Many of you here have old Birds that are in great shape, others like myself just have old cars with questionable old wiring.
Who leaves their car in the garage with the battery hooked up all the time?
I worry about my Convertible, several things don't work and I'm not sure why yet. A short and fire would be devastating so I usually leave it unhooked since it only gets driven on occasion.

So far the list is;
No turn signals front or rear.
No front parking lights.
No dash lights.
No curtesy lights.
No Radio. AM so who cares but...

Fuses are fine, all grounds are in place. I did get the headlights, tail lights and brake lights working. The wiring is original and uncut, I plan on pulling the headlight switch and checking it.
Front parking lights I'm sure need some serious socket cleaning to start.
Still not sure about leaving the battery hooked up though.

Quick connect/disconnect. It's a pain to reset the clock and radio stations but it preserves the battery from slow drains and is safer too.

That disconnect is not a bad idea.

I should add, turn signals not working are not that big a deal, if you see someone around here with a signal on they are either...

Broke and stuck on,
Unaware they are on,
Or... not from around here.

Do you have +12v at the fuses?

I unhook mine if I'm not planning on driving it within a day or two. Force of habit with my junkers over the years. You don't know how many times I've whipped the cover off, jumped in the driver's seat, turned the key and nothing happens. DUH Hook up the battery stupid!

Not sure about 12V at all fuses yet. I ohm'd out all the fuses but didn't check voltages.
Got a 3 day weekend coming up, lots of time to tinker.

Guess I need to find a wiring diagram.

Look for my post a couple weeks back "no power to fuses".
68BLKBRD posted links to wiring diagram's.
Good luck.

I've got a quick connect/disconnect like Jim, and the one I purchased also has a small gauge wire with a low-amp fuse in-line that allows just enough current to keep the radio clock functioning, the alarm system LED blinking, etc.

The in-line fuse would blow if someone tried to start it while the switch was disconnected (so keep spares in the glovebox!)

There is a 9V battery adapter that plugs into the cig lighter to keep electronics going if you have to disconnect the battery. I know I've seen them, but can't Google them. Hmm.

Those last about 4 hours, they are designed as a quick hold-over during service operations.

Tom, is this what you are looking for or is this just to power stuff with the battery connected?
http://www.powerstream.com/dc6.htm

David

Nope that's not it. Vikki knows what I ment. It's just a 9V battery in a holder that plugs into the cig lighter. I didn't know about the service life of the battery though.

I used to use a quick disconnect ,that green knob , had it on 3 cars before...the one I bought for the bird wasnt functioning right so I took it off, always have the battery hooked up,, BUT I drive mine mostly once every week, at LEAST once every two...so it does charge up..

I should start a shop that does nothing but electrical on old cars. HO Please find the problem. I have seen way to many great cars burn to the ground due to bad wiring. Tear the fuse block apart and look for corrosion, check the ignition switch for the same. All it takes is a small spark and all the hard work goes up in a smelly smokey cloud of smoke.
Daren

I usually leave my convertible connected, but now that I'm installing OEM style battery cables I'll pop the spring ring for the winter.

On my project, before hooking up the battery I disconnected all factory circuits and made a basic start/run circuit. Now I am trying to decide whether to replace the front lamp and engine harnesses, or repair them. They won't stay compromised as they are now.

If I was at all in doubt about the wiring, I'd pull it out. Or if I had the car apart, I'd change them with new.

I highly recomend disconnecting the battery if the car sits or even every time you park it if you question the wireing. Here is what happened to my 69 camaro a few years ago when I forgot to unhook the battery and something shorted out and caught on fire. total loss

looks like it over heated...

Ya...I'd definately put in a slightly cooler thermostat!

On the serious side, sorry it happened, thats got to hurt.

My '68 caught on fire once. I was able to save it before it got out of hand. It is not fun and to think that I could have lost it..... I keep a fire extinguisher in it now.

When I was 17 my 69 firebird caught on fire in the dash, the after market volt meter shorted out on the dash frame luckly I was able to put that out with a wet piece of paper before it got out of hand. The 69 camaro burnt up while I wasnt home. It melted the rear wheels, rear leaf springs and a aluminum jon boat that was setting next to it and a few trees. As you can see it even melted the lead right out of the seam where the quarter meets the roof. Till this day I still cant find the gas cap where it shot that off into the woods. It was a real shame to lose a hole car even if it was a camaro. I eventuall sold it for $300 to someone who wanted the subframe and engine block.

here is what was left of the carberator and rear wheels. sorry for the large pice

At least with the quick disconnect one can stop the current. I had an ammeter wire go in my Van YEARS ago and they can get pretty red hot, took the carpet with it, luckily I had an extinquisher as well.

Think I'll go get one for the bird this weekend!

Holy Cr@p. That was one HOT fire!