Instant power loss question

[tucknroll]

Hey my 69  383 charger has a wiring problem.  Mostly original and worn out. Sometimes I turn the key and get nothing,  not even a click and several times I'm driving and all power completely and instantly stops. No spuddering.  Just silence.  I wiggle the connections at the firewall and it always works.  They all need attention but is there one particular wire that will completely kill it instantly? Thanks

[70 sublime]

The main big red power wire runs everything

[XH29N0G]

FWIW - You can also kill just the ignition, but have other things like lights keep going.  I had this issue at a different connector.  (I forget which wire, but it is in the FSM).

[tucknroll]

I'm leaning towards something from the ignition.  The interior lights come on when I open the door to check it. Thought the key switch might be bad and put a new one in but it still occasionally happens

[XH29N0G]

Just to be clear, you can fix it by messing with the bulkhead connector?  If that is the case then it is most likely something in that connection.  If that is not the case, then you may have a more complicated situation.

I had a strange behavior that I chased ultimately to the connector for the ignition switch.  The car would start and drive perfectly fine, but every so often the engine would turn off.  Sometimes it would start right back up, and other times, it would just turn off.  I narrowed it to the ignition switch and replaced that, but since it was intermittent, the problem came back a few weeks later.  I tested the bulkhead connector, other connections, and finally found that the pins in the connector to the ignition switch were not seating as well as they should.  I worked with those, do not remember exactly how, probably prying them open or shut or seating them better.  I have not had an issue with it since.

It was frustrating and I would worry about being stranded.  Fortunately, I tracked it down.  I ended up carrying a multimeter on drives and learning where the wires were supposed to go so I would be able to test things if stranded.

[Kern Dog]

The ammeter has two 12 gauge wires going to it, one red and one black. They are BOTH positive and held in place with small threaded nuts. Power comes IN from the firewall and goes out "through" the ammeter then to the headlight switch, ignition switch and fuse box.
If either wire is loose, it may make enough of a connection to start and run but vibrations can knock them loose enough to break the connection. A loose connection builds heat and can be a HUGE problem if you don't correct it. I'm talking fire!

[tucknroll]

Thanks guys. Yes I wiggle and push the bulkhead connectors and it seems to work.  I've got new Male and female terminals ordered. Gonna replace them 1st warmer day we get. Hate when the wires are cold and stiff

[b5blue]

I think blue is 12V ignition to motor. Is it still points or changed?

[tucknroll]

Changed a few years ago

[b5blue]

Look for a harness hack.