[DeTomaso] Ignition lock question

[Scott Carpenter]

So about a week ago my ignition began eating keys... The first one got
stuck and I could wiggle and jiggle it and it would come out... This worked
about four times and then the key broke! Ouch...  The next key (my only
other spare, I know shame on me..) also got stuck. So I got in the habit of
just parking it on the lift with the key in... This doesn't work well if I
decide to actually go somewhere in the Pantera and have to leave it parked
unattended. So in looking though my toolbox I found another ignition switch
and key that I bought for some reason or other about a year or two ago. I
have decided to go ahead and replace the old one with the new one.

So, in the process of removing the old one I find there are two white wires
that pass though the steering column and go up somewhere behind the
dashboard.  In following these wires up behind the dashboard the end just
popped out and flopped down.  That is great! I thought... However where is
the other end?  Surely I will need to plug in the new switch once I get it
installed. Right?

So under the dash I crawl with a light and I have no idea where the other
connector is... What do these two while wires actually do? Are they really
important? Feeding them through the small opening in the steering column
seems to be an exercise in futility and I am really hoping someone tells me
these are just for the seatbelt buzzer or something and are not really
important to have hooked up for the car to run.

Thoughts?

Scott
#1523