64 Dart Rewire

[chinze57]

I've decided to rewire my 1964 Dart 270.

I got a kit from Ron Francis and will be following their wiring diagram for getting this all hooked up.

First issue I run into is space for the fuse block. The Ron Francis Express fuse block is approximately 8"*5". I expect that the only real place for it to fit under my dash is next to the factory bulkhead connector (which will be coming out and replaced with either direct wiring to the fuseblock/accesory).

Any tips for mopar wiring or the ron francis kit? Included in the kit is a voltage regulator harness for the alternator that says to use Napa #VR-438 regulator with their harness. Is this a necessity, or will the factory voltage regulator work?

The kit allows me to wire for hazard lights, which (afaik) are not there in the factory format. How should I go about wiring it up so that I can activate hazard lights? I can post a picture of the supplied wiring diagram if necessary.

I plan on adding the Performance Distributors electronic ignition fairly soon, so that is something I will need to keep in mind.


I have some electrical knowledge, but any help is much appreciated.

 

[67Dart273]

I don't know about 64 but on my 67 I was able to make a pattern of the connector and cut a simple sheet metal plug, which clips into place with the original connector clips, then just a hole and grommet

For hazard lights on that old girl you need something "special" or else conjur up a switch out of a 67--69 which is a separate toggle, mounts to the dash

HERE IS HOW the 67 hazards work.

You have turn signals and the switch and the turn flasher, just like your 64.

You have a hazard flasher (there are 2 flashers in the car) that flasher is always hot and feeds the hazard toggle WHICH IS a special switch

That switch has 4 terminals. When off, none of them are interconnected. When on, all of them are interconnected.

One pin hooks to flasher, one pin hooks to brake lights power feeding into the TS switch, and the remaining two splice into the left front and right front turn signal switches

Simple.......if you have that switch.

Otherwise you'll need an aftermarket hazard switch, which used to be sold, to add hazards to an older car

 

[67Dart273]

The other thing "I guess" you could do is use isolation diodes

Buy something like these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Z7OQ5G/?tag=fabo03-20

And obtain a SPST (two terminal) switch of your choice

and wire like:

Hot source.............fuse.........to switch......to flasher...........

On the output side of the flasher, connect the anode side of three diodes. The remaining lead of each diode (the cathode side, the one with the bar marking on the diode) will then connect to the brake wire, the left front, and the right front. You of course will need to protect them, heat shrink, etc.


EDIT I guess you don't need one of the diodes. Here is the same circuit applied to a motorcycle. In this case you would need to connect the brake switch wire to the flasher that is grey

 

[chinze57]

I don't know about 64 but on my 67 I was able to make a pattern of the connector and cut a simple sheet metal plug, which clips into place with the original connector clips, then just a hole and grommet

For hazard lights on that old girl you need something "special" or else conjur up a switch out of a 67--69 which is a separate toggle, mounts to the dash

HERE IS HOW the 67 hazards work.

You have turn signals and the switch and the turn flasher, just like your 64.

You have a hazard flasher (there are 2 flashers in the car) that flasher is always hot and feeds the hazard toggle WHICH IS a special switch

That switch has 4 terminals. When off, none of them are interconnected. When on, all of them are interconnected.

One pin hooks to flasher, one pin hooks to brake lights power feeding into the TS switch, and the remaining two splice into the left front and right front turn signal switches

Simple.......if you have that switch.

Otherwise you'll need an aftermarket hazard switch, which used to be sold, to add hazards to an older car

View attachment 1715575741

Great info thank you. The new fuse panel has a flasher for hazards, just don't have a switch. I'll look for one of those toggles and figure out adding it. Thank you very much.

 

[65 Dartman]

In 65 or 66 the factory cane out with a hazard harness and switch ad Del described. The harness interfaced with the stock turn signal harness. I’ll see if I still have a switch laying around.

 

[chinze57]

In 65 or 66 the factory cane out with a hazard harness and switch ad Del described. The harness interfaced with the stock turn signal harness. I’ll see if I still have a switch laying around.

If you have a switch/harness that would be fantastic. Let me know, thank you

 

[CRUZE 418]

I have to ask this . Is there another reason other than money, that you chose to go this route over getting a factory replica harness that is available?

 

[CRUZE 418]

I have to ask this . Is there another reason other than money, that you chose to go this route over getting a factory replica harness that is available?

 

[chinze57]

I have to ask this . Is there another reason other than money, that you chose to go this route over getting a factory replica harness that is available?

I’d heard good things about Ron Francis before. And then also money. All of the factory harnesses would have cost almost triple the cost of a single Ron Francis kit. And I plan on adding a good bit of aftermarket stuff so this seemed a good route.

 

[65 Dartman]

If you have a switch/harness that would be fantastic. Let me know, thank you

i do not have a harness at this time. If I can find my turn signal electrical pins, I will be able to make a harness up.

 

[chinze57]

i do not have a harness at this time. If I can find my turn signal electrical pins, I will be able to make a harness up.

Awesome. Let me know if you can

 

[pishta]

Once you got the kit, did the construction warrant the price? I mean 18g stranded is not gold...? I suppose I'm a little biased toward DIY as I play with 24/26g wires all day.

 

[chinze57]

Once you got the kit, did the construction warrant the price? I mean 18g stranded is not gold...? I suppose I'm a little biased toward DIY as I play with 24/26g wires all day.

Honestly, the kit seems very complete. It’s got various connectors and detailed instructions for each component.

For someone with some electrical knowledge (me), but no experience wiring a car, I think it will be worth it.

I don’t doubt for a second it would have been cheaper to buy wires of the right gauge and color myself and follow the factory diagram, but I’m not quite experienced enough for that.

 

[chinze57]

Below are some photos of the rat’s nest that Is my underdash

 

[chinze57]

And the engine compartment

I know this is the fusible link for my alternator. Should I use their suggested NAPA voltage regulator or use the one already on the firewall? I can post a picture of their connector and harness for the alternator.

I believe the yellow piece on the left/center is the ignition and the connector on its right Is the bulkhead connector? That little bar behind the yellow is the ammeter? Only one wire so not sure stuff connected. And what’re the Two connectors all the way to the right?

This is the voltage regulator, correct? Following the factory diagram I believe this is it.

These hoses run to the heater core, I’m honestly not sure I have the right size, since both don’t fit under the holder on the valve cover together. What’s that white bar on the top right with some wires?

 

[chinze57]

Here’s the instructions and a picture of the the regulator wire and connector(s)

 

[pishta]

White bar is ballast resistor. Goes to coil and ignition circuit. Heater hoses are 5/8 iirc.

 

[67Dart273]

I see no reason to change the regulator if it's working now The Ron Francis one is actually a Ford one I believe, and it has a lot of circuitry in there you don't need (set up for warning light)

 

[chinze57]

I see no reason to change the regulator if it's working now The Ron Francis one is actually a Ford one I believe, and it has a lot of circuitry in there you don't need (set up for warning light)

yeah the regulator works. I figured it was just them trying to standardize things. awesome, I'll connect those wires appropriately then. Saved me $40.

 

[67Dart273]

The Mopar regulators are the simplest on the planet. There are only two styles. The one you have, up through 69, uses one field terminal grounded. The 70 needs one more wire to work. It feeds power to one brush (must have isolated field or two insulated brushes) and one wire back to regulator plus VR power GM and Ford were never so simple. All he is doing there is using part of the hardware in the VR

 

[chinze57]

The Mopar regulators are the simplest on the planet. There are only two styles. The one you have, up through 69, uses one field terminal grounded. The 70 needs one more wire to work. It feeds power to one brush (must have isolated field or two insulated brushes) and one wire back to regulator plus VR power GM and Ford were never so simple. All he is doing there is using part of the hardware in the VR

Yeah looking at the alternator and the voltage regulator and the wiring I was provided I should be able to remove the connector and just run the appropriately labeled wire to the alternator from the VR. Shouldn't be a pretty easy deal. My main issue right now is coming from deciding where to mount the fuse panel. I think I'll remove and the driver's side fresh air duct and seal it off with sheet metal and a rubber gasket and then mount it under it. Just so damn big.

 

[67Dart273]

Mine is a 67 and it is still apart. I have no idea of your room problem. What I did was to buy an old "66ish" Mustang left vent which is a remote cable controlled butterfly, and shorten it way up so all there is left is the duct and butterfly. It "made" a LOT of room there. In mine will be the fuse panel and the Holley EFI there on the left

What I did: Painless "ish" fuse panel mocked in, to left and above that is a Jeep relay center. I bought 2? 3? forgot, of these off egag. You can take the modules out and reconfigure them for different amounts of fuses and relays Above the fuse panel you can see the rustly Poontang vent butterfly, which, again, 'has been hacked'

At far left is Holley HP EFI module

 

[chinze57]

If you look in this photo you can see the fresh air duct on the left hand side. It's a big ol' unit, hogging some precious firewall real estate. Under the dash on the driver's side is just a whole lot of stuff, trans shifter, parking brake, etc. which prevents me from mounting the 8"*5" fuse block anywhere handy. The only place I can come up with other than where the fresh air vent is now, is in the center of the firewall behind that big air conditioner. But that'll be inconvenient if a fuse blows, so I'm thinking It'll be more handy to remove that fresh air duct, and mount it on the kickpanel area where it is. I can easily run wires up along the firewall for engine bay wires, or down along the floor to the trunk, or up into the wire holders for dash wiring. should help to remove the rat's nest.

I do need to pull that air conditioner anyway so who knows

 

[67Dart273]

This is what a 64-66 Mustang vent looks like before "hacking"

 

[67Dart273]

The 67/ later original vent box is pretty large. That is why I did this 67 vent box stolen from autoxcuda LOL