Almost caught the Charger on fire

[bearbqd]

Well, after only having my car for about a week now, I almost caught it on fire today. A couple of times in the past few days it would fire up, but then not run. I had just installed a new MSD 6-AL and it ran fine for a couple of times, but then suddenly it had this sympton after I installed a Sunpro tach. I wasn't getting juice to the ignition with the key on. I rechecked all my wiring and found that a positive wire connection to the volt meter had come off. I refastened it with a better connection and it still didn't have juice. I figured there had to be an open somewhere in the wires I had been messing with. I moved a few around and suddenly had juice again. At this point I had my wife turn the ignition key back and forth while I had a test light on the main ignition wire. It came on and off for a dozen turns of the key as it should. Well, I figured we were ok but I didn't like not knowing where the  source of this problem had come from knowing it could happen again. The car started again for at least a dozen times with no problem. Today, however, I drove it to my wife's business where I have been helping her all week. I went to go pick up dinner and bam...no start again. Great, just great. I didn't even have a test light on me to troubleshoot it, but luckily there was an AutoZone just a block away. I ran over and got a test light and when I came back, put the key in the ignition and turned it to the on position, suddenly my fire wall was billowing smoke. I turned the key off quickly and yanked off my battery's negative cable. The main wire ( the letter "Q" brown wire in the Chilton's manual for those of you wanting to follow along) was completely melted from the resistor to the ignition switch.

After coming home and pricing a completely new harness under the dash and one for the engine compartment to make sure things are right, I decided that I didn't want to pay in excess of $800 dollars for them. I think if I replace the melted wire, check for any exposed wiring that it melted to, and replace the probably faulty ignition switch, that I should be ok. Do you guys think I should look for or do anything else besides this before I do all of it and try and start it again? Thanks for any insight. I don't want to burn up my new baby right of the bat....or ever for that matter.

[bearbqd]

One other question...I thought Painless Wiring made modern harnesses for almost anything. I didn't see one for Chargers on their website. Does anyone know of a source for a modern harness with new style fuses? Thanks

[six-tee-nine]

I think i'm gonna get me a complete wiring harness for my 69 from him :

http://www.ronfrancis.com/

[The70RT]

YearOne has the one where you just plug and go....yeah pricey. Painless and the Ron Francis ones you have to put all your connectors on. Either spend a bunch of time with the latter two or pay the piper.

[bearbqd]

Well, I rewired most of my engine bay harness by hand today, crossed my fingers, and hit the ignition. It fired up and ran fine and there was no heat coming from the replaced burned wires or any other wires so I guess I fixed the short. However, whereas my car was putting out over 14 volts before this happened, now it doesn't seem to be charging. I had 12.42 volts and down to 12.36 with the headlights on. I rechecked all my wiring and all seemed to be in order. The ONLY thing that I didn't hook up the same was that before, the previous owner had one of the alternator field wires grounded to an intake bolt and the wire continuing from there went to the ballast resistor. I didn't think that wire was supposed to be grounded and it didn't show it as being so in the schematic. Does it need to be? I had to modify things just slightly as the alternator that is in it is the later style that has two field wires. The original had one. I was referring back and forth from the 68 Charger schematic to my 73 Cuda schematic. So again, should that field wire be grounded to make it charge? Thanks for any help.