spider #4 fuse

[James Hamilton Lambert <jhl6d@domain.elided>]

Thanks to the four digesters who helped me recover from failed
brake lights and the #4 fuse that blew with every replacement.
Since the fuse blew right away even with the brake pedal
undepressed, it seemed the short was either between the fuse and
the brake light switch or in the circuit for the footwell lights.
(maybe graduates with factory ac had footwell lights? I never
noticed a 'mirror light') The footwell lights are called ceiling
lights or roof lights in my wiring diagram--there are certainly no
roof lights. The footwell lights were prone to being kicked on
accidentally. I took a chance and cut the black/red wires from the
#4 fuse, leaving only the fat white wire to the brake lights. When
I replaced the fuse it didn't blow and the brake lights worked. If
I read the wiring diagram correctly I lost only the functioning of
the (shorted) footwell lights. There were other devices served by
the two black/red wires from #4 but I didn't recognize that my graduate
had any of them installed.

Unrelated, I replaced the channel and seal at the front of
the convertible top last weekend (parts in alfa plastic baggies
and advice from Difatta
Bros. in Baltimore). I drilled out the old rivets for the old 
rusty channel, bought a rivet tool and rivets at the hardware store,
installed the new channel, and used some slippery water-
based lubricant to slide the seal into the channel. Then I used the
rivet tool again with some nylon washers
to fix the ends of the seal (hanging out of the channel)
to the canvas. Based on the difficulty to get the new seal and 
channel to slide together (took several practices and gentle use of
some vise grips) I think there is no
point in trying to reuse an old channel. Also you need the rivet tool
as screw heads would be in the way of the seal sliding in the channel.    

Thanks again to everyone! Jim 85 spider graduate 
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