Rally dash redo

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4spdragtop

4spdragtop

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Hi all, looking to redo our 67 dash harness. Gathering up supplies and wondering what the female connectors are called on round connector?(see pic)
Also, can I sub in 14 gauge wire where the factory had 16 gauge? Would it be too "bulky/awkward " ? Connectors would be same size?( When new ones are listed the description is usually 14/16 gauge, so I assume they are same size?)
Thanks
Steve

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You can go to a larger guage, and you might even be able to find wire with a better insulation that is more flexible. There are many wire manufacturers, I would call them and tell them what you are doing, they can make a recommendation.

Be sure to get the correct wire crimper for each type of connector
 
Thanks Dana, I have ANOTHER new crimper coming. Ive got a bunch of 14 gauge wire rated for automotive use, so instead of going with 16 Ill sub in 14 where I can.
I made a list of different wires by color and gauge for the dash....wow a lot more different wires than you would think.
The "***" wire with tracer, well I will mark the "tracer" part myself on the wire, to save costs.
Any idea what the connectors are called that connect to the pins on circuit board?
Thanks
Steve
Dana67Dart said:
You can go to a larger guage, and you might even be able to find wire with a better insulation that is more flexible. There are many wire manufacturers, I would call them and tell them what you are doing, they can make a recommendation.

Be sure to get the correct wire crimper for each type of connector
Click to expand...
 
Steve, get a product called alumaprep 33, some small steel wire brushes. Small plyers, a pin extractor for removing the male and female spades, and some Tri Sodium phosphate.

Unpin each spade or barrel connector one pin at a time from the plastic housing. Soak the connector pin in alumaprep 33 , then scrub with the small steel wire brush to polish up the pin or connector. Rinse the end you just scrubbed and polished in tri Sodium phosphate and water. Dry with compressed air. Using the plyers, slightly squeeze the female connector to make it fit tight again, rebend the tab so it locks back into the plastic housing if applicable, and repin. Remove next connector from the housing and start the process over.

Alumaprep 33 is a mild acid so use latex gloves and some protective eyewear. You might try apple cider vinegar with this process, and still would use the Tri Sodium phosphate and water as a neutralizing rinse

If you have a schematic that lists the pin location in each connector cavity, and a good camera on your phone, you can unpin a row of wires and repin them back in the same spot. I would only replace a connector if it and its wire was burnt or overheated.

Take your time. I redid a harness once like this including rewrapping it with the self fusing factory style black tape. It took me awhile to redo it.

Hope this helps
Matt
 
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Also the mopar style female spades are not available. You can only find the GM style Packard 56 male and female ends. The Packard 56 male ends are the same as Chrysler males. The packard 56 females wont work well because of how they position with the males to plug it all together. On something such as a headlight switch plug it makes it almost impossible to plug it all together if using packard 56 females in the plug.

Your better off cleaning, tightening and repinning all the original connectors.
 
4spdragtop said:
Are they called "bullet" connectors though? I thought bullet female and male used a fair amount of "force" to connect?
Hey whats with the harbour freight video lol:poke:
Thanks
Steve
Click to expand...
there was force on your connector at the time it was put together//the connectors have a small band crimped around its circumference and split to create "spring tension", but 50 + years of heat/gravity/driving and you pulling it off have distorted the connector. the connectors are only seeing 5/12 volts max with what ? 7.5 amps ?

not necessarily ,especially with cable assembly/disassembly was pretty savoy in my day as a commo (communications/radio) guy in the ARMY/way before MacGyver
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was tired
 
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moparmat2000 said:
Also the mopar style female spades are not available. You can only find the GM style Packard 56 male and female ends. The Packard 56 male ends are the same as Chrysler males. The packard 56 females wont work well because of how they position with the males to plug it all together. On something such as a headlight switch plug it makes it almost impossible to plug it all together if using packard 56 females in the plug.

Your better off cleaning, tightening and repinning all the original connectors.
Click to expand...
Matt. The female spades are more or less available. In canada they are sold by Pico or Pica. We have a thread on where to get Chrysler style terminals. I don't know where to buy the correct matching connectors. Like you said, sometimes the differences in the fit and length are enough to make a difference.

---------
Sources for Chrysler type wire terminals

Feel free to add to it. Could be just info on originals, or any sources or info on replacaements or NOS.
 
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Points to ponder... a larger wire is heavier thus more weight stress on the male contact pins.
Your pic shows that these female terminals were egg shaped to lessen or loosen the fitment and broaden the tolerance. The terminals didn't have to be positioned within thousandths. When these connectors aren't carefully pulled straight away the male pins get damaged anyway. The male to female terminal contact/current path equals only 2 to 4 stands of the wire factory used so they may as well have used a much smaller wire.
If you bought new circuit board(s) from aftermarket you would find their pins about eighth of an inch shorter than OEM so even less contact/current path to OEM females there. I'll assume their shorter pins are to further lessen the fitment. No negative feedback proves there is enough contact/current path.
So bottom line... No advantage to larger wire. Possible disadvantages to heavier wire and/or rounder tighter females. You might not need to pull this connection apart again but the next owner might.
 
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Thanks all for the advice folks. I'm concerned with gauging the wire by "appearance", and not seeing the green creep/corrosion between insulation and copper.
This is something I (hopefully) will only do once.
I will ohm out each wire to check for possible issues as well.
Thanks
 
Well, was able to remove most of the connectors from the harness. Removing the wires from fuse block was a pain in the *** lol. A little tedious as I didnt want to cut/snip/break anything. At this point its trying to see what is usable and what isnt. I thought it was a 67 harness but turns out to be 68. No big deal most things are the same.
Looks like fuse block is pooched, had some heat/issues as well as my hi/lo dimmer switch, as well as bulkhead connector. So I will be hunting for those if anyone has good ones?
Soaked some of the connections in apple cider vinegar, stuff worked awesome!
You can see how clean the round circuit board connectors are after soaking.
I took moparmatt2000 advice and neutralized the vinegar acid by soaking connectors in TSP after.
I noticed some connectors are brass and some steel? See pics. OR are the "steel" ones tinned?
Thanks all, as someone mentioned this is tedious as heck and for the person that has more time than $$ lol. Helps me understand the wiring a little bit more too(hopefully)
Anyone sell new fuse block, bulkhead and dimmer switch connector?
Thanks
Steve

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4spdragtop said:
Well, was able to remove most of the connectors from the harness. Removing the wires from fuse block was a pain in the *** lol. A little tedious as I didnt want to cut/snip/break anything. At this point its trying to see what is usable and what isnt. I thought it was a 67 harness but turns out to be 68. No big deal most things are the same.
Looks like fuse block is pooched, had some heat/issues as well as my hi/lo dimmer switch, as well as bulkhead connector. So I will be hunting for those if anyone has good ones?
Soaked some of the connections in apple cider vinegar, stuff worked awesome!
You can see how clean the round circuit board connectors are after soaking.
I took moparmatt2000 advice and neutralized the vinegar acid by soaking connectors in TSP after.
I noticed some connectors are brass and some steel? See pics. OR are the "steel" ones tinned?
Thanks all, as someone mentioned this is tedious as heck and for the person that has more time than $$ lol. Helps me understand the wiring a little bit more too(hopefully)
Anyone sell new fuse block, bulkhead and dimmer switch connector?
Thanks
Steve

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Click to expand...
Well your wires and connectors look pretty good so far. I'm sure you'll check each crimp blah blah.
Fuse block looks terrible. Dome and Stop lights. That's Parking light too IIRC. Guess that must have been a big problem spot....
I *think* the fuse block stayed the same for a bunch of years. Put the p/n into web search - and check ebay too.
Looks like you may need new fuse clips too. Be good to find a source for those.
Here's my '67's. The flag terminals original. The straight terminal may have been the aftermarket AC. I'd have to look my cheatsheet to be sure.
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Did yours still have the plastic cover on the top?
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Thanks Matt, actually I just finished unwrapping all the tape and the wires are in pretty darned good shape. So far there is approx 5-6 wires to replace(red n blk ammeter wires are way stiff). Most ends look good. Welded splice is even in great shape.
I did the googling without much luck for fuseblock.
I can get new dimmer switch connector SMP #S64 which is good. Headlight connector I think will be fine too, so a bulkhead connector and fuse block will be needed.
Thanks Matt.
Mattax said:
Well your wires and connectors look pretty good so far. I'm sure you'll check each crimp blah blah.
Fuse block looks terrible. Dome and Stop lights. That's Parking light too IIRC. Guess that must have been a big problem spot....
I *think* the fuse block stayed the same for a bunch of years. Put the p/n into web search - and check ebay too.
Looks like you may need new fuse clips too. Be good to find a source for those.
Here's my '67's. The flag terminals original. The straight terminal may have been the aftermarket AC. I'd have to look my cheatsheet to be sure.
View attachment 1715460439
Did yours still have the plastic cover on the top?
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Click to expand...
 
4spdragtop said:
Thanks Matt, actually I just finished unwrapping all the tape and the wires are in pretty darned good shape. So far there is approx 5-6 wires to replace(red n blk ammeter wires are way stiff). Most ends look good. Welded splice is even in great shape.
I did the googling without much luck for fuseblock.
I can get new dimmer switch connector SMP #S64 which is good. Headlight connector I think will be fine too, so a bulkhead connector and fuse block will be needed.
Thanks Matt.
Click to expand...
You have a wanted ad so someone will probably have decent fuseblock and if so, they prob have that connector for the dimmer.
Glad the headlight connector is OK. Mine got a little melted. Even though the lights are now on relays I'd like to replace it.

Did you see the thread about the rear window defroster? There's pictures posted of the heavy duty wiring from the battery and alternator to the ammeter. Something to think about if you're OK with it being a not factory correct for '67.
 
I was able to find a bulkhead connector using the p/n. Just one of the engine side ones. Since you need the whole thing, you'll probably do fine the want ad. Someone parting a car will have it.
 
No I didnt see defrost thread? Our 67 has factory defrost too.
For the headlight connector I went to rock auto and punched in 84 Ram. I'm pretty sure the SWITCH is the same, BUT the connector has 9 slots?? There isnt one listed for 67.
Got a new set of ratchet crimpers with 5 sets of dies. Hope they work good.
Mattax said:
You have a wanted ad so someone will probably have decent fuseblock and if so, they prob have that connector for the dimmer.
Glad the headlight connector is OK. Mine got a little melted. Even though the lights are now on relays I'd like to replace it.

Did you see the thread about the rear window defroster? There's pictures posted of the heavy duty wiring from the battery and alternator to the ammeter. Something to think about if you're OK with it being a not factory correct for '67.
Click to expand...

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4spdragtop said:
No I didnt see defrost thread? Our 67 has factory defrost too.
Click to expand...
This was in a '73 Duster or Dart the guy is parting.
How rare is electric rear defrost?

Middle pic in that post shows the two wire harness to the ammeter laying on the hood of another car.
It's got the later type of fusible link connector on the battery feed.
Looks like a bullet connector on the alternator feed. Bullet type probably has more surface contact.
 
Thanks Matt, I already have wire for the ammeter. I gotta make a list for the other wires(and their gauge) that need replacing.
Mattax said:
This was in a '73 Duster or Dart the guy is parting.
How rare is electric rear defrost?

Middle pic in that post shows the two wire harness to the ammeter laying on the hood of another car.
It's got the later type of fusible link connector on the battery feed.
Looks like a bullet connector on the alternator feed. Bullet type probably has more surface contact.
Click to expand...
 
Ok I have hit another stumbling block lol
Turns out the harness I have been using as my "redo" is a 68 and up rally. I'm attempting to redo it for our 67.
I have changed some wires due to color changes as well as age etc. So the headlight wires appear to have a few different colors and some extra ones(marker lights). So scratching my head over that. I'm hoping the 67 schematic I'm using is factory.
On a good note, I got dash frame and ashtray back from powder coater. Very happy with it.
I'll post pics in a bit.
Also I'm thinking of "extending " the circuit board harness connectors approx 8", that would make it easier to remove instrument bezel in the future.
 
Pics. Trying to use an ashtray base that has a light in it, but ashtray wont fit in for some reason. I have other spare bases I've cleaned up I can use. Forgot to get mount screws coated, they stand out too much in silver. Ashtray innards are coated black, not sure if I like it better silver or not. Figure that out later.

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I have the tray hanger with lamp in my 67. If my memory serves, I had to cut away a small spot in the 67 tray like the later tray has, to clear the lamp.
 
Thanks Ben, I'll take a closer look and compare both the ashtrays and the hanger.
I didnt realize at the time the differences in 67 dash harness wiring. There is a a few I have to figure out specifically at the headlight switch. Fun
 
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