1969 Charger - Dash Wiring Harness

[Shakey]

Over the course of the winter I would like to replace the wiring harness in the dash of my car, a ’69 Charger R/T SE 440 Auto â€" no AC.  The thought of this sends shivers down my spine as the task looks quite daunting.  However, thanks to 471 Magnum’s instructions, it doesn’t sound all that bad.  The only part I am having a tough time with is the $550.00 USD price tag from Year One.

I experienced this in the summer.  I needed a tail lamp wiring harness and did not want to pay $175.00 USD.  I had the wiring diagram and an old harness as a guide, gathered up all of the correct wiring (colour & gauge) and built my own.  I used the old lamp sockets and soldered them to the new wire, then wrapped them in heat shrink and then loom.

Now looking at the wiring diagrams, the tail lamp harness is a lot less complex than the dash harness.  I also find that looking at a harness on a bench is a lot less intimidating than reading a wiring schematic.

My questions:

Has anyone built / made their own wiring harnesses before, most notably the dash?

Does anyone have photos of their dash wiring harness, whether it be in the car or on the garage floor?

Does anyone have an old one around that could be used as a guide for me to build my own?

Does anyone have any tips or tricks that I can add to the list that 471 Magnum gave me?

From what I am told, Year One is the only place to get one of these â€" correct?

Thanks in advance, Shakey

[PocketThunder]

I got one in that '69 SE parts car i have.  It'll be awhile before i can pull it out though...  It was an A/C car though.

[y3chargerrt]

Year One is the only game in town. I waited for a 20% off code off of here and got ityear or so ago. It was pricey (450.00 with shipping I think). It is an almost perfect fit and looks 100% original. Making your own will be tough. Need tons of different color and gauge wires plus all the connectors lamp sockets etc. My  Bite the bullitt, wait for a 20% off code and call Year One.

[Chryco Psycho]

you could build one , the tough part is finding all the correct wire end terminals , Cole Hersee has most of them
I bet you use up more than $500 doing it though in time & parts 

[Shakey]

you could build one , the tough part is finding all the correct wire end terminals , Cole Hersee has most of them
I bet you use up more than $500 doing it though in time & parts  

My weekend time has no price tag - unless I am required to work for someone else.  

I have access to all of the wire, no charge!  

I have access to all kinds of terminals but would prefer the correct terminals.   Do you have any contact info for Cole Hersee?

Believe me guys, I am all for the new wiring harness from YO.   My Wife however feels that I am spending far too much money on this car, $5000.00 since April, and says it has to stop.   I am still working her though.   She asked if I wanted anything special for Christmas this year and I printed off a copy of my 3 page wish list of parts, their sources and their prices.     

I think the best thing to do is to grab a bunch of wire, make a huge f'in mess in the garage, spend the afternoon out there "looking busy", have a few beers and come in the house completely uncorked -

"THIS F'IN WIRING HARNESS IS B*LL$H*T!  I TELL YOU I AM GOING TO BURN THIS F'IN CAR TO THE GROUND". 

She'll tell me to calm down, get a grip and order the new wiring harness so I don't have a heart attack.     

[Ghoste]

It is expensive but I put all new harnesses in my car from bumper to bumper and it was the best money I've ever spent on the car.  The peace of mind alone is worth it.  Not to mention how easy it is trace wiring that isn't all hacked and spliced when I do have to diagnose a problem.

[Spartan]

Its amazing what hacking you find going thru wiring,  I found 2 spots electrical taped and barely touching...I have had the car for almost 22 years and when ever this was done had to be from the previous owner many years ago.

[Blown70]

you could build one , the tough part is finding all the correct wire end terminals , Cole Hersee has most of them
I bet you use up more than $500 doing it though in time & parts  

My weekend time has no price tag - unless I am required to work for someone else.  

I have access to all of the wire, no charge!  

I have access to all kinds of terminals but would prefer the correct terminals.   Do you have any contact info for Cole Hersee?

Believe me guys, I am all for the new wiring harness from YO.   My Wife however feels that I am spending far too much money on this car, $5000.00 since April, and says it has to stop.   I am still working her though.   She asked if I wanted anything special for Christmas this year and I printed off a copy of my 3 page wish list of parts, their sources and their prices.     

I think the best thing to do is to grab a bunch of wire, make a huge f'in mess in the garage, spend the afternoon out there "looking busy", have a few beers and come in the house completely uncorked -

"THIS F'IN WIRING HARNESS IS B*LL$H*T!   I TELL YOU I AM GOING TO BURN THIS F'IN CAR TO THE GROUND".  

She'll tell me to calm down, get a grip and order the new wiring harness so I don't have a heart attack.     

Well two months ago I would have gave you one.  I had one out of a 69 SE that was in a nice(?) salvage yard, the harness looked felt like new.  I was cleaning the shop out and well just gave it to a guy cause he was buying all my other parts......

I like your thinking on how SLIDE that by the wife....

[runningman]

I need to get some wire also, R/T specialties may have the connectors and wire terminals.  If not Evans wiring may have them

[runningman]

Shakey, interested in selling any wire?

[Shakey]

Shakey, interested in selling any wire?

It is probably easier for both of us if you purchased it at your local auto supply store (NAPA, Auto Zone etc.).

They sell all different kinds and colours.  Get the wiring diagram and write out your shopping list.

[runningman]

Do they carry all the colors needed?

[Shakey]

Do they carry all the colors needed?

Who?

[runningman]

Any of the car stores, Napa, Autozone etc......

[Shakey]

Any of the car stores, Napa, Autozone etc......

I don't know.  I snagged all of mine from my assembly plant.  I just noticed that those types of stores carry it.

Take your wiring diagram and list all of the colours you need and the gauge you need (I think it is mostly 18 ga) and call around first, asking if they carry spools of 18 gauge wire in different colours!

[runningman]

I will check it out, we have some wire at my plant also but mostly for industrial applications.  thanks

matt

[lilwendal]

I currently have a harness from a 440 RT SE charger every option sitting in the garage just put it on Ebay but if you like i can take pictures of it before it sells to send to you for details. Its in excellent shape with no cut wires or missing terminal ends. It was an ac car so its not really for your application but if it helps i'll take some pics.

[bull]

Are all your wires, plugs and connectors bad? Maybe you could just unbundle them, clean them all up with a good heavy duty cleaner, check all the connections and continuity with a meter and just replace or repair the ones that really need it.

[Shakey]

Are all your wires, plugs and connectors bad? Maybe you could just unbundle them, clean them all up with a good heavy duty cleaner, check all the connections and continuity with a meter and just replace or repair the ones that really need it.

Honestly, they might be all ok!  However, I am not going to take a chance.  With a 20% discount from Year One and a decent exchange rate it will run me around $600.00 CDN, money well spent in my eyes when I read about all the electrical problem posts on this site. 

I have a new engine wiring harness, made my own t-light wiring harness the hardest one to get at is under the dash so I will remove it over the Christmas holidays and replace it with the new one I have on my list!

[Paul 500]

i didnt want to spend all that money on a dash wiring harness but the wiring on my 68 R/T was totally fried. I waited till they done the 20% off at Year one and brought one. I put both harnesses side by side and checked every wire, they were exactly the same except for 1 wire was yellow with a black stripe running through it on the original & just yellow on the repo. Best $1000 i spent ( by the time anything gets to England it costs double )
Heres some pics of my dash harness out of my 69 500, all complete never cut, non A/C

[Paul 500]

some more

[Paul 500]

Last 2

[Shakey]

Welcome to the site UK 69 500!     

Great photos!  

You didn't happen to make note of where each socket goes did you?

Did the YO harness come with any type of instructions?

[Paul 500]

I took loads of photos of how the wiring went in the dash of my 68 when i had my dash out complete. The wiring is nearly the same for a 69 to a 68, most of the connectors are shaped so they can only go in 1 place or the length of the wire only reaches as far as the right place. The wiring from YO just came in a packet no instructions. I'll post some pic of my 68 dash later, that may help. (have to get friend to scan them as no scanner)

[69RTSE]

Does the Reproduction Dash Harness include the firewall bulkhead connector.  If so, what is its quality.  BTW, the firewall connector is one of the main problems with Mopar Dash Harnesses.  The connectors corrode and the continuity becomes very poor and things stop working...not to mention the fire hazard.

[8WHEELER]

Does the Reproduction Dash Harness include the firewall bulkhead connector.   If so, what is its quality.   BTW, the firewall connector is one of the main problems with Mopar Dash Harnesses.   The connectors corrode and the continuity becomes very poor and things stop working...not to mention the fire hazard.

Yes it does, we put one in about 3wks ago and it is sweet gasket and all connections, everything went smooth.

Dan

[HeavyFuel]

How the heck to you know if you need a new harness?  I took my dash out with 95% of the wiring still hooked up.  it all looks to be in good shape.  Is there any reason that I should suspect that it will fail me after the body is painted and I slap the whole assembly back it?

[Shakey]

How the heck to you know if you need a new harness?   I took my dash out with 95% of the wiring still hooked up.   it all looks to be in good shape.   Is there any reason that I should suspect that it will fail me after the body is painted and I slap the whole assembly back it?

I was not too keen on paying $557.00 USD (after the 20% discount it was $445.00 USD) for something I might not need however after seeing post after post about electrical gremlins, repeatedly blown fuses, smoke from under the dash I thought that I would much rather play it safe, spend the money and install a new harness while the car is apart.  When all is said and done, the car will have all brand new wiring.  Yes, there still could be some electrical problems as time goes on but I feel with all new wiring and connectors, these will be minimal.

With my wiring, since I have not owned the car since it came from the factory, there is no telling what has taken place under there.  If I did own the car since new, I would still replace it as it is just plain old!

[Ghoste]

Same with me.  I often feel bad because my interior looks so shabby (this was the last season for that, it comes out very shortly), but I have new wiring bumper to bumper and I don't ride around with one hand on the fire extinguisher.  The peace of mind when in motion is worth it.

[69RTSE]

Another question!  Does the repro dash harness include the fuse box for a 69 Charger.  Thanks.

[8WHEELER]

Yes it does, all you need to do is put in fuses, light bulbs, flasher units, and install the harness.

I had a great look at my original harness over a year ago when the dash was out. Everything
looked great, just over a year later I fried a wire from the ign switch to the fire wall, filled
the car with smoke and scared the hell out of me. Spent $425.00 on a new harnes.

Dan

[Shakey]

Another question!   Does the repro dash harness include the fuse box for a 69 Charger.   Thanks.

Yes it does.

I just purchased mine a week or so ago and it is all complete.

[471_Magnum]

Another question! Does the repro dash harness include the fuse box for a 69 Charger. Thanks.

yes

[8WHEELER]

Yes it does, for the forth time.

Dan

[jaak]

I pulled the dash harness I intend on using from a non-running parts car, it look clean and unmolested. I took and stretched it out on the floor, took out my diagrams and used a continuity (battery powered) test light to check it. First off I would look at my diagram, at bulk connector terminal 'A', follow it along the diagram to see where it went to. After that I would touch the probe of the test light at terminal A at Bulkhead and the alligator-clip at the connector/terminal at the other end of the strand. Then I went on to terminal B, then C and so on. I know this sounds tedious, but I did it one evening after work, the Dash harness is not as complicated as most think. Last I did a visual check, making sure connecters were still attached firmly, check for crack wires, missing/ damaged connectors, make sure wire was still pliable, etc. The only thing I found wrong was the 2 round terminal ends for the volt gauge was missing wires were there but terminals missing witch I spiced on from a hacked up harness I had lying around.