wire harness - Minimal needed to Start

[EccentricMagpies]

I'm curious as to what, at a minimum from the wire harness I should have hooked up in order to allow the car to turn over and hopefully start.

For now, I do not want to waste time trying for figure out every single piece that isn't really important right now.  I do not have my front bumper installed and have no intention to do it soon.  Not until after it's painted at least.
The body shop only wants to be able to start / move the car by key, not having to push the thing around the shop.

Pictures are helpful.


Oh, if it matters, 360, '74 charger, auto.

[TexasStroker]

Off the top of my head I'd say engine harness and ignition switch.

To be more basic:
-Battery's Negative to the Engine Block
-Battery's Positive to the Stater Solenoid
-Push Button off the Starter
--Ignition/Coil: Varies based on what you are running
---Electric Fuel Pump: Power/Ground/Switch if you are running one
---Alternator: I guess they could quickly move it around and not deal with the alternator

Realistically, if you are restoring the car, spring for the engine bay harness.  It should be available stand alone.  Similarly, if you have different plans for the car consider an aftermarket option.  If it was me I would want an Oil Pressure Gauge and Temperature Gauge, but you can get cheap add-ons that are mechanical.

[Canadian1968]

Basically the entire engine wire harness needs to be hooked up. yes if you really want to you can skip the tac if u have one , not plug I  the temp plug or the horn  and windshield washer pump. 

Yes I am sure some people could tell some short cuts and Jimmy-rig some thing, but do u really want to cut corners and have random people at a bodyshop try and start the car ? You are asking for trouble . Something goes wrong because u wanted to cut corners the body shop isn't going to take fault.

Would u want the body shop to cut corners on their work ? Then I suggest that you don't either ?

IMO hook the engine up correct , itas honestly not that many wires . You can leave your body wiring till later of course .

[EccentricMagpies]

Basically the entire engine wire harness needs to be hooked up. yes if you really want to you can skip the tac if u have one , not plug I  the temp plug or the horn  and windshield washer pump.  

Yes I am sure some people could tell some short cuts and Jimmy-rig some thing, but do u really want to cut corners and have random people at a bodyshop try and start the car ? You are asking for trouble . Something goes wrong because u wanted to cut corners the body shop isn't going to take fault.

Would u want the body shop to cut corners on their work ? Then I suggest that you don't either ?

IMO hook the engine up correct , itas honestly not that many wires . You can leave your body wiring till later of course .

Well as TexasStroker mentioned, it makes sense to order a new harness anyhow.   I'm not so sure these wires are all that straight forward as to where they go.

here are several maybe you can let me know.

first picture looks like headlights.. don't care about those.
second picture includes the temp but I don't have anywhere on the manifold to plug that in yet... not sure what the other two are for.
third photo, no idea where that goes.  It has the length to almost reach the rear bumper though.

[Canadian1968]

your is a 74 . I have never seen the top or bottom plugs before . The middle does look like temp sensor. You said you don't have a spot in the manifold ? The sensor must be in the block to get coolant temp. Usually in the front passager side on a big block not sure about a small block.  The other wire looks like it could be the one that goes on the alternator.  Could also be horn .

Grab a diagram of the bulk head connectors and then do some simple. checks with a multimeter to figure out what those plugs are

[70 sublime]

Third picture is for the NSS ( neutral safety switch )
Plugs into the side of the transmission to make it only start in park or neutral
You need that hooked up to be able to start car 

[Nacho-RT74]

The starter relay can be jumped out to ground ( G terminal ) so no need to hook the NSS harnes up to tranny.

Having the engine harness plugged to ballast and ECU, get the dist and coil connected, you can simply jump out a + lead from batt to ballast, and jump out the starter relay between stud and SOL terminal with a wrench and car will start up. No need for key or even the ground for the starter relay if triggering straight from starter relay. This will crack and start on the engine even with bulkhead disconected.

You can conect, bulkhead plugs, regulator, alt fields and alt starter stud to keep the charging system working too. This will allow to crank up from key of course without need to jump out the ballast.

If interlock system is in working order maybe will need to jump out both yellow wires at reset button on engine bay to despite for a moment the interlock system without need to press the reset button... unless you don't care to keep pressing the reset button every time you want to crank the engine ( will need to be conected if so ). Once again if trying to start the engine from the key

[jlatessa]

Nacho you are such a wizard, learned a lot from you,
thank you for your generous input...Joe

[EccentricMagpies]

Third picture is for the NSS ( neutral safety switch )
Plugs into the side of the transmission to make it only start in park or neutral
You need that hooked up to be able to start car 

Perfect !!   Thank you sublime.

The starter relay can be jumped out to ground ( G terminal ) so no need to hook the NSS harnes up to tranny.

Having the engine harness plugged to ballast and ECU, get the dist and coil connected, you can simply jump out a + lead from batt to ballast, and jump out the starter relay between stud and SOL terminal with a wrench and car will start up. No need for key or even the ground for the starter relay if triggering straight from starter relay. This will crack and start on the engine even with bulkhead disconected.

You can conect, bulkhead plugs, regulator, alt fields and alt starter stud to keep the charging system working too. This will allow to crank up from key of course without need to jump out the ballast.

If interlock system is in working order maybe will need to jump out both yellow wires at reset button on engine bay to despite for a moment the interlock system without need to press the reset button... unless you don't care to keep pressing the reset button every time you want to crank the engine ( will need to be conected if so ). Once again if trying to start the engine from the key

Thanks again Nacho..

[EccentricMagpies]

your is a 74 . I have never seen the top or bottom plugs before . The middle does look like temp sensor. You said you don't have a spot in the manifold ? The sensor must be in the block to get coolant temp. Usually in the front passager side on a big block not sure about a small block.  The other wire looks like it could be the one that goes on the alternator.  Could also be horn .

Grab a diagram of the bulk head connectors and then do some simple. checks with a multimeter to figure out what those plugs are

I think in the same photo (middle photo)  there is the choke wire as well.

slowly but surely