Thought the '63 was toast today! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

TagMan · 03-22-2011, 07:22 PM

I was running some errands in my '63 short wide, this afternoon, when all of a sudden the engine quit and smoke started coming out of the speaker grill on the dash. I managed to get the truck off the road (of course it was a busy road!) and shut down. By this time, the cab stunk of the acrid smell of burnt plastic wire casing.

I grabbed the fire extinguisher (I never leave home without one), but there weren't any flames to be seen. I poked around under the dash, but couldn't feel any hot wires or see any damage. Just for the heck of it, I tried to start it back up and it surprised me, when it started up and purred as usual. No smoke!

I drove back home and noticed during the drive that the cheap tachometer that was in the truck when I bought it, was acting erratically. I was always going to remove it, but never seemed to have the time. I got home and took the time, removing the tach and wires. The tach stunk and when I took it apart, there were a couple of chared electrical components that had failed. Lots of smoke from such little gizmos.

Thankfully the problem didn't seem to harm my HEI, but I think I aged about 10-years as a result!

61_FL_Apache · 03-22-2011, 07:39 PM

sounds like a close one.

markeb01 · 03-22-2011, 10:13 PM

I'm glad to hear nothing really bad happened.

I had a similar experience in my 57 Chevy pickup years ago. A day or two after we got it, I started across an intersection and the cab instantly filled with smoke. I opened the door so I could see where I was going and flipped off the ignition, rolled to the side of the street and told my wife to get out. Once it cleared, I found what was left of a bare wire attached to the ignition switch. Don't know where it went, but after it burned off and the smoke cleared the truck started right up. We were really lucky. I replaced just about all the original under dash wiring right after that incident.

**tazattitude** · 03-23-2011, 06:13 AM

Glad to hear it didn't turn out to be too major of a problem

**Corts60** · 03-23-2011, 12:36 PM

That's scary man. I worry about that with these old trucks too. Glad both you and the truck are ok.

glos55 · 03-23-2011, 01:01 PM

Been there bud, I was driving my 55 when smoke started coming out from the dash!!! I never really found the problem and it ran great after that, but I aged too!!!!!!

k1rodeoboater · 03-23-2011, 02:17 PM

...and yet another good reminder of why it's a god idea to replace 40+ yr old wiring and add inline fuses.

One of the first things I did to my truck when I got it was gut out all the ghetto wiring the PO did to it. I wanted to make sure I didn't have an electrical fire start up on me.

jbgroby · 03-23-2011, 03:49 PM

Yeah, but when you do all that wire changing, it takes the excitement from the driving experince? For a while you could have pretended to be Cheech OR Chong like Up in Smoke

vin63 · 03-23-2011, 04:10 PM

Glad to hear you were able to diagnose the problem and that you caught it quickly. I think most people underestimate how quickly and badly electrical fires can get.

**aerotruk63** · 03-23-2011, 04:42 PM

Lucky for you, would hate to see/hear a good 63 go to waste!

03-22-2011, 07:22 PM	#1
TagMan Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 26	Thought the '63 was toast today! I was running some errands in my '63 short wide, this afternoon, when all of a sudden the engine quit and smoke started coming out of the speaker grill on the dash. I managed to get the truck off the road (of course it was a busy road!) and shut down. By this time, the cab stunk of the acrid smell of burnt plastic wire casing. I grabbed the fire extinguisher (I never leave home without one), but there weren't any flames to be seen. I poked around under the dash, but couldn't feel any hot wires or see any damage. Just for the heck of it, I tried to start it back up and it surprised me, when it started up and purred as usual. No smoke! I drove back home and noticed during the drive that the cheap tachometer that was in the truck when I bought it, was acting erratically. I was always going to remove it, but never seemed to have the time. I got home and took the time, removing the tach and wires. The tach stunk and when I took it apart, there were a couple of chared electrical components that had failed. Lots of smoke from such little gizmos. Thankfully the problem didn't seem to harm my HEI, but I think I aged about 10-years as a result!

03-22-2011, 07:39 PM	#2
61_FL_Apache Who Me? Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 4,067	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! sounds like a close one. __________________ Steve 1997 Tahoe LT 4D 2WD (DD) 2001 Blazer 4D 2WD 1961 Apache 10 (sold) 1965 C10 Stepper (sold)

03-22-2011, 10:13 PM	#3
markeb01 Senior Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Spokane Valley, WA Posts: 8,356	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! I'm glad to hear nothing really bad happened. I had a similar experience in my 57 Chevy pickup years ago. A day or two after we got it, I started across an intersection and the cab instantly filled with smoke. I opened the door so I could see where I was going and flipped off the ignition, rolled to the side of the street and told my wife to get out. Once it cleared, I found what was left of a bare wire attached to the ignition switch. Don't know where it went, but after it burned off and the smoke cleared the truck started right up. We were really lucky. I replaced just about all the original under dash wiring right after that incident.

03-23-2011, 06:13 AM	#4
tazattitude Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 532	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! Glad to hear it didn't turn out to be too major of a problem __________________ TAZ BUILDS 1966 GMC Suburban 1963 GMC Suburban Patina frame-on FOR Sale 1966 C10 Short Bed (2010-11) Monthly Updates 2015 C10 Pics with my '72 Montego GT 429/521 build 1963 Pro Street C10 back halved. Frame off I did back in 1990 Pics / Video

03-23-2011, 12:36 PM	#5
Corts60 Just here to tinker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Holland, MI Posts: 3,697	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! That's scary man. I worry about that with these old trucks too. Glad both you and the truck are ok. __________________ 78 C10 SWB Diesel #1 (wrecked)http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...1978+silverado 78 C10 SWB Diesel #2 (sold)http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=650751 60 GMC Suburban (sold)http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=445526 60 GMC 1000 (sold)http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=298235 67 GMC 1500 (sold) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=803695 73 Chevy C20(Daily)http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=852767 86 Suburban(summer unit) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=810697 88 Suburban 4x4(sold)

03-23-2011, 01:01 PM	#6
glos55 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 1,008	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! Been there bud, I was driving my 55 when smoke started coming out from the dash!!! I never really found the problem and it ran great after that, but I aged too!!!!!!

03-23-2011, 02:17 PM	#7
k1rodeoboater Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Fayetteville NC Posts: 752	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! ...and yet another good reminder of why it's a god idea to replace 40+ yr old wiring and add inline fuses. One of the first things I did to my truck when I got it was gut out all the ghetto wiring the PO did to it. I wanted to make sure I didn't have an electrical fire start up on me. __________________ 1966 C10 Long step build on a budget http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=445201 no garage, no shop, limited storage space and tools....no problem.

03-23-2011, 03:49 PM	#8
jbgroby Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lacombe, LA Posts: 2,772	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! Yeah, but when you do all that wire changing, it takes the excitement from the driving experince? For a while you could have pretended to be Cheech OR Chong like Up in Smoke __________________ http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/jb...23904108567829

03-23-2011, 04:10 PM	#9
vin63 It's Better With Nitro Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chino Hills, CA Posts: 2,262	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! Glad to hear you were able to diagnose the problem and that you caught it quickly. I think most people underestimate how quickly and badly electrical fires can get. __________________ 1963 C-10: Deluxe-optioned cab, shortbed, fleetside Pontiac 462 ci, Kauffman D-Port alum. heads 4L80E, narrowed sheetmetal Ford 9-inch Tubular front and rear suspension Custom 6-piston front disc and 4-piston rear disc brakes

03-23-2011, 04:42 PM	#10
aerotruk63 Check The Champ, Demonstrator Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Montreal,Quebec Posts: 6,627	Re: Thought the '63 was toast today! Lucky for you, would hate to see/hear a good 63 go to waste! __________________ 1963 *Chevrolet Truck* Literature LINK: https://picasaweb.google.com/113840717762774560215 YouTube Channel with 20+ Original *Chevrolet Truck* Salesmen, Mechanics & Service Department Training Slideshows. https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...otruk63&page=1 Last edited by aerotruk63; 03-23-2011 at 04:42 PM.

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