1961 B Notchback Coupe Voltage Regulator Wiring

[Lynn Sheeley]

I am 90%+ finished with the restoration of my retirement project--a 1961 Notchback coupe.
Car was bought completely disassembled with nothing marked or notes from prior owner. I have
a workshop manual, parts manual, color wiring diagram and Joe Leoni's wiring book. Even looked
at my son's 59 Coupe for help but an A Coupe has fewer wires to the voltage regulator.

Is there someone on the list with a 61 B Coupe who would look at their voltage regulator wiring and
report back before I burn up my wiring harness.

There are two bundles of wires in the right corner of the engine compartment that I think are meant to
be hooked up to the voltage regulator. The wiring for the coil is another wire bundle and I have that
figured out as the wiring is all original and wire colors are easy to compare to wiring diagram.

I have traced the main battery cable from front of car to the black battery wire in back as well as
the wire from the blue wire that triggers the generator warning light. I used a volt meter and a small
6 volt RC airplane battery with low amps so no chance of burning wires.

I am using an original rectangular black voltage regulator. I seem to remember reading that one of the
thin black wires is extra and used to remotely start the car.

There are two bundles in the right rear corner:

Bundle #1 has 4 wires:
1. A thick yellow wire.
2. A thick red wire and a thin black wire bundled together.
3. A black wire that I think is the wire from front battery to battery on voltage regulator.
4. Thin black wire.

Bundle #2 has 3 wires:
1. Thick red wire that traces back to the blue wire under dash to generator warning light.
2. Thick yellow wire.
3. Thin black wire.

I would very much appreciate help.

[David Jones]

Lynn, Is one of the bundles the regulator to generator harness? That may be bundle #2 as the wire colors are correct for the harness.

[Lynn Sheeley]

David, that is a good thought but both these bundles are wrapped coming into the engine compartment so they only have one end with wire ends on them so there is no way to hook up to both the volt regulator and the generator.

I assume that there are double connections going to the voltage regulator from each of the wire bundles. One bundle has the needed main black battery connection and the other bundle has the wire from the generator warning light that goes to D+ on VR.

Was hoping a B coupe owner could look in the corner of engine compartment and carefully lift up the wrapped wiring bundle/bundles and tell me how many wire they have and where their colors go.

Any help would be appreciated.

Here is a bad photo showing how the wiring bundle takes a T as it comes into the engine compartment. Photo shows wire ends of bundle one with black wire going to Bat on VR.

[Lynn Sheeley]

David

I will try running continuity on both ends of the wire ends Monday. It is possible because one bundle is long enough to reach to the generator and maybe that shorter T are the other ends of the bundle!!

[Doug McDonnell]

One bundle should go to VR and the other to coil, oil temp sender and oil pressure sender to idiot light. One will have a spare black wire frequently coiled by itself. There should be a separate short harness from Generator to VR that doesn't come out of the sheet metal. If you have a color wiring diagram for your year that should help.

[David Jones]

Lynn the wire that goes to the DF connection on the generator has a fork connector because the nut does not come completely off of the generator post. Your car should not be any different to other 356's with regard to generator and regulator wiring. As you surmise it may be that someone wrapped the harness wires from regulator to generator with the car harness just to confuse the issue.
Here is a link to a "B" wiring diagram. It may help.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/356/356B_Pa ... al_dia.jpg

[Lynn Sheeley]

Thanks for the quick reply with the correct answer. I was completely stumped.

Email me your mailing address, year and model of 356 and I will send you a 356
ID Hat in appreciation. EMail Lynnsabcs@netzero.com.

A photo is attached if you haven't seen one.

Lynn

[Doug McDonnell]

I am pretty sure he has 3 356s and a Boxster. Car poor:>)