to cut off to make fit. I was able to reuse that section and install it in the same area.
I ran a red and black #6 wires from the battery directly to the panel, bypassing the old wire completely.
At the same time I installed a new solid state constant voltage regulator so my gages work as they should. For those unfamiliar with Fords of that era, the gauges work on 6 volts, and the CVR that powers them is a little box mounted on top of the gauge cluster (impossible to get to without major disassembly). I managed to crimp new wires to the old source and load, and routed them to the fuse panel area. So if the regulator stops working, it will be easy to change out.
The Blue Sea panel has a separate section for fuses powered by key on. In order to reduce load on the factory ignition switch, I used the switched wires as a trigger for a relay.
The Blue Sea panel had a ground section that I had to cut off to make fit. I was able to reuse that section and install it in the same area.
I ran a red and black #6 wires from the battery directly to the panel, bypassing the old wire completely.
At the same time I installed a new solid state constant voltage regulator so my gages work as they should. For those unfamiliar with Fords of that era, the gauges work on 6 volts, and the CVR that powers them is a little box mounted on top of the gauge cluster (impossible to get to without major disassembly). I managed to crimp new wires to the old source and load, and routed them to the fuse panel area. So if the regulator stops working, it will be easy to change out.
