brake light troubleshooting

[SS317]

I have a 66 that I have replaced almost all wiring with new stuff from classic parts. I'm stuck and need a little direction.

I have blinkers all the way around, and running lights in front, not in back. No brake lights in back.
I know there is a hard short somewhere, the brake fuse blows as soon as I put a fresh one in.
Fuse box is new, all light wiring is new, headlight switch is new.
I unplugged the connections near the gas pedal to help isolate the short. I unplugged the steering wheel curved connectors to help isolate. I still blow the fuse as soon as I put it in. I have wiring diagrams from the site here and I don't see what else I can do to isolate even more.
Any thoughts?

[AcampoDave]

Have you tried unplugging the brake light switch at the top of the pedal? And also isn't the brake light circut tied into the dome light too? Doesn't the fuse say "stop-dome"? How is the functionality of the dome light?

[ray_mcavoy]

^ I agree with Dave.

The dome light is powered by the same fuse as the brake & tail lights. And the section of dome light wiring that runs under the sill plate is particularly vulnerable to a short to ground if it is accidentally pinched under the edge of the plate or pierced with one of the screws.

[SS317]

Found it last night. Dave was right, it was the dome light circuit. I started by pulling the entire fuse box panel off to make sure nothing was behind it, just in case. That's when I noticed the orange wire heading over to the dome light. I unplugged it, inserted new fuse and hooked up the batter. BAM it worked!..
I have to say, I can follow that power wire through the entire truck now. I need to hook up my aftermarket stereo again and make sure the grounds are good but my truck is almost totally driveable again.

[earl84]

Another success story. Hooray for this forum, it rocks! Thanks for following up with results.