Sneaking a Tach Wire Through the Firewall - 69 RT

[EddieE]

I've got a 69 Charger R/T that's got the clock.  I have a tic-toc-tach that I can have restored for about $500 (new tach board, quartz clock, etc.), or I can buy a knockoff for $350 to $400.  I would appreciate your thoughts on which way to go with that, but the bigger question I have is:

What is the best way to SNEAK a wire through the firewall to the negative side of the coil?  The car is rotisserie restored and everything we know of is "correct" so I don't want to drill the firewall in the correct spot because that would be incorrect for this car.

Is there a good spot to sneak it through, or has someone smarter than me found a way to send a wireless signal from the coil to the sender.  I know the vintage air on my 'cuda sends a wireless signal, so is there one for a simple tach signal.  Thanks for your insight.

[70 sublime]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,23523.0.html

[EddieE]

Thanks, I checked that out earlier.  Here's a pic of my firewall which has no hole, only a dimple because it's a non-tach car.



Are you saying that the wire needed is in the main harness which passes through the firewall?  I so, what color is it and where does it start and stop?

[EddieE]

pic

[chargd72]

Is it a floor shifter?  You could always go down with the wire from coil and come up the the shifter or a floor plug. 

[EddieE]

Yes it's a 4 speed car. I guess I could run it under the floor, up and under the shifter boot, then under the carpet up to the dash. I'd really like to find somewhere in the firewall that I could run it parallel to some other wires so it's hidden.

If I show the car and one of the clipboard guys finds it, it could get ugly.

[tan top]

what about using a spare hole in one of the fire wall connector blocks  , &  with the suitable male & female connectors would be able to connect & disconnect like factory  

[EddieE]

Is the firewall connector block what I am mistakenly calling the main harness? If so, are there empty holes or just male or female connectors on the inside and outside?

[EddieE]

Sorry I just noticed the pics of the connectors. Are those proprietary, and if so where can I get them?  Thanks.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Instead of "sneaking"   How about just drilling the hole in the factory location & be done with it?

The dimple is there as a guide.  Use a stepped drill bit...7/8" is the size of the grommet IIRC

www.evanswiring.com sell the tach harnesses.

PS---good looking R6 & please register the car when you can.

www.1969chargerregistry.com

[EddieE]

Instead of "sneaking"   How about just drilling the hole in the factory location & be done with it?

The dimple is there as a guide.  Use a stepped drill bit...7/8" is the size of the grommet IIRC

www.evanswiring.com sell the tach harnesses.

PS---good looking R6 & please register the car when you can.

www.1969chargerregistry.com

I registered it a few days ago.  I love the 69 Charger Registry site and thanks for all the info on the site...I would not have purchased this car without the research on that site.

HOWEVER, I am not about to get hit in the head with a clipboard for drilling a hole in my firewall.  This car is VERY CORRECT and I've owned a lot of MOPAR

[EddieE]

Damn how did that just launch itself...I was trying to say I've owned a lot of MOPARS that I would drill a hole into, but this one has gone through a 5 year restoration to be just right.

[tan top]

Sorry I just noticed the pics of the connectors. Are those proprietary, and if so where can I get them?  Thanks.

the one in the picture below is a better style that goes into the firewall connector from dash side

may be try  auto electrical supplies  , or   maybe ebay  , or
charger specialites sell them ,
http://www.chargerspecialties.com/wiring.htm ....


i never had a tic toc tach on mine  ,  but went  for drillling the fire wall in the factory location , when i fitted one   

[EddieE]

I really appreciate the info on this. I don't want to ruin either Chrysler's original work or the work of the restorers. I just want to have a tach like I have in my wife's minivan!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Instead of "sneaking"   How about just drilling the hole in the factory location & be done with it?

The dimple is there as a guide.  Use a stepped drill bit...7/8" is the size of the grommet IIRC

www.evanswiring.com sell the tach harnesses.

PS---good looking R6 & please register the car when you can.

www.1969chargerregistry.com

I registered it a few days ago.  I love the 69 Charger Registry site and thanks for all the info on the site...I would not have purchased this car without the research on that site.

HOWEVER, I am not about to get hit in the head with a clipboard for drilling a hole in my firewall.  This car is VERY CORRECT and I've owned a lot of MOPAR

Yes I got it thanks!  Hard to tell by user names on here who registered & who didnt.

I see so you want to be able to take the tach out if need be with no permanent changes....

Will we see the car @ Carlisle this year?

PS---the tach in the wifes minivan will be more accurate than the Tic-Toc-Tach

[EddieE]

Instead of "sneaking"   How about just drilling the hole in the factory location & be done with it?

The dimple is there as a guide.  Use a stepped drill bit...7/8" is the size of the grommet IIRC

www.evanswiring.com sell the tach harnesses.

PS---good looking R6 & please register the car when you can.

www.1969chargerregistry.com

I registered it a few days ago.  I love the 69 Charger Registry site and thanks for all the info on the site...I would not have purchased this car without the research on that site.

HOWEVER, I am not about to get hit in the head with a clipboard for drilling a hole in my firewall.  This car is VERY CORRECT and I've owned a lot of MOPAR

Yes I got it thanks!  Hard to tell by user names on here who registered & who didnt.

I see so you want to be able to take the tach out if need be with no permanent changes....

Will we see the car @ Carlisle this year?

PS---the tach in the wifes minivan will be more accurate than the Tic-Toc-Tach

Carlisle is only about 100 miles away from us in Damascus, MD.  I drove through Harrisburg on the way to pick up this car, and I drive that way to Passon Performance (A-833 pro) and Shady Dell Speed Shop in State College (motor pro).  Just gotta make my schedule match to get up there at MOPAR time.

I had the entire gauge set in my 'cuda redone by Auto Instruments, and the difference in accuracy between the old tach and the rebuilt tach is amazing.  I don't know if it's as good as the Caravan, but it's good.  That was another part of my question in the original post...would you guys go with a quality rebuild of an existing tic-toc-tach for about $500 all-in or buy a knockoff at around $440?

[EddieE]

Sorry that should have read a knockoff at about $400 all-in.

[Charger RT]

I just hooked a black wire to my coil and ran it along the bottom side of my harness and used black tape every so often to hold it to the bottom of the harness then pushed the wire through the bulk head connector without cutting it or using connectors through a blank hole. Then just pulled the rest inside the dash and hooked it to the tach. No one has noticed it.
Tim

[EddieE]

That's pretty stealthy.  Now can I have advice on whether to have the original tic-toc-tach restored and refaced, with modern electronics on the tach and quartz clock or buy a knockoff.