Recent posts

#31

Aero Cars / Re: MOPAR JOHNS EK2 SUPERBIRD ...

Last post by Mopar John - March 31, 2025, 06:17:34 PM

Hello John, here are pics of my dimmer switch, that was still attached to the wiring harness wrapped up in my parts box.
  You have a good eye in spotting these date codes! But, mine are never as apparent as yours. Appears to be 459 on mine. (45 week?)
   Now, I was told that our cars have a 90 day window for date codes for restoration. But my car has many parts at or beyond the 90 day window. The horn, mirror glass, washer pump, headlamps, are a few items i can think of for now in April to June of '69.

Rob,
 Thanks for the nice reply with pictures on your headlight dimmer switch.
So mine was a late build Superbird with a 479 and with yours being a bit earlier a 459 is spot on!
Make sure you clean that one up and use it! The newer ones don't even look correct.
They have a shroud over the wire connection area.
MJ

#32

Aero Cars / Re: MOPAR JOHNS EK2 SUPERBIRD ...

Last post by Impkidd - March 31, 2025, 03:44:55 PM

   Here are pics of my battery tray that I believe is the original to the car.

#33

Aero Cars / Re: MOPAR JOHNS EK2 SUPERBIRD ...

Last post by Impkidd - March 31, 2025, 03:39:06 PM

  Hello John, here are pics of my dimmer switch, that was still attached to the wiring harness wrapped up in my parts box.
  You have a good eye in spotting these date codes! But, mine are never as apparent as yours. Appears to be 459 on mine. (45 week?)
   Now, I was told that our cars have a 90 day window for date codes for restoration. But my car has many parts at or beyond the 90 day window. The horn, mirror glass, washer pump, headlamps, are a few items i can think of for now in April to June of '69.

#34

Charger Discussion / Re: Spring Break for old guys

Last post by lloyd3 - March 31, 2025, 10:20:05 AM

b5:  Actually...I was going to start there first. Insightful!  I had replaced the "terminal" ends a few years ago (with these new and slightly "cheesy" aftermarket "red and black" ones) because the originals were about done.  I'd be more suspicious of them than the original wiring here.

#35

Charger Discussion / Re: Spring Break for old guys

Last post by b5blue - March 31, 2025, 10:09:20 AM

The wire to terminal connection is loose not corroded. Remove and smash the lead with a hammer to tighten connection. 

#36

Charger Discussion / Re: Spring Break for old guys

Last post by lloyd3 - March 31, 2025, 09:43:51 AM

Thanks folks, so-much! I did a more full cleaning of both the battery posts and the clamping terminal ends yesterday and even put a trickle-charger on the battery in "deep-cycle". After about a half an hour, I went back to check on things (it was starting to rain, so I needed to get the car back in the garage). The charger indicated a "full" charge and a good connection. Turned the key and "click"! In desperation (it was really starting to rain now) I quickly went up and turned the connections about a quarter inch (this took alot of effort as I'd just cleaned and tightened them) and tied it again. This time it took right off...go figure? Pulled it into the garage partially (to get it under cover and wipe it off yet again).  After all that, it then started again (with no hesitation) to pull in completely so I could close the garage door. I will now go through each connection in the starting system and look for corrosion. I had someone (who is not a Mopar guy) even suggest the ballast resistor on the firewall(?) but that doesn't add up for me. I'm thinking that much of the wiring in this car is original and that I've got a simple corrosion problem somewhere. The positive battery cable on this unit is quite old (maybe not original, but at least 30-years old). I'll likely start there. If I have to replace the starter, I will but...parts lately haven't been all that good (at least for everything else I own). Hopefully the remanufactured starters at NAPA aren't junk as well?

When you can't trust a car to start, it really affects your use of it.  Inconvenient (& maybe a little embarrassing?) and in our now-crazy traffic out here, even a little risky. I need to solve this one.

#37

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, & Tires / Re: Tilt steering column in a ...

Last post by 70 sublime - March 31, 2025, 06:32:10 AM

In my old 69 Charger I ended up just making a firewall plate for it also because I did not have one laying around at the time and was ready to put the steering column in

#38

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, & Tires / Re: Tilt steering column in a ...

Last post by Kern Dog - March 31, 2025, 12:01:23 AM

The reason for removing that hub is to allow removal of the support plate that attaches to the firewall. This plate is a different pattern than the stock plate.







Stock firewall plate:



Tilt column plate:



I could probably make a plate with the Charger firewall bolt pattern on it and just weld the tilt column plate to it.

#39

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, & Tires / Re: Tilt steering column in a ...

Last post by Kern Dog - March 30, 2025, 11:48:48 PM

On the other end, the lower shaft was removed from the rag joint coupler.





To remove the rag joint hub, a Cotter key comes out....



Then a roll pin gets drifted out...





Boom...

#40

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, & Tires / Re: Tilt steering column in a ...

Last post by Kern Dog - March 30, 2025, 11:45:37 PM

Backing up a bit, the adapter for the aftermarket steering wheel is available new but it is fun sometimes to see what I have out in the shed.



There is a hole offset that allows room for the horn wiring.



The adapter has a splined hole in the center that somehow matched the size and spline count on this column...



The cover has an oval hole that needed to be filed a bit oversized to fit.



But it did.



The cover leaves a small gap that may or may not close up once the nut is tightened down. That can't be done until the steering wheel bracket is put on. It will go directly against the black cover.