Watching gearhead shows on television where it only takes the crew a few minutes to rip an entire vehicle completely apart and then throw it all in pile for scrap without a doubt is a lot of fun to watch. It's too bad that in the real world it doesn't work that way where little elves come in at night and repair all of the damage done during the day to produce a compelling TV show. We're sorry if you didn't know about the little elves, but it's true those TV guys do a lot of damage that has to be repaired when no one is looking. In the same sense at the magazines we are sometimes just as guilty of the same crime. We don't spend enough time going into detail on how to completely disassemble something without causing any damage to it. Just as there's a trick, or two to taking your mom's toaster apart so that it will work again, there's a few tricks to these old trucks. In the instance of the '66 Chevy C10 I'm custom wiring at home I did run into a few minor snafus while I was tearing it down. Any one of which if not handled carefully could have resulted in permanent damage to irreplaceable parts. This means mechanical functioning or the cosmetic appearance would never be the same if I wasn't very careful. Being able to fix something is fun, being able to rip it apart, repair or upgrade, and then put it back together again better than new is what this hobby is all about. So even if you don't own a'64-66 Chevy C10, follow along and I'm sure you'll pick up a few tips on how to take something apart without wrecking it, and plan ahead for upgrades. In order to custom rewire the '66 with Keep it Clean Wiring's universal kit all of the OEM wiring installed in '66 needed to be removed. Because it is a universal kit I wasn't sure which wiring components, such as plugs and switches, would have to be reused. Point taken, I started by carefully removing the instrument cluster (which proved to be a real bear) to gain better access to remove the stock harness, and this will aid installing the new Keep It Clean Wiring harness.
To tame a bear I prefer Royal...
To tame a bear I prefer Royal Purple Maxifilm, but using any good penetrating lubricant to pre-soak before disassembly will make the job much easier. Notice there are three different methods used to retain these three knobs.
The headlight switch knob...
The headlight switch knob is pressed on its shaft and the shaft is released by reaching around to the back of the dashboard and pushing on this button while pulling the knob out of the dashboard.
The wiper switch knob and...
The wiper switch knob and the heater knob are held on with a set screw at the base of the knob. A jeweler's screwdriver was used to loosen the set screw. Notice the knob was presoaked with Maxifilm first.
The retaining collar on all...
The retaining collar on all three switches threads on. A pair of snap-ring pliers was adjusted to fit into the grooves snugly and then the right-hand-threaded collars were removed.
The ignition switch collar...
The ignition switch collar was removed by pressing the snap-ring pliers firmly (with the palm of the hand flat over the collar) into two of the collar's three grooves and then turning counter-clockwise. Allowing the pliers to slip will damage the grooves and render them unsightly. That's bad.
While disassembling, nothing...
While disassembling, nothing escapes a liberal dose of Maxifilm, including the removal of electrical plugs like this ignition switch.
The throttle knob screws onto...
The throttle knob screws onto the throttle cable shaft. Notice the flat on the shaft, the flat was held still with an open-end wrench then the throttle knob was twisted counter-clockwise to remove.
Trying to work around the...
Trying to work around the steering wheel is dumb. Some steering wheels can be removed without a puller if they have been removed several times in the past. After a good Maxifilm soaking and the steering shaft nut removed I applied firm upward pressure and then rapped it with a brass hammer.
The steering wheel popped...
The steering wheel popped off, and then it was time to remove the turn-signal mechanism by extracting the three Phillips head screws retaining it.
Replace as necessary: It's...
Replace as necessary: It's always a good idea to inspect parts considered for reuse closely for damage. Notice the irregularities in the wires, this is caused by heavy electrical loads heating the wires, and they are subject to shorting out.
The turn-signal mechanism...
The turn-signal mechanism is removed complete with harness by unscrewing the two 5/16-inch hex-headed bolts found on the underside of the steering column cover and sliding upward as shown.
The gauge cluster is held...
The gauge cluster is held in with four Phillips screws. Removing these four screws only gives one false hope the cluster will be easily removed.
Before discovering what a...
Before discovering what a bear it is, the mechanical oil-pressure line must be removed. It was easiest to remove it from the engine (next to distributor on the drivers side).
Notice the instrument face's...
Notice the instrument face's black edge extending beyond the outer edge of the cluster. Because this sticks up, it catches on the dashboard. Notice where it is bent, this is a spot where it got hung up.
Look to the bottom left of...
Look to the bottom left of the cluster opening and you will see bent metal near the throttle cable opening. This is another spot that caught while removing the cluster and got hung up. It takes a lot of jiggling to remove the dash cluster.
Tag it and bag it, or at the...
Tag it and bag it, or at the very least it's a real good idea to contain the parts as they are removed.
Planning ahead will save time....
Planning ahead will save time. As part of the '66's new Keep It Clean Wiring installation this stock alternator with an external voltage regulator will be replaced and all of the related wiring eliminated.
This one-wire internally regulated...
This one-wire internally regulated Delco alternator requires less wiring, and everything needed to do the job is included with the Keep It Clean Wiring harness. Further considerations should be made for mounting new horns, etc.
The stock '66 fuse box is...
The stock '66 fuse box is under the dash on the drivers side. Two hex-head screws hold it one is hidden behind a fuse.
With the fuse box unscrewed...
With the fuse box unscrewed and all of the plugs, lights, etc. disconnected the stock dash wiring harness was removed. Because some of the connectors might need to be reused we saved the harness for future use.
This is where the stock '66...
This is where the stock '66 body-plug for the main harness connected. A new plug will have to be devised that will seal the Keep It Clean Wiring harness from allowing moisture into the cab.
The first step to installing...
The first step to installing the Keep It Clean Wiring harness was to utilize the original fuse box's top mounting holes as a starting point. This is a good place to stop on the wiring install and handle some things that are best done with the stock wiring harness removed.