Electrical Problems

[jaydogg]

Yup, my dimmer gives me grief, but gettin better the more I play, Oh I mean work on it. Mine sat 30 years.

Squirt Electronic solvent spray on the metal sliding part of the dimmer switch. May have to take it off the floor boards but undoing the bolt screws to get to the sliding part of the switch. The work it up and down to get it loosen up a bit and into the contact area. Worked for me.

Instrument panel lights could be the power to them came off the Headlight switch terminal, check that.

Brittle wires like Roger stated, will be an ongoing issue, make sure you have a fire extinguisher on board.

John Q.

Sat for 30 years...wow. If the wires have gotten brittle, you will be chasing electrical problems forever. The classic Englishman of olden times (the 1950-1960's) expected to tinker and fiddle with their cars...if you do it as a past-time!
New wiring harnesses, full or partial, are available for the '59 Plymouth. Maybe something to consider/save up for.
Nothing worse than a dash or under-hood fire!

Yeah I was noticing the lack of pliability in the wires when moving things around yesterday . Im going to redo the interior first and figure I should probably do it right and redo the wiring harness......Who has those for sale? I looked on ebay and didnt see anything. Is the dash on the suburban welded on or does it just bolt on? I see a couple of bolts by the front doors but haven't really looked under the rest of the dash real well.
Again appreciate the input....and the fire extinguisher is a good idea

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

The dash does come off.

Do this part first, If you take off the two a pillar vertical A pillar moldings off and then there is two horizontal garnish pieces near the base of the inner windshield (remove the screws and lift those parts out of the way. I would release the steering column support bolts to let the column drop down a bit. Gives you more room to clear the dash out.

It then will reveal the bolts/screws that hold the upper dash frame to the inner support area below the lower inner edge of the winshield. That will release it from the inner upper fire wall. Now it will just hang there pivoting on the two lower bolts/screws.

It is a tight fit coming on an off. The two bolts you noticed are the main pivot and support bolts. Don't lose the small square anti-squeak pads when those bolts come out, which you don't have to take them (bolts that is) all the way off, I left mine backed off so the dash did not fall down after I removed the upper dash bolts/screws mentioned below. It will later pivot on this spot


Disconnection the wiring connector points will help too so you don't hang up due to the wires...

I think that is it, but if I forgot a step , the others will chime in for ya! Oh yeah, disconnect the battery first!!!

John Q.

[jaydogg]

Thanks John,
I was hoping it bolted in. I already took out that pillar bolt but put it back in mostly so I dont loose the anti squeak pad.

Tested the windshield wiper switch per the manual....test light to bat neg and B post with pos bat to P post. Test light is supposed to go on and off with using the switch but only stays on. Next test with pos to R post supposed to do the same but only stays off so it looks like a new switch is in order.
Any recommendations on a wiring harness....make yourself, universal or custom made from one of the companies out there?

Thanks
J

The dash does come off.

Do this part first, If you take off the two a pillar vertical A pillar moldings off and then there is two horizontal garnish pieces near the base of the inner windshield (remove the screws and lift those parts out of the way. I would release the steering column support bolts to let the column drop down a bit. Gives you more room to clear the dash out.

It then will reveal the bolts/screws that hold the upper dash frame to the inner support area below the lower inner edge of the winshield. That will release it from the inner upper fire wall. Now it will just hang there pivoting on the two lower bolts/screws.

It is a tight fit coming on an off. The two bolts you noticed are the main pivot and support bolts. Don't lose the small square anti-squeak pads when those bolts come out, which you don't have to take them (bolts that is) all the way off, I left mine backed off so the dash did not fall down after I removed the upper dash bolts/screws mentioned below. It will later pivot on this spot


Disconnection the wiring connector points will help too so you don't hang up due to the wires...

I think that is it, but if I forgot a step , the others will chime in for ya! Oh yeah, disconnect the battery first!!!

John Q.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

I used a modern Painless type (but not the brand) of new wiring harness with a fuseblock, wanted the extra safety to having fuses forevery circuit. Depends if you want to have it bone stock or not. I wrapped the modern wires with the factory type non-adhesive black vinyl to have it look factory and hide the circuit legends, For the most part it was easy to string out and land them, but I ran out of brains and had to have some help with the final under hood stuff. Like switching out to a 60's 70's Mopar alternator instead of a generator and going to Mopar Electronic ignition.

You seem pretty good on the electrical part if you can handle a multi-meter on the wiper motor so it should be good to go with you. There is a company that makes a re-production exact factory harness, name escapes me right now, but I will dig it up for you. That costs, I believe around $700-$800 for that original harness, I paid around $180 for my 12 circuit hot rod modern harness.

Check out my wiring tribulations under "Show your Ride" on my restorations wiring. Your choice, just depends on how original you want it to be. I am slow as molasses in the restoration process ( )but in the end it turned out well.

I will dig up the maker of the factory style harness, I saw a 58 Dodge version and looked great!

John Q.

[rogerh]

There are at least two companies that make wiring harnesses. But don't get scared off by the $700 price just yet.
Remember that the wiring is in "sections"...you don't have to replace all the wiring. just replace the under-hood harness first. i remember my first '59 had brittle wiring, and one day a replacement ignition wire some previous owner had patched in shorted...lots of smoke withthe entire length melting the insulation off. Scary, but no fire.
Y'nZ is one company. Try Googling 'replacement wiring harnesses', or something to that effect. Hemmings Motor News online lists various vendors. Shop around for best price, obviously.

[jaydogg]

I used a modern Painless type (but not the brand) of new wiring harness with a fuseblock, wanted the extra safety to having fuses forevery circuit. Depends if you want to have it bone stock or not. I wrapped the modern wires with the factory type non-adhesive black vinyl to have it look factory and hide the circuit legends, For the most part it was easy to string out and land them, but I ran out of brains and had to have some help with the final under hood stuff. Like switching out to a 60's 70's Mopar alternator instead of a generator and going to Mopar Electronic ignition.

You seem pretty good on the electrical part if you can handle a multi-meter on the wiper motor so it should be good to go with you. There is a company that makes a re-production exact factory harness, name escapes me right now, but I will dig it up for you. That costs, I believe around $700-$800 for that original harness, I paid around $180 for my 12 circuit hot rod modern harness.

Check out my wiring tribulations under "Show your Ride" on my restorations wiring. Your choice, just depends on how original you want it to be. I am slow as molasses in the restoration process ( )but in the end it turned out well.

I will dig up the maker of the factory style harness, I saw a 58 Dodge version and looked great!

John Q.

There are at least two companies that make wiring harnesses. But don't get scared off at the $700 price just yet.
Remember that the wiring is in "sections"...you don't have to replace all the wiring. just replace the under-hood harness first. i remember my first '59 had brittle wiring, and one day a replacement ignition wire some previous owner had patched in shorted...lots of smoke withthe entire length melting the insulation off. Scary, but no fire.
Y'nZ is one company. Try Googling 'replacement wiring harnesses', or something to that effect. Hemmings Motor News online lists various vendors. Shop around for best price, obviously.

Thanks Guys
You actually broached the next question I had....Do I go with original harness for $889 + probably 300 more from YnZ ( got quote this am) for the rear light harness or do I go with one of the aftermarket modern harnesses.
My porblem is I want it all...I want it to look bone stock but run consistantly and not have to chase wiring problems constantly. My goal for the burb is to rebuild the engine with some oomph with direction from Gary Pavlovich, but otherwise make it look pretty standard. Would probably run hidden power outlets to the back for the kids and their gadgets so maybe a modern after market is the way to go? They are cheaper and I can wrap what is visible and it would look old school like I want.

The other side of me says keep it as original as possible.and add the little parts that I want extra on my own?....my deamons for the day
J

[Dick Koch]

J - I went with a YnZ harness for my convertible, haven't had it out of the box yet but heard a lot of good things about them.
Dick.

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Your choice...

If you are going to a points show then go the OEM route, but I will never be in one of those shows just show and shines.

I do have extra circuits and auxilerary power outlets and even a power window and seat circuits should I want to install or use them them.

I have them tucked up under the dash terminated with a wire nut and tape wrapped and pulled the fuses out of the fuse blocks just to make sure. But they are their if I need them and it looks stock.

Just get the car out and enjoy it!

John Q.

[rogerh]

Could you be the kind of guy who says I'll "keep it stock", but I'll just tweak the motor and maybe add a hidden modern sound system w/ GPS and DVD, and maybe some Flowmasters, and maybe I could rig up some little flame-throwers out the back...
It is so easy to go way over budget and to stray outside the factory specifications. The rest of us just sit here waiting to see what evolves
Wishing you the best of luck... in all cases have FUN!

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Here! Here! Fun with your car is the operate word!

John Q.

[rankinrr]

Yea, what he said and POST PICTURES!!!!!!!!

[jaydogg]

Pictures to follow

[jaydogg]

OK so here is where im at:
It became apparrent that the electircal would need to be completely redone due to the heat the burb was exposed for all those years. So interior came out to get redone, then the rust floor got cut out, then the dash was removed, then the front clip and as soon as my cherry picker starts working again the engine and tranny are coming out. I have a new wiring harness (painless) and have to figure out what to do with the heating defrost. The years destroyed the plastic buttons for the heater control and all the vacume hoses for the heater vents etc. Considering getting something from vintage air for combo heater defrost etc. Going to get the tranny and the eleectric overdrive unit out and to the one shop in town where someone alive has worked on them in the past. Having Gary Palovich in Santee Ca help me withthe 318 but have to wait for the tax man to get his cut before I can get going on that. Headed down toe see John (Big M) in Williams Ca next week to get a not rusted out inner fender and a few other things.
Lots to keep me going. More pics on the way. The site wont accept my photos from my camera as they are a little too big so will get some iphone pics downloaded. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[rankinrr]

Love it, keep us updated with photos!!!!!!!!
Rob R

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

I used an aftermarket wiring system similar to but not from painless, Worked pretty good when done...Did have a issue when I converted to Alternator and switched to Mopar Electronic ignition but finally when I was at wits end some Mopar friends (one being Mopar Ricky) helped with getting it buttoned up.

Glad I now have the security of a fuse block and I wrapped mosts of the wires in Mopar non-adhesive tape to make it look as factory as you can at first glance.


John Q.