Awesome thanks! Still not sure if I am going to be even trying a stock resto, it is mostly complete but doesn't seem to have many options, as it is I am still trying to trace down wiring issues from the previous owners attempts at fixes.... some people just can't do some things.
Yea, electrician and electronics tech by trade, wiring shouldn't be so bad, it's the splicing and half done and miswired job that's in there is the problem. Going to likely just rip it out and start over.
Kind of late to this party but welcome aboard fellow 66 Grande guy. Congrats on your exquisite taste in cars and yeah we can help ya, especially Carl S the 66 guru. i probably still wouldn't be driving mine if it wasn't for that guy. I hope to see yours on the road soon. We need more of these on the road. I have yet to see another on the highway this summer.
Thanks all! It's actually plated and I've driven it a bit so it's actually a decent starting point... just can't drive in the rain or when cold or anything requiring electricity at the moment besides tail lights! I'll get her figured!
No brake lights and signals? If so, as long as there's power through the brake light switch it's likely the signal switch. Those things have a reputation....
If it is that, they are actually repairable in many cases. And guys tell me repairing them or buying NOS is a LOT better than buying a cheap junk repro switch.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I guess I worded that weird... I *only* have brake light and signals, nothing else works heh.
Ah, ok.
I had to fix the connector on the light switch on mine, it had some melted wires as well as the plastic connector block.
By the way, do you know how to remove the dash pad on your car? If not, I can help you with that, it's a bear if you don't know, pretty easy if you do know.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Nope, haven't tried to remove the dash yet, was contemplating it to redo all this wiring, if you know any tricks lay them on me! Still not even sure if half the gauges even work.
Nope, haven't tried to remove the dash yet, was contemplating it to redo all this wiring, if you know any tricks lay them on me! Still not even sure if half the gauges even work.
You have guages ? mine has 3 blank spaces and a stick for fuel.... marked in 1/4 gallons
-Remove the cowl vent panel outside the car at the back of the hood. Yes, I know it's seems strange, but this is the step most people never figure out. In about the middle of the car, under that panel there is a stud sticking through from the dash pad and it has a nut on it. It's very small, I think 1/4", maybe even 3/16". Remove that nut.
-Inside the car, look up under the dash in behind the very end pieces of the dash pad that drop down each side at the end of the pad. You will see a clip like this with a stud sticking through it. The clip stud is captured by the spring loaded tabs, it snaps in place when you are installing the pad. You need to gently pulll out on that "handle" at each end of the pad while you release those clips so that the stud can pull through it.
-Now you can remove the screws all along the underside of the dash pad inside the car, the ones above the cluster, radio etc. I can't recall but it's 5-6 I think. Once you do that the pad comes off.
People always struggle with that center stud under the cowl vent panel, and those 2 clips at the end of the dash on those drop down pieces.
Well gauges as in volts, fuel, time... Nothing important like temp or oil pressure... which would be kinda handy...
These optional clusters from the US full size 66 Pontiacs are somewhat hard to find and can get pretty expensive but they sure are cool. It involves some rewiring, changing over from your current printed circuit dash to individual wires for each item, but they sure are cool............
If and when you feel inclined, I can try to help you find one and walk you through the install, it's lots of fun and just takes some time.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Oh, I forgot to mention in the dash pad removal, also remove each inside windshield pillar moulding, but I think you would have seen that is necessary. Having that pad off make is SO much easier to work on wiring etc. I had my windshield out too, which makes it a breeze.
Here's a thread showing the cluster conversion/install. I hope you don't mind some reading!
Thanks for the info! I love reading when you guys have done, gives me alot of needed info plus tons of ideas! Wouldn't have thought of lifting the cowl to get the dash pad off... but come to think of it I had to do that on an old Olds I did a rewire job for a guy on, took me forever to get that damn thing out... even the radio in that thing was bolted to the firewall.
As to that cluster, what do they run on average? Wouldn't mind the gauges but could get by with some aftermarket for now under the dash. Wiring doesn't scare me, the price tags on some of the rarer stuff does!
If you find that cluster under $300 it's a steal. I've seen them advertised up to $600 US. And the painful part is the oil pressure sending unit to match the gauge, it's unique. I found a guy who had a few and bought them all. A couple of members here went in with me on the purchase and it seems to me when the smoke cleared we were into the sending units for around $175 or a bit more, EACH!
I'll keep watching, I see the odd cluster for sale reasonable but mostly they have been grabbed by guys who know their rarity and value. I just like the look of it so much better than under dash, and it's that added little thing about having a rare cluster that makes it that much better! (if I ever actually get my car on the road...)
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Oh, and if someone tries to sell you an oil sending unit claiming it's correct, if it's not part # 1506191 it is NOT correct and will not show the right reading. Lots of parts reproduction houses sell the wrong sending unit thinking they are the same as GTO for 66 and they are certainly not.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I hear ya, if you ever come across one I would probably buy it just to have it in case I use it, just one of those things that would be a clean add-on. Seems none of the fun stuff is ever cheap! On a side note, ever come across clean consoles? Mine is missing a piece out of the back above where the lens would be. Might try and fix it if I can't find a decent replacement but not sure how to get that same texture at the moment.
There are some decent ones out there. Fortunately, the Chevy console is the same base. The Caprice has the woodgrain like the GP but the Caprice unit has the emblem mounted at the back where our's is plain.
I think 66-67 is the same unit, so you should be able to find one. A broken rear piece on these is not uncommon.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Yea, doesn't seem like the greatest design in my opinion, least on my car there is nothing to dissipate the heat from that light, must make the plastic rather brittle. Will keep my eyes open, still learning these old chevy based Pontiacs! Thanks for all the help and tips!
thats why it smells like a farm 
