Rusty's not very quiet cuda progress

[Dr.Jass]

There was another one on the main post, yellow, I suspect that was part of their bypass the relay setup, heaven knows what the 3 cut wires were for???

Don't reconnect that small yellow that was on the B terminal unless you know where it goes and what it does. It's not original to the car and I can't guess where it leads.

I'll get a pick of my new positive cable the one for S comes up from the starter as does the red for B, that comes out of the harness about half way down.

The 10ga red wire for the B terminal does not come from the starter. It comes from the battery terminal.

Pretty sure the gray they used was direct from the battery with no fusible link at all. Going out to freeze in a while I'll at least get this part looked into!

If you look at your picture closely, the grey wire has "FUSIBLE LINK 16 GA" written right on its connector. That wire is (or was) the fusible link.

It's very unlikely your new battery cable will have a fusible link in the small red wire, since 99.9% of cars using that cable don't have one there. You'll need to put one where the black wire butt-connects to the 10ga red wire coming from the bulkhead. I'd suggest using the grey one off the old battery cable, making sure to keep it as close to its current length as possible. Length affects how much amperage a fusible link will pass. A shorter link passes more amperage.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Just got back in to post results, could have saved you a few minuets of typing.

Yellow is long gone (on the old harness)

Red on my new cable heads down towards the starter & turns back up when it meets the black for the S terminal.
Brought the brown w/yellow tracer over & the double yellow is there with the new engine harness; think we are good to go once I get the fusible link in.

I think I threw away the old battery cable with the link on it I'll look around when I go back out.
I did find 2 but I think too small?
The new one is 14 guage & my tiny assortment of connectors.
Took a peek in marks stuff, any clip I'd ever need but no links!

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

OK wait a sec, with electric the smaller the # the bigger the wire, so is 14 too big?
If not I can finish that too?

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

So I peeled off the remnants of the old tape........Gave it a coat of regular black tape, should have looked in Marks stuff first he had the right tape in there.Anyway, he also had some plastic shielding so I gave it a sleeve, now I won't worry bout bare wires down there!
Wanted to get some paint on the outer ring on the druns, so I sprayed some in a cup & brushed it on, heading back out to clear it now!

 

[Dr.Jass]

OK wait a sec, with electric the smaller the # the bigger the wire, so is 14 too big?
If not I can finish that too?

Yes, 14 gauge is larger than original. It should be 16 gauge, 6" long. The original part number was 3588320, long discontinued. It had the ring terminal on the starter-relay end. The other end had a connector like the one on the factory unit in your picture of terminals and fusible links, but since you don't have the other half of that on your wiring harness, an offset butt connector will work.

Standard Motor Products HP3130 is a suitable replacement for the OE link, although I'd trim it back to 6" between terminals:

Standard HP1681 is an offset butt connector that will crimp to the new fuse link on one end and to the existing 10ga red wire on the other. None of the online photos I found look like what I have in stock, but it's basically a 10-gauge butt connector necked down to a 14-16 gauge on one end, which is marked with a blue ring. It comes in a pack of two.

Both of these should be available from a local parts store; if not on-hand, then next day. At my store, the "Joe-off-the-street" price for both, with tax, is a dime under $10.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

I'll google a 16 guage & see what's out there, with mark's collection of connectors I should be ok

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Napa has one with the eyelet.
I was originally thinking of soldering the joint & going with red shrink wrap to keep it red all the way?

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BEL...EAQYAyABEgJetPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1

 

[Dr.Jass]

Other than the insulation color, that's identical to a Standard part I have on the shelf. The eyelet's too big.

You can't solder fusible link wire. It melts.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

You can't solder fusible link wire. It melts.

that would have been a rude awakening!

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

how bout these?

Pack of 2 ET36 - Fusible Link 16 Gauge - General Use 5/16" Stud Ring - ORANGE | eBay

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

gonna go try summit

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

OK ordered it at summit, I'm hoping Mark has the connector, pack of 25 was the smallest they sell.
Also ordered a new coil.

 

[Dr.Jass]

OK ordered it at summit, I'm hoping Mark has the connector, pack of 25 was the smallest they sell.
Also ordered a new coil.

Ordered what? Summit doesn't show any of those fusible links on hand. Ship date shows Dec 12th, which is the day you'll get an e-mail saying it'll ship January 12th. I don't order from Summit a'tall anymore, but learned long ago: If they don't have it in stock, don't expect it anytime soon. The last time I did, it took about five months to arrive.

You could've had it tomorrow with no shipping if you'd have called a nearby parts store.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

I bought the pico, says ready to ship?

 

[Dr.Jass]

OK, I haven't a clue what the Pico is/was. The two you posted were Belden and SMP respectively.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Should be here friday, curious to see if my coil comes from china too?

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Pulled out the steering wheels, metal on one was better, the black on the horn button on the other was better but some of the white stripe was gone.
touched up the white well kinda?

Took a while but I got out most of the 50 year old crud in the pores, wish it would work on my hands! Just have to remember to put the smeared white spot on the bottom!
Not bad for 50 years old. Pulled the trunk mat & rolled it up, hung it in front of the heater, hoping to ease down some of the folds, will reroll the other way next time out! Once that's done & the jack retainer spring gets here I can finish off the trunk!
Turns out the worst bent rim was also the most pitted, took the best of the mashed up trim rings I had & stuck that on the spare, just laid a center cap on for effect, they should look good on the car when I get the new trim rings!

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

So I dug out the rear bumper, even have the 50lb reinforcement bar, hope it will go on without that!
one clean spot under the tapeBack is nasty
cleaned up the front, there some spots the chrome is clean worn off, has a little shine left. Wire brushed the back & 2 coats rusty metal primer & 1 of clear to seal it, hope to slow down the rust a tad.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

I think the front is a little worse, but I won't spend another 500 on repops unless I'm really happy when the car is all done?

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Turms out that black wire was also a fusible link it's 10 or 12 gauge.

Gonna be close it's about 7" from the red to the post!

Stuck in the neutral safety at the tranny, am I on upside down, the other way would give me a touch of Clearence to the shift rod???


How in the world do you make this wiring look neat!