Missing Plug/Connector - What does it look like?

[rymanrph]

The engine bay harness in my '68 Barracuda was clipped and so I'm missing a plug and I don't know what it should look like. The two wires that were clipped are the two violet wires that should have gone to the backup light switch that obviously control the reverse lights.

The wires were snipped just a couple inches off from the bulkhead connector. Does someone have a picture of what that plug is supposed to look like?

Thanks!

 

[67Dart273]

Well "it depends" I was under the impression that 68 still had the backup switch (for Torqueflites) on the shifter inside the car.

The connector needs to fit whatever transmission you have, IE Torqueflite or 4 speed.

But you cannot hook it to a Torqueflite that was originally a single pin neutral safety switch, even if you installed a 3 pin switch, because the rooster comb in the Torqueflite will not activate the newer style switch

To recap

Earlier Torqueflites had the reverse switch INSIDE the car on the shift linkage.

Only later cars had the 3 pin NSS / reverse switch on the Torqueflite

Any stick car had the reverse switch on the transmission

Early single pin NSS, so reverse in on shifter linkage

Later combo NSS and reverse switch. NSS is center pin, backup lamps are outer pins

stick shift reverse lamp switch

 

[rymanrph]

Is there any way to tell what year my 727 transmission is? I put a 3 pin plug on it, but I don't know what it originally had. I pulled it from my other '68 and nothing on that car was original, so I'm not sure what it should have. The 360 is a '73, but I don't know if the trans was connected to it originally either.

My car was originally a three on the tree, but it was converted to automatic before I bought it. Those wires were also clipped before I bought the car so I just didn't know where they went or what it should look like when terminated.

I have a harness from a '70 to connect to the starter relay and the three pin plug. I was hoping that the black and black/white tracer plug would connect to those two wires and work my reverse lights.

 

[67Dart273]

If it has a 3 pin plug, likely it's a late trans. Easy way is to jack it up, put it in reverse with wheels blocked and engine off, and crawl under with an ohmeter. See if the outer two pins have continuity. Since you already have a 3 pin harness, all you need to do is plug it in, and connect the two outer wires of the connector to the two that are clipped

The fact that the car was a stick explains the clipped wires.

The wires simply go down the firewall, over the bell/ trans, and plug in. Originally, there was a wire anchor under one of the transmission / bell bolts.

What are you doing for an NSS now?

 

[rymanrph]

I put the three pin switch on the trans, but I don't know what it originally had The car that my 360/727 came from had an aftermarket console shifter with no reverse lights (67 tail lights on a 68) and just one wire going to the trans that was held on with a ring terminal and a nut on the switch. I switched drivetrains and put the 318/904 from my current car in that car and sold it. I kept the switch that was in the 904 and then put the plug that was in the 727 on the 904 when I sold that car.

Will a one pin switch work as a NSS in a later trans? I know whatever was in the 727 originally worked because I tried to start it in gear once and it wouldn't.

Since I have the three pin plug (and if it works), I have the '70 harness that I'll run back up to the starter relay.

If I have a later trans, then the two wires can be hooked up for the reverse lights. If I have an earlier trans and can't use the three pin switch, I assume that the reverse signal will have to come from the column, but since my car was originally a stick car, then I don't have anything on the interior side of the harness to go to the column. The two violet wires go directly to the bulkhead connector and into the engine bay where they were clipped.

 

[67Dart273]

What are you using for a shifter if it was a stick car?

I don't know why you would want to use a one pin switch if it's a late trans.

 

[rymanrph]

Its has a column shifter now (already installed when I bought it), but the reverse lights obviously didn't work and the starter relay was just grounded out.

I found the casting number for the transmission (4039536) which according to the transmission guide I found means it came from a '78 Dodge truck.

Maybe I wasn't clear; I want to use the three pin switch since that will simplify things. Since this is a later trans, I assume the three pin switch will work just fine and I can wire the two outside wires to the snipped violet wires on my harness. I will probably just clip the plug off of the harness I have and just directly connect the wires. If I need a plug later, I can install a weather pack connector.

 

[CudaJunction]

I don't have a pic handy but have a 68 harness in the shop and can tell you for sure all 68 mopars used 3 pin connector to the trans. 2 outers purple feed reverse lights, center grounds starter relay in park n neutral black wire.

 

[67Dart273]

can tell you for sure all 68 mopars used 3 pin connector to the trans. .

This does not jibe with the shop manual I have, unless there was an "early" and "late"

But that really matters not, as the wires he needs are already present

 

[rymanrph]

Thanks 67Dart273; you've been very helpful. I was going off of this wiring diagram (http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68BarracudaB.jpg) that shows the same type setup that you referred to.

 

[rymanrph]

Sorry to dredge up an old topic, but I never got this to work, so I'm at it again. I have the 3 prong switch on the 727 and I am getting continuity from the poles when I place the transmission in reverse. The two outer wires are wired directly to the two violet wires that were snipped by a previous owner.

Since the transmission is sending the signal, where in the system is power actually sent to the lights via the violet wire?

 

[CudaJunction]

Fuse box is where it comes from.

 

[rymanrph]

Sorry to dredge up an old topic, but I never got this to work, so I'm at it again. I have the 3 prong switch on the 727 and I am getting continuity from the poles when I place the transmission in reverse. The two outer wires are wired directly to the two violet wires that were snipped by a previous owner.

Since the transmission is sending the signal, where in the system is power actually sent to the lights via the violet wire?

I went back out to the garage and pulled the socket at the tail lamp out to test for voltage and I was getting 12 volts. This confused me so I plugged it back in and the light came on. Unfortunately, when I pulled the other one I found that it was damaged, so now I need to source a socket for that one, but at least I have one working reverse light at the moment.

 

[RedFish]

There is some confusion/disagreement on exactly when the reverse lamp switch moved. One might guess the 68 model manuals/diagrams were printed before the engineers and assembly line made this change but... I had a 68 notchback here and its reverse lamp switch was on the floor shifter so the change had to happen during year model production. Ma mopar simply used up what components they had staged on the assembly line?
We know there was a railroad strike that caused part shortages ( Plymouth had to put B'cuda dashes / rally inst' panels in some number of 68 Valiants ) so maybe that shortage was a player in this case also.
Anyway.., any model.., purple w/ tracer routes from fuse box to reverse lamp switch regardless where that switch is located. Purple routes from wherever that switch is located to join purple at rear lamp harness connector behind left kick panel.
Aftermarket offers the chrome bezel and the lens for 67 and 69 B'cuda reverse lamps but I have yet to see the fixture/bulb socket reproduced.
Some have hacked a different socket into that fixture where the flange portion of the fixture is reusable. Typically a cast rubber 2 wire socket that requires a different bulb type ( LED? ) and that ground wire attached somewhere. Good luck with it.

 

[67Dart273]

..............Ma mopar simply used up what components they had staged on the assembly line?
...........

LOL and we are surprised?

In the days of my 70 RR (440-6) I was constantly having trouble with disc pads, wheel seals and just about anything else from parts guys AND dealer parts guys who could not seem to find the "special stuff" that was used on that car. I bought some parts at Dodge, who didn't understand "6 barrel" and others at Plymouth who did not comprehend "six pack"

Then I raised the ire of an alignment guy...........I could not remember which way the tie rods went so I just "put them in" and of course got them in backwards. According to him you'd thought the Russians were coming.