Does anything blow when you turn the emergency flashers on? If not, walk around the car and find the lamp that's not blinking....that's most likely where your problem is. Could be the socket or wiring.

 

As bartl alluded to, you very likely have a socket or a wire that's shorting out.

 

I figured I'm going to have to track the wiring back an see what might be up.

As for the flashers, they haven't been working since I got the car. That's another fuse to check,

 

blowing fuses means it drawing too much current which means somewhere the hot wire is shorted to ground. like previously stated its usually at a bulb socket so if u unplug the wiring before each light u will usually find where the problem is. wes

 

I'll try that tonight when I get home. I'm starting to run out of fuse money!

 

Here's what I'd do. Isolate problem. Unplug harness to rear of car. That's behind drivers kick panel up top. Now all that's connected is turn signal and harness thru column. Does it blow fuse now? If so you know where to look, from steering column to kick panel for a bare or shorting wire. IF not, then follow harness thru door sill plate thru rear 1/4s for bare wires. Before doing that, if you remove bulbs, does it blow? Also unplug each (front & rear light housings one at a time leaving main harness connected, what happens, does fuse then not blow? This is how to isolated problem area. You can also remove bulb and with ohm meter go between sockets ground and HOT side, should be no ready with bulb removed. Note if you ever put wrong bulb in the backup light socket (like #1157) it will blow fuse. It takes a special # 1142 bulb. I know!!!

 

Good advice, thanks!

 

Well, I unplugged the harness (the yellow plug above the diver's kick panel, the gray one shut every thing down) and the fuse still blew. Looks to me like the problem is inside the column, possibly with the cam itself. I probably won't have a chance to look any further until the weekend.

I do have a new column harness that I haven't installed yet, I can install that. Now, how difficult is installing a new harness?

 

Don't give up yet. Disconnect both front turn signal housing harnesses, one at a time and see what happens.

 

I disconnected the right one only, and will probably try the left one after I replenish my supply of fuses.

 

Had this problem when I put my 65 coupe back together. It ended up being the back up light switch wire shorting out on the floor. Maybe check the back up light switch itself too.

 

Answer to question "how easy to swap out t/s switch"? Easy, with steering wheel off, remove all screws inside (3 I think). Then you'll have to use a pick tool to press little tabs inside the connector at bottom of column to unpin that connector. BUT draw out all wires, colors and where they go into connector FIRST!! With wires free on conn, t/s switch will pull out from top.
Note as far as backup lights, highly doubt has anything to do with t/s on a '68. Maybe 64/65 was option and wired diff??
you may pull s/wheel off and see something wrong right off. But do make sure you rule out front lights, even unplug the light harness from the main harness as even a bare wire will cause your problem. Look at more than just the bulbs.

 

I think the question was "how easy is it to change the harness?". It's probably been 30 years since I changed one, but IIRC, I pulled the steering column tube to do it, which isn't really all that hard.

 

Gotcha! Little bastard. It was the turn signal cam. The wire were rubbing against the column, and had rubbed away the rubber shorting out against the metal of the column.

Fixed. now all I have to do is figure out why the heater suddenly isn't working...

thanks guys, off to the races!

Tom.

 

Great! see, a little help from here and folks can do most anything. It's all about not assuming and just isolate problem area. Go have fun. Thanks for update.