Q: repairing cruise control and clock on '63

[Adambravo]

It's me again--new '63 owner. Both the clock and cruise are not working on; the clock's light is also out. Cruise did turn on once (but didn't seem to actually control the speed). Are these issues worth pursuing, or are they complex and/or perennial issues with this generation. I'm probably more interested in having the cruise working than the clock, but want to know what I'm getting myself into if I try getting it fixed.

Thanks in advance,

Adam

[RivNut]

In most instances the clocks are fairly easy to fix. The clock is actually a mechanical clock. An electrical impulse winds a main spring and the clock runs for a few mintues. When the main spring winds down, there's another quick 12V charge and the mainspring rewinds. To take the clock out, turn it counter clockwise until it's released. Sometimes a couple of squirts of electrical contact cleaner and it will work again. The light is a separate issue; probably a burned out bulb.

The Electro-Cruise is prmitive by today's standards. You manually set the pointer on the speedometer head at the speed you want. Then you depress the cruise switch. Two contacts in the back of the speedometer head "feel" the speedometer needle as the car goes faster and slower. Too fast, the feeler sends info to the cruise control to slow down. Too slow, the feeler sends info to the cruise control to speed up. There's an excellent trouble shooting guide in the shop manual (AKA "Riv owner's bible.) If you don't have one, secure one. It will be the best money you can spend, other than a membership in the ROA.

If you truly want to use the cruise for long haul purposes, it's probably easier to install an aftermarket unit. Jim Cannon, ROA '63 Tech Advisor, has done this on his '63 and it's nearly impossible to detect the installation.

Ed