Neutral Safety Switch

Hi all! The engine harness interconnect plug on the 64 has seen better days; it is broken and corroded. I am trying to figure out the wiring using a 65 wiring diagram. It shows (2) purple wires for a safety switch, but my harness has only (1) purple wire. Did 64's not have a neutral safety switch ?

Gears & Cheers, MS

if your van was an automatic it might have the switch but not
100% positive about a 64. if it was a manual trans van it won`t
have the switch factory.

I have your 65 wiring diagram, Scott; thanks. I thought 1st Gens only came with manual trans, but a 66 diagram I have, refs a RPO M35 (PowerGlide ?). Anyway, my Van came with a manual trans, but at some point in time was converted to V8/TH350 auto and I have not found a NSS.

I ended up cutting open the engine harness to try to figure out what I have. It looks like a cobbled 67 harness; no resistance wire (had HEI), extra (2) wire connector (green/dkgreen), brown wire not used (single wire ALT with internal reg), no pruple/white wire, and black wire misconnected.

So, I did the following:

1) connected black correctly

2) deleted brown wire

3) deleted extra (2) wire connector green/dkgreen

4) added purple/white wire and ballast resistor for Mallory/Pertonix distributor

Thanks to panelmanrd and Scott

Gears & Cheers, MS

Don't know if this will help at this point, but there are colored wiring diagrams in the Archived section of the forum. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the First Gen Diagram post, there have been some changes made since the original post.

the 64 chevy i have at home in the works was an auto
had a powerglide, just dont remember if there was a
nss switch.
most aftermarket shifters have the nss built in.
i have a late 60 chevy horseshoe shifter in my van
and it has an nss in it.

OK, the harness now looks like the 65 diagram except no brown wire and no NSS. I forgot to mention earlier that I found a yellow wire in place of a purple/white wire (now correct purple/white).

The 3 speed column shifter is used for the TH350. I am going to install a stop screw to eliminate the pull up motion on the manual shift lever.

Thanks all, MS

The nice, color wiring diagrams are here:
https://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/t25630-first-gen-wiring-diagram?highlight=Wiring+diagram

The diagrams confusingly show two purple wires but you will only have one, either with an NSS connector or without. Most early vans won’t have it. My 65 Sportvan Deluxe came with a powerglide but no NSS connector. Scotty’s 65 Deluxe had the purple wire going to a NSS connector but it was just hanging there. No actual NSS switch on the tranny.

Since you’ve got the TH350, you’ll want to find a NSS made for that. Then you cut your purple wire and splice in a connector to go to the NSS. That wire goes to the “S” terminal on the starter solenoid. It gets energized when you turn the key to Start. The NSS connects the cut wire only if it’s in Park or Neutral.

Since the TH350 is a newer transmission, its NSS will also has wires to light your backup lights when in Reverse. Might as well hook those up too, if your van has backup lights.