I would like to pull the fuse holder off and clean it/detail it on my 65 Cutlass. Two long screws hold it to the fire wall. Once those are out can I just pull it off? I didn't want to go yanking it and destroying something. The shop manual has a picture of both side and it LOOKs like it just plugs in but I don't want to take chances! Any advice would greatly be appreciated and thank-you in advance!! Tom

 

Well... You can just pull it off, but it will only move about an inch, unless the entire wiring harness is disconnected. There is surprisingly little leeway in the way that all the wires are connected and located.
I'm afraid you may have an easier time working on it where it is - if it actually has to come out, the whole harness has to come with it. I think it may be possible to take it apart, leaving wach contact soldered to its own wire on the harness, but then you have a heck of a job getting it back together down there - I've never tried to do this, so maybe someone who has will have more information about it.

- Eric

 

If that's the case I would be happy to detail it where it is as the seats and carpet are out of the car. I can remove the fuses and use my Dremel (I think) and polish the fuse holder metal, and use contact cleaner and Q tips, etc. Thank you.

 

Yeah, that's what I'd do.

If you're pulling the dash, you may just be able to take the whole harness and box out along with it, after disconnecting the door jamb switches, but I'm not sure how it's connected to the rear harness on the '65s (if I recall from when I did this many years ago, on the later ones, it can be detached).

- Eric

 

If you disconnect both under hood harnesses the fuse box can be removed-pulled away from the body.The ribbon wire to rear seperates not far from the fuse box.

 

Um, I'd be cautious spinning dremel pads on the now brittle fuse holder body. If cotton strands snag a metal tang or something it can snap something. The metal fuse holder blades are attached to the common bus bar by rivets. Should the blade wiggle at the rivet mount you have or now created a loose connection. These old blocks can be a little delicate and spooky.

My block suffered intermittent conections due to failing loose rivets that had corroded internally. I had to mount an auxiliary (new style) block and move circuits over to it. This is surgery crouching in a foot well soldering and extending very short factoy wires to the new block. If yours is still fresh things may be different. Mine was toast.