After reading the recent thread about improving the 60-amp charging system I’ve lost confidence in what I planned to do with my old Forward Look Mopar that is being modernized, customized and totally rewired. It’s not my slant-powered Valiant, and I apologize, but this is the only forum that I trust for accurate advice on all things Mopar.

My project will have a trunk mounted battery, relay-controlled headlights per Dan’s instructions, additional individually-fused circuits to accommodate power windows, modern sound and lighting systems, etc, and upgraded wiring throughout. The starting point for the wire bundles is based on a ’73 Dodge truck since it has a steering column and ignition switch from that model. It will also have one modern fuse/relay bus under the hood, and another inside the shifter console.

I hesitate to go into more detail at this point since I think it will confuse more than help, so I’ll limit my question to the charging system.

I currently have a #2 cable running from the trunk-battery positive terminal through a conduit to a bulkhead feed-thru, and another that continues from the feed-thru to the starter relay. It has a 50-amp breaker at the battery end only. The battery ground was planned to be a short #4 wire to the frame and another from the frame to the engine block.

I have yet to complete the alternator hook-up but had planned to us a #10 wire direct from the alternator to the under-hood bus and another through the firewall to the center console bus. I did not plan to install fuses on those circuits.

I concluded from the other thread discussion that I need to seriously rethink the alternator-to-battery and the power bus circuits, so I could really use some advice on wire sizes and circuit protection.


http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic ... 28&t=58047

Seems like Dadtruck and Slantsixdan should be able to help. Others are well versed in ohms law too I am sure.


Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Do it up thiswise. A good ammeter-to-voltmeter conversion can be done very cleanly without looking hacked. I strongly UNrecommend the hack-job "fix" proposed by the clowns at MAD Electrical; you can do much better. How much it costs depends on whether you do the work yourself or have it
done for you. Redline Gauge (website perpetually in development; call them on the phone) and Williamsons can both do a stealth conversion of stock ammeter to voltmeter for "it must've come that way from the factory!" appearance as seen in the '62 Plymouth
here (look closely at the instrument panel; the Alternator gauge now has a scale from 8 to 18 volts rather than the original D at the left and C at the right -- and the oil pressure gauge is another never-offered-by-Chrysler item done by one of the gauge specialty houses).

For less money (but more work) I've also seen people successfully buy a Sunpro voltmeter, tear it apart, and mount the old ammeter face over it with excellent, clean
results. See here.

I don't see a problem with your battery cable configuration idea.

Ping me privately for detailed info on the lighting upgrades.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Agh.. That last link to classic mopar forum is error 404..

Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Thanks for the responses. Good to hear I’m not in seioously bad shape!

Dan, when I bought the car, the entire dash was damaged from a leaky windshield while sitting outside for years. That was the main reason for the complete wire bundle replacement, but since the gauges were also not salvageable, I replaced everything with a set of backlit NVU gauges that looked much like stock.

I think I’ve got you covered in the lighting department. I used your instructions to install relays and upgrade the wire sizes. The fuse module also contains the flashers for turn signals and hazard lights, while the Dodge truck steering column has the hazard switch the stock one didn’t.

The headlights are GE Nighthawks. At my age I don’t do much night driving with my “fun cars” and those were the ones you suggested as moderately priced upgrades.

Another photo shows the front fuse/relay module and the headlight relays mounted in the original battery location. The console contains another fuse panel along with the seat belt control module and inertia switch.

The other photos show most of the under-hood wiring, minus the alternator changes I’ve decided to incorporate after reading the other thread. FWIW, I also replaced the badly corroded bulkhead connector with a Delphi Weather-Pack design.
If anyone spots something that doesn’t look right, please comment.

Cool project!!

Lou

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