You dont know the meaning of FRUSTRATION 1960 Instrument Lights

[cadillactim]

Run a wire from the back plate where the bulbs plug to the body. This will give you a separate ground circuit for the bulbs. Why keep hunting for the problem when you can do a simple modification?

Tim

[C Gorgas]

Oh yes I do know the meaning of FRUSTRATION. My '41 runs for 5 maybe 8 miles and says "I'm going for a rest now"; it shuts down and will not go for another 4 hours. Response #15 has helped particularly. chet25441

[76eldo]

Listen to Tim and add an extra ground wire from the rear of the cluster to a bolt or screw on the metal dash frame.  If it's a ground issue, this will fix it.

Brian

[60eldo]

    So last night I took the entire dash out again and then took the speedo cluster out and tryed it on its own with ground to rear of cluster and it worked. Now I cleaned the 4 bolts that hold it into the dash, sanded, the bolts which were coroded and bolted the cluster back in and installed the dash into the car, by the way those hooks that are suppose to hold the dash in are useless, they do nothing. Anyway turned the lights on and they are working now. Im happy but not totally cause Im not sure what I did to solve this. Anyone needing advice on how to take out a 1960 dash,,,call me I can do it in 15 minutes now, only cause I took mine out 4 times LOL

[INTMD8]

Glad you got it working! 

I can relate. Just spent 40+hrs wiring a complete car front to back.  Staring at monotone wiring diagrams all day can be tiring 

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

    So last night I took the entire dash out again and then took the speedo cluster out and tryed it on its own with ground to rear of cluster and it worked. Now I cleaned the 4 bolts that hold it into the dash, sanded, the bolts which were coroded and bolted the cluster back in and installed the dash into the car, by the way those hooks that are suppose to hold the dash in are useless, they do nothing. Anyway turned the lights on and they are working now. Im happy but not totally cause Im not sure what I did to solve this. Anyone needing advice on how to take out a 1960 dash,,,call me I can do it in 15 minutes now, only cause I took mine out 4 times LOL

YAY! Good for you! 

\m/
Laurie

[Roger Zimmermann]

Oh yes I do know the meaning of FRUSTRATION. My '41 runs for 5 maybe 8 miles and says "I'm going for a rest now"; it shuts down and will not go for another 4 hours. Response #15 has helped particularly. chet25441

Is that the first image from answer #15 which has helped? by putting the contend into the tank from the car or for personal usage?!

[jaxops]

Congratulations!  I have the same problem...everything works fine and suddenly the next time you use the car, Pow! Smack! Whamo!  New problems.  My issue is probably the rheostat on the headlight switch....yay, I foolishly turned it and now, no dashlights. 

[Skwerly62]

From my old CG Avionics days. “Ground is ground is ground”, doesn’t matter where it comes from just make sure it’s a solid connection. Bench test the cluster with alligator clips and a cordless drill/tool battery (pref 12v) before putting it back in and out 10 more times. If the old dash lights work then you know the harness is good and it’s something in the newly swapped parts. Make sure when troubleshooting you only change out one thing or component at a time to find out if it’s the problem. Wires are much easier to trace and repair than circuit boards. Good luck.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Congratulations!  I have the same problem...everything works fine and suddenly the next time you use the car, Pow! Smack! Whamo!  New problems.  My issue is probably the rheostat on the headlight switch....yay, I foolishly turned it and now, no dashlights.

You are not alone with that problem! Indeed, it's a discutable design which creates that situation: the contact between the rheostat and the main switch is not foolproof: a bit metal is pushing against another one. If oxydation is coming between both, no light. Remove the rheostat, clean the contacts, reassemble, not forgetting some contact grease. You will be good till next time!

[jaxops]

Thanks Roger.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

You are not alone with that problem! Indeed, it's a discutable design which creates that situation: the contact between the rheostat and the main switch is not foolproof: a bit metal is pushing against another one. If oxydation is coming between both, no light. Remove the rheostat, clean the contacts, reassemble, not forgetting some contact grease. You will be good till next time!

Why not just get a new headlight switch? They're like $30, I just googled them.

\m/
Laurie

[Roger Zimmermann]

Why not just get a new headlight switch? They're like $30, I just googled them.

Laurie, I don't know what you saw. However, I doubt that this kind of headlight switch is available as new. Furthermore, it will not solve the rheostat issue as this is a separate assembly and the critical point is the electrical connexion between the switch and the rheostat unit.
The light switch in the picture is from a '57 car; it's very similar to the '59-'60 unit.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Laurie, I don't know what you saw. However, I doubt that this kind of headlight switch is available as new. Furthermore, it will not solve the rheostat issue as this is a separate assembly and the critical point is the electrical connexion between the switch and the rheostat unit.
The light switch in the picture is from a '57 car; it's very similar to the '59-'60 unit.

I'd check your part number interchange list, Mike Josephic is legendary for this. It seems the correct switch for a '57 is #1995080. And a 59-60 is #1995097. This is what came up from a quick google search for both.
https://www.classicindustries.com/product/all-years/chevrolet/belair/parts/1995095.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgf3gBRDtARIsABgdL3nTjsrv_qLb4uo0fA7TfQB5C724dUceHfZDgUG9C_9x0nqRWWsJY9IaAkWfEALw_wcB
https://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-headlight-switch-1957.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=1o4&scid=scplp57-134453-1&sc_intid=57-134453-1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgf3gBRDtARIsABgdL3kMHEUZvk_rzWaZu0gL3NFnfzUJw_lRUigEogQPXvPYaYljuUjuAOwaAit8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

CaddyDaddy seems to have the 'correct' part in stock, for a mortgage payment.

Also this came up before on this forum, note someone using a Buick part. Gotta believe the Chevy parts might work.
http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=132718.0

\m/
Laurie

[Roger Zimmermann]

Laurie, those switches may be usable with some modifications as the Cadillac connector is different. The installation of the switch may also require some imagination. There must be a reason why CaddyDaddy is selling those for some more money!