Speed control broken slide switch (66 sedan)

[PeruLincoln]

Hi, the slide switch on mi speed control is broken I do not know if it is in the off, on or auto position. I am rebuilt my carburetor and I was wondering if it is going to affect the idle speed or something else since I have no idea in what position is the speed control slide switch? And what should I do with it? Thanks

[TonyC]

Well, this question would be better placed in the "Electrical & Accessories" category, but no need to split hairs. Wow...impressive that your car has that option! I've only seen one other '66 with the factory-offered option...and unfortunately that one was an organ donor, long-since gone. What I would do in your situation would be to remove the dash control and try disassembling it to cobble up a repair to that flip control...but, that's me (I did manage to do such a repair to the broken tab of Frankenstein's auto-dimmer, I'm just a mad scientist in that regard). However, the easier and more immediate workaround would be to pull the fuse from the panel that feeds power to the cruise control; it's a 14-amp fuse on the right-most side of the panel, and there's even a schematic on the panel hatch that specifies what fuse feeds what circuit, so you can't miss it.

However, that should not even be necessary. It is de-energized every time the car is turned off, meaning it is completely disengaged. Even if the flip switch remains in the "On" position, the system will only remain on idle standby when the car is turned on again; it will not engage unless the flip switch is moved to the "Auto" position, which is not a locking position (the switch will spring back to the "On" position when released). So, the bottom line is, you have nothing to worry about. The system will not suddenly engage itself, and it will not cause any interference with the car's normal running. You can pull the fuse just for peace-of-mind until such time that you can find someone who is able and willing to repair the broken flip switch, or offer an intact replacement head unit. But you should still be okay even with the fuse still in place.

Now, while you're living with that, there may be some behavior from the system that might concern you if you don't know how that system works, so I'll explain it just in case you don't have an owner's manual in the car. When this system is on, it has one passive feature to it that is coined a "speed reminder." Somehow the system will jam the accelerator pedal if you reach a speed matching the set speed on the dial of the head unit. This is normal; it's supposed to keep you from going beyond a certain set speed (supposedly it has the benefit of keeping you from getting speeding citations). That jam can be overridden by pressing harder on the pedal. If you don't want to deal with that, turn the dial to the maximum speed setting; you then won't have to worry about jamming of the pedal unless you go over 85 mph (are there even any roads in Peru that allow speed that high?). There is also an indicator light on the head unit, but information I have on its operation conflicts between the shop manual and owner's manual. The shop manual states that the light comes on when the system is engaged; the owner's manual states it comes on when the system is merely on but not necessarily engaged. I suppose your experience can clarify that...but that should be a minor thing. If that light doesn't come on for you when the car is on, then the system is either off entirely or in standby mode; in either case, you're in no danger of losing control.

---Tony

[RMAENV]

Tony,

I have the cruise control unit on my '66 vert. Never used it. I am guessing that it works as everything else does on the car. It has 53K miles on it. I got it in 2006 from the Shriners in Roanoke, Virginia with 47K on it. They got it as a donation in 1986 with 42K on it from their title. They told me they used it as a parade car for 20 years. One of these days, probably in the spring, now that someone mentioned it was a bit rare, I will test it. I also have the head light dimmer and that does work.

The only options I believe are missing on mine are the transistor ignition and the bucket seats. Have AM/FM Town and Country for the radio. The radio I had gutted and upgraded.

When I got it in 2006, we pulled the timing gear and timing chain. I still have both. The plastic gear has no broken teeth or cracks in the plastic at all, so I am very comfortable that the milage is 100% accurate.

[TonyC]

Damn, Rob, I envy you. I mean, Frankenstein was missing more than half the options offered and now has nearly all of them and then some, but he's not a 'vert. I still have to take delivery of one; I didn't stare the Grim Reaper in his eye-sockets and make him blink two years ago to not take delivery of the one thing the world owes me, only to see clueless rich newbies trash what few surviving 'verts there are with balloon suspensions, wagon-wheels, and computerized GM engines.

---Tony

[frasern]

My '66 parts car had cruise, I have removed and boxed it, was thinking about putting it on flea bay, but now I'm considering using it in my '62. I found the dash control and some under hood brackets on my '62 parts car, and I think the rest is the same, but to get back on target....

So this is what your control looks like underneath. I expect you'll find that screw has come loose, and the control is otherwise fine.

[TonyC]

Ahh...! If it's that simple, great! But if the break is more involved...I could fix that! Honestly, I could easily fix that! What gave me pause was not knowing what the control's innards looked like; but this picture tells me that broken slide-switch would be easy for my mad-scientist skills to fix! If only we weren't so far apart, I'd offer my services.

But it would be very nice for him if it's just a matter of a lost screw.

---Tony

[PeruLincoln]

i think i am gonna get a plastic welding gun and see if i can fix it!!!!

[RMAENV]

I believe the '66 cruise control uses a 2 speedometer cable system (a long one and a short one). I have one of them in my basement new. Not sure how the 62 works.

Tony, I might have all the options, but you have youth and knowledge on your side. My buddy who is a trained and certified mechanic who is one of those guys that not only tells you what is wrong with it, he tells you how it works and why it probably stopped working is having some memory issues. So, with me turning 69 Thursday and some knee problems and other health issues, keeping it up and running gets more difficult every day. His son owns a shop and does my repairs but is nowhere near the mechanic his father is. Especially since his father owned 2 or 3 60's Lincolns. At least one was a vert.

[TonyC]

I can kind of relate, Rob. Though I'm 13 years behind you, I too was diagnosed with knee problems when I was still on active duty in the Army...and that's a minor inconvenience for me compared to the fatal heart-attack I had two years ago. I say fatal because I'm sure I was dead for a while. That really just leaves sheer stubbornness for me to rely on when Frankenstein needs attention, and I think that was what helped me do that core rebuild last year. Sometimes it helps to have Aries attributes...sometimes.

Good luck to PeruLincoln; I do hope the broken switch is easier to fix than it appears to be. Taking the panel out will reveal how involved it will be.

---Tony

[frasern]

I believe the '66 cruise control uses a 2 speedometer cable system (a long one and a short one). I have one of them in my basement new. Not sure how the 62 works.

In '66, the lower cable is the same as the cable used without cruise, or at least so close I can't see a difference, I have both. My '67 is a different animal altogether.
'62 has a difference in the control feed to the servo, so I'm probably not going to use it. Maybe better to just get a new universal one, as Tony did. They are a lot more accurate than the early ones were, and less bulky. But first, I need to get an engine back in that '62!

Back on topic, I still think that control is fine, screws work themselves loose after 56 years, but only after removing it for a look, will you know. Actually, you don't even need to remove it, just lower the black, lower dash cover, the control will remain in place, and you can access the underside of the switch.