Cruise control

by crice63 Thu Oct 05, 2017 4:55 pm

I'm not sure where to post this, but I want to ask about cruise control. It would be nice to have. I've been driving the el camino back and forth to Houston and New Orleans so the lack of cruise control has become noticeable.

What is the best way to get CC in these cars? I can't imagine the stock units with wiring and control is easy to find. I see from searches that the control is on the blinker stalk? And even with a stock unit, how reliable are they? Will it just break soon after I install it? Or are there other workable solutions?

by Mcarlo77 Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:27 pm

By coincidence, I have just gone thru my cruise parts that I plan on adding to the Laguna after I swap steering columns. I've got some misc. spare pcs such as the Regulator, wiring pigtail from the strg column stalk to the Regulator, vacuum dump switch/brkt and various lengths of vacuum tubing. Even have an extra strg column lever w/cruise cable off a Regal (same wiring and fit...just different look to the lever). What I don't have spares of...and, these are the hardest parts to find...are the vacuum motor (Servo) in working order and the factory Q-jet brkt that secures the cruise cable. I might have a line on a vacuum Servo. Carb brkt could probably be fitted using a modified 2-bbl one that I have. Also, don't have a spare set of speedo cables...but, those, along with the Regulator, are available aftermarket.

I have no idea how reliable these were...but, these systems aren't very complicated. About the only things that can fail are the Regulator (available aftermarket) and the vacuum Servo getting a tear in the diaphram. The wiring pigtail attached to the strg column lever can be fished down inside the strg column by removing the strg wheel and hub plate (no need to remove the turn signal switch). Wiring is pretty straight-forward using the factory pigtail. Plug cruise lever lead into one connector, hot lead into your fuse box and other end out the firewall and into the Regulator. I could get you a diagram of vacuum tubing.

I'm sure there are aftermarket setups available, too.

by pila Thu Oct 05, 2017 9:30 pm

I transferred the cruise from my scrapped '77 Elco, including the entire wiring harness, to the '75 I have. It works good yet, use it all the time, even though it's all parts from the '77 & that old...
It's a simple system of course, and no fancy gadgets with it, just tap the button & cruise ! Very Happy

Bill

by crice63 Fri Oct 06, 2017 6:56 pm

All the aftermarket kits I find require some trickeration to generate a VSS. My intake is aftermarket but my carb is q-jet so I think I would rather add a stock unit if possible. What are the chances the vacuum servo could be had off an early G-body or S10? I have to mess with installing a bunch of vacuum lines anyway to get the AC back so might as well do them all together. I need to find a vacuum canister for the AC--I've been assuming I could use any of those round canisters i could find but haven't looked that up yet. I will send Mcarlo a PM

by pila Fri Oct 06, 2017 9:10 pm

I have a 4X4 S10 with cruise that has never worked since I owned it. I'll look at the servo & see if it appears to be usable on a G3...

by crice63 Sat Oct 07, 2017 3:25 am

There's most of one on eBay right now. Missing the steering column switch and the carb bracket. And the vacuum canister looks just like the charcoal filter? Is this right? The transducer takes the speedo cable input so you need a second shorter cable to drive the speedometer?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-1977-GM-Chevrolet-El-Camino-Malibu-GMC-Sprint-Cruise-Control-Parts-350-V8/263231946857

by Mcarlo77 Sat Oct 07, 2017 11:02 am

This looks to be the correct setup that you need; except, for the strg column lever and carb brkt. What's nice is the Servo and Regulator will have the correct mtg brackets for proper mounting locations on the inner fender (they are different among various models). I would ask the Seller to verify that the cable attached to the Servo moves freely when vacuum is applied. I don't know of any way the Regulator can be tested. The charcoal canister has nothing to do with the cruise setup. The brake pedal assembly does not have to be replaced...only the bolt-on mtg brkt for the vacuum dump switch needs to be transferred to your existing brake pedal. However, having the whole A$$'y will guide you as to where to mount the brkt.

by Podor Sat Oct 07, 2017 12:26 pm

My dad had a '77 Caprice wagon he donated about 10 years ago. I should have grabbed the cruse and probably a bunch of other stuff. Never though it would be desirable.

by zucchi Fri Aug 04, 2023 2:05 pm

crice63 wrote:What is the best way to get CC in these cars? I can't imagine the stock units with wiring and control is easy to find. I see from searches that the control is on the blinker stalk? And even with a stock unit, how reliable are they? Will it just break soon after I install it? Or are there other workable solutions?

I'm resurrecting this thread because I couldn't find any mention of your progress/ultimate outcome of this endeavor. What happened with your cruise control project?

by crice63 Sun Aug 06, 2023 12:29 pm

Coincidentally, I just installed a Rostra 250-1223 unit in my 77 in anticipation of a road trip. Unfortunately I had to do some brake work right before leaving so I didn't get the unit wired up. I just got home last night so hope to get it hooked up soon, before Cruising the Coast in the fall. The kit provides those snap-in locking style wire connectors that I really don't like. Even if they work OK, which I don't know, they look bad and are unwieldy. That's why I didn't hook everything up while travelling.

For my 75 I've collected all the parts to use the stock vacuum setup but am stalled on my dash replacement so haven't made any progress on that one. Due to the difficulty of finding good stock master units I may change my mind to the Rostra on that one too.

by zucchi Mon Aug 07, 2023 8:46 am

crice63 wrote:Due to the difficulty of finding good stock master units…

The transducer can be serviced easily enough. The most common thing that happens to these is they get all fouled up with dirt when the air filter on the bottom decomposes. If the bushings are worn, you can send the unit in to be rebuilt (https://www.ebay.com/itm/352478230036)

By the way, that guy may have a servo if you need one.

My cruise control (CC) worked well when I first got my '74 Monte Carlo back in 1984. It didn't work so well after I put in the first performance engine I built; when the car would go up a grade, I would have to give a slight press on the accelerator for just a moment so the CC servo would hold the throttle open. Come to learn decades later that the heavier cam produced less vacuum which is vital for the CC to work properly. I didn't realize just how much vacuum that system utilizes until I installed an auxiliary vacuum system. From monitoring the volt gauge, I can tell when the vacuum pump comes on; it draws lots of current. The pump doesn't come on much during regular driving but when I engage the CC, that pump comes on almost every time I go up even the most subtle grade. The good news is that with the auxiliary vacuum system, the CC works better than ever.

The lesson from my experience is if you want to go with the stock CC system, you either need to keep the engine stock or go with an auxiliary vacuum system. Otherwise, an electronic system with an electric servo may be the better way to go.

by zucchi Thu Oct 05, 2023 11:22 am

I had to repair my CC recently; the bead chain connecting the servo to the throttle cable broke. I also installed a reproduction boot while I was at it.

I know it's not mission critical for a daily driver but I'm a bit fastidious about having everything in my car work.

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