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Fuse box location?


ericw

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On my 64 Riviera, I can not find my fuse box.( I need a manual). There is one small panel to the left of the steering column but when I removed the two screws holding it in it did not come out easily so I decided to leave well enough alone. One more question. How does one remove the radio? Thanks, Eric

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Eric, that small access panel you found to the left of the column is just to help reach up and access the instruments, speedo, etc. The fuse box is way up under the dash, mounted to the firewall. Get down under the dash, laying on your back, and look up at the firewall. Then you will see it. The flasher for the turn signals is stuck in it; it looks like a metal can.

I recommend you disconnect the battery ground cable before you start messing with the fuse box and trying to slip it out of it's holder. The back side of the fuse block has a strip of exposed metal that is hot all the time, even with the key off. If you accidentally touch that strip to any metal under the dash, you will short things out and can either fry your wiring harness or set your car on fire (obviously neither of which is good). Ask me how I know... frown.gif

Removing the radio requires removing the flat section of dash that it is attached to; it comes out as a unit, together with the radio. Getting that panel out is a trick. You will find a couple of nuts on the back side that need to come off. Getting to them is tough. If you have A/C, remove the center vent and the duct that runs up to it. On my '63, I remove the small panel that contains the ash tray to get to these 2 nuts; I think the '64 has heater-A/C controls in the way, making it more of a challenge. You probably need to loosen up the flat panel on the underside if the dash, directly above the radio, before the panel that holds the radio will slide forward, too. When you get to the radio, you will find 2 attaching bolts on the underside of the radio that need to come out. Pay attention to how the power feed wires go in and how the antenna plugs in, so you can put them back correctly.

Interestingly, this is not usually a procedure you will find in the shop manual. It is considered fairly routine, like removing a wheel, and assumed any experienced mechanic would already know how to do it. There are blow-up pictures of the dash parts and how they all fit together, that's about it.

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Hi Eric, On my 64 the fuse panel is under the cover that you took the screws out of. You are correct, it doesn't come off easily, as a matter of face it always take some prying on the bottom edge with a small screwdriver to get it off.

So if you dont see it on the firewall, try prying on that cover carefiully.

One item about removing the radio, if you start messing with the heater and A/C controls, plan on replacing all the rubber hoses. Once you start moving them, they crack and give you vacume leaks and stops things from working. Like Jim said, "ask me how I know". So be prepared, espacially with A/C.

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Bill, that's another subtle difference between '63 and later years. I did not know that the fuses were behind that left access cover on the '64. Much easier to get at there, that's for sure. I guess Buick got a few complaints about having to stand on your head to change a fuse.

Eric, I agree with Bill, I'd sure be careful with those vacuum hoses on the A/C and heater controls to get at the radio.

You should be able to remove the trim piece that covers A/C and heater controls (look in ash tray, remove screws you see), then remove mounting screws for those controls and let the control unit all just settle down inside console, if you can, without messing with the vacuum hoses, then you can get at the radio. (Power feed to cigar lighter is always hot so you might want to disconnect the ground cable on the battery.)

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Bill, Jim, Thanks. I got it opened and the fuses apear good but there is some slight surface rust so I will clean that up. I did remember to disconnect the battery!! It is about 25 degrees in my gargae so I will wait for a warmer day to get to the radio. Again much thanks, Eric

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Eric,

The panel on your '64 has a couple of tabs on the "screw" end and a long lip on the other end. If you lift up on the lip end and slide it back inside the opening, the tabs should clear and the cover w/ fuse box will drop out. If you try to pry it out, you could snap off the locating tabs.

Only 25* in the garage? You might as well do it outside where the light is better and there's a breeze to keep the sweat off your brow.

Meryy Christmas

Ed

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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ericw</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> NE Kansas can't be a whole lot warmer. I am just glad the last ice storm missed us. Thanks, Eric </div></div>

It flucuates; on the week days when I'm inside working, it's 50* outside. On the weekends, when I need to get things done on the cars, there are ice storms. Go figure. The last ice storm hit N,S,E,and W of me. I was like in the eye of a hurricane where it's nice and calm; just some snow flurries.

Ed

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