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Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:02 am

I've been rebuilding a bus with a 1967 wiring harness, but I'm piecing it together after the fact - I got the bus with the harness hacked and incomplete. I'm reading the wiring diagram, but having a problem with it. If I'm understanding it correctly, then it has two relays, wiper switch, headlight switch (with dimmer), high-beam floor switch, turn signal switch, and interior light switch. Is this correct, or am I misreading it? The diagram isn't as clear as I'd like, or I'm just more dense than most - it's not entirely clear if I'm reading something as a switch when it's actually a relay.

Stray

Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:19 am

Are you reading the correct schematic, I thought that year bus did not use the high beam floor switch anymore?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bus_67_USA_key.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bus_67_USA.jpg

Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:44 am

Someone beat me to it. :D My DC doesn't have a floor switch. High beams are handled by lifting up on the turn signal switch arm and as far as I know that's the same for full buses as well.

There's also a European wiring diagram in the same section as those 61TXghia pointed you to.

Robert

61TXghia wrote: Are you reading the correct schematic, I thought that year bus did not use the high beam floor switch anymore?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bus_67_USA_key.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bus_67_USA.jpg

Fri Nov 04, 2011 8:48 am

It's a 1964 European bus with a 1967 USA dashboard and wiring harness. I bought it with the "new" dashboard tack-welded in place but not installed fully, with a box full of relays, switches, and the like (many of which weren't part of this bus... just to keep things interesting). The starter is 12V, and the battery that was with the bus is also 12V, but there are a number of places where it still has the 64 wiring... I'm trying to eliminate the 6V stuff, once I identify it. I salvaged a turn signal switch from a 12V bus, I haven't checked if it also has the hi-beam switch.

Stray

Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:08 am

just humor me here, so you are basically wanting to rewire your bus to use the 67 wiring set up? or are you just trying to rewire it as a 64 should be wired and all you have to work with is a 67 harness. the reason im asking is there area lot of major differences in how the 2 years are wired.

Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:09 am

EEK!! That's one big jigsaw puzzle for you. If you have a floor switch, and want to keep it active in concert with the 1967 harness, you're going to have to run wires and splice them in with the switch. Voltage might be an issue. I have no idea if that's simply a toggle switch or a relay that is power rated.

Personally, I think the floor switches are cool!! My grandmother's Plymouth Valiant had a floor swich for high beams and it was so easy to switch on and off.

Robert
Stray Catalyst wrote: It's a 1964 European bus with a 1967 USA dashboard and wiring harness. I bought it with the "new" dashboard tack-welded in place but not installed fully, with a box full of relays, switches, and the like (many of which weren't part of this bus... just to keep things interesting). The starter is 12V, and the battery that was with the bus is also 12V, but there are a number of places where it still has the 64 wiring... I'm trying to eliminate the 6V stuff, once I identify it. I salvaged a turn signal switch from a 12V bus, I haven't checked if it also has the hi-beam switch.

Stray

Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:18 am

The majority of the bus is wired with the 67 harness, so I want to stick with that. I'm not interested in downgrading to 6V, with the associated problems with dim lights, expensive and hard to find components, inability to jump-start, etc. I'd like to use the floor switch if it's not too complicated, and to my understanding all it does it trigger the headlight relay, so it should be able to handle 12V - correct me if I'm wrong - as easily as 6V.

Stray

Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:22 am

If money is not a huge issue for you, I'd invest in a new harness from Wire-werks. The value far outweighs the price in my book.

Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:25 am

Money is a huge issue - I've already exceeded my budget by rather a lot. Right now I'm trying to get it on the road with as little extra money as possible... I hadn't budgeted for (amongst other things) a replacement trans, RGBs, case, heads, carbs, alternator, and various electrical parts, all of which I've already had to purchase. If the harness that's already installed isn't going to work, then I'll replace it, but I'd prefer to try to work with what I have before I whip out the plastic and make my banker wealthier.

Stray

Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:55 am

I took a look at Wolfsburg West and their floor switch says it is good for European buses through 1967. It also doesn't mention power so it must be voltage agnostic.

If that's a 1967 turn signal switch you will have to figure out which wires trigger the high beam. What I would do is cut the wire downsteam from the switch and install spade plugs on one side and then run a new wire from the floor switch to the spade recepticle on the other end. Either tape off the cut wire, or install recepticles and then tape them off. That way you can always switch to the turn signal switch down the road if you, or another owner, eventually wants to.

Robert

Fri Nov 04, 2011 10:00 am

If you use the floor switch, you don't use the headlight relay. Follow the headlight wiring diagram for a '65 or older Bus.

If you're going to use the relay, then you need the '66/'67 turn signal switch with the dimmer switch built in. Use the diagram for a '67 Bus.

Fri Nov 04, 2011 10:13 am

RobertTJM - "Voltage agnostic" - I like that phrase. Thank you.

///Mink, thank you, that was the answer to my question. I have a 12V 67 turn signal switch/dimmer, so I'll use that.

Fri Nov 04, 2011 3:44 pm

The wires and switches don't care if they are using 6V, 12V 0r 200V, only relays, gauges, electric motors and bulbs care. The floor switch will work with the 67 harness if you add wires between where the relay would plug in and the floor switch, or use the relay and late signal switch.