1964 Cutlass 455 Hei install
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 25
From: DFW, Texas
1964 Cutlass 455 Hei install
Hello everyone! Back in 2010, I posted about a no start issue w/ the stock 330. We fixed that, and now after many years, we just transplanted a built 455/turbo 400 into it. Definitely wasn’t a straight swap- but pretty straight forward. The problem that kept it from starting was the hei ignition wiring. I looked for “ign” on the fuse box- none there. I did not have a volt meter (I flew from Texas to SoCal 2 weekends in a row to do the swap- only had a trouble light). I finally found a wire that was hot when ignition turned on- so I soldered new 12 ga wire to that and ran to the “bat” on the hei. Wouldn’t crank. We were able to get engine started by jumping battery power to hei- but obviously that’s not fixing it. (But at least we know everything else was good!) anyways, should I pull the ignition switch and run a 12ga from there to bat on hei, or run 12v from battery and put in a lighted rocker switch that “kills” start power? Thanks for your help!
Last edited by taps442; Mar 25, 2021 at 03:47 PM. Reason: Adding video
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Taps - Regarding your edit.
FYI - This site is not configured to maintain and address the ability to upload and render large videos - they would have to be tiny - like under 10 MB maximum. You're far better off uploading a video to YouTube then posting the YouTube URL (link) to your post.
Last edited by taps442; Today at 06:34 PM. Reason: Adding video
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 42,513
From: Poteau, Ok
If you do not have an IGN terminal in the fuse block, I would just change the original resistance wire to a 12 ga stranded and connect it to the HEI. If you don't want to do that then trigger a 30A relay off the original resistance wire and power the HEI through the relay from the battery.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 149
From: Hunt County, TX
Resistance wire went to the positive side of the coil. A second wire also connects to the coil from the starter solenoid that provided 12V when starting. The points distributor connected to the negative side of the coil.
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 26,226
From: Earth
Don't hold me accountable for misinformation, but I'll bet there isn't much difference in the wiring schematic (diagram) between a 1964 and a 1965. Here is the wiring diagram from a 1965 posted by another CO member (jaunty75). Enlarge it to read it clearly. The resistance wire is white, red & black.
Link >>> 4
Link >>> 4
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