64 Dart ground set up

-
66Valiant528

66Valiant528

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2019
Messages
1,200
Reaction score
951
Location
Medway Ma
Someone replaced the negative cable on our newly acquired 64 Dart GT 225 vert. There is no small ground wire to the radiator support or a ground strap between the block and firewall. I ran a ground to radiator support but am unsure as to where a block ground strap should go. Did these early As not have those 2 additional grounds? I will add them but was just wondering. Thanks in advance.

20230904_110810.jpg
 
I have a braided strap from the engine to the firewall on the passenger side. I don't think there is a ground wire to the radiator support though in my 66.
 
IDK when a Ground wire from the battery to the radiator support was added. Someone can probably tell when. I plan on adding one to my 65 Dart wagon
 
65 Dartman said:
IDK when a Ground wire from the battery to the radiator support was added. Someone can probably tell when. I plan on adding one to my 65 Dart wagon
Click to expand...
It might help the headlights and turn signals.
 
The original grounding from battery to body was marginal back then. It is wise to add a big one from block to body. Buy a Ford style starter cable (eyelet to eyelet) and go from block to firewall. An easy way is one of the master cylinder studs. I know of no other big solid bolts through the firewall, but you could certainly bore and and add a nut/ bolt, use star lock washers.
 
I have ground straps from each head to the frame rails, & the ignition and distributor share an additional ground.
Curious here, isn't the radiator support welded to the inner fenders and frame rails? (I have a 68, the early A's might be different). Wouldn't that be ground enough?


later edit; I see from reading on, that the ground to the radiator support is apparently where the battery was giving the car its body ground. I didn't know that as when I got my car, it went from the battery to the block, then the body was grounded via a wire from the head to firewall only. As I've gone through my car, I changed it to how I described above, and the battery is in the trunk connected to the frame.
 
Last edited:
I put ground strap from back of cylinder head to wiper motor stud 67-up or blower motor stud on early a body. I reuse ground wire from Ram trucks due to nice coating and length.
 
RogerRamRod said:
I have ground straps from each head to the frame rails, & the ignition and distributor share an additional ground.
Curious here, isn't the radiator support welded to the inner fenders and frame rails? (I have a 68, the early A's might be different). Wouldn't that be ground enough?
Click to expand...
You would think so but the ground to the radiator support is for the lights and horn.
 
66Valiant528 said:
You would think so but the ground to the radiator support is for the lights and horn.
Click to expand...
No, that ground was supposed to run everything grounded to the body. Heater/ radio/ tail lights etc etc. The body is one huge pieced of welded metal. There IS NO other ground, originally. The battery went to the block, to ground the starter, alternator, and ignition system. But the engine is on rubber, as is the transmission. The ONLY connection from the engine/ trans to ground is the cooler lines in a roundabout way, and in a stick car, "accidently" the clutch linkage--which is poor

As far as I know, ALL Mopars had the smallish pigtail from battery to body, and may or may not have had the block to firewall straps.

Some early cars did NOT have the block to firewall grounds which were also light gauge. Improving the size of the ground from battery or block to body IS A GREAT IDEA. As I said earlier, a Ford style starter cable is a good way to do so
 
My 64 Valiant has a ground wire from the factory threaded nutsert on the firewall to a bellhousing bolt. I also added one the same size as the negative battery cable in the same place as the negative cable on the block to the front driver's corner of the radiator support/inner fender.
 
There's no question that more grounds are better. I just wanted to know if the 64 was supposed to have those grounds as this car has an aftermarket cable without the extra body ground or firewall ground.
 
66Valiant528 said:
There's no question that more grounds are better. I just wanted to know if the 64 was supposed to have those grounds as this car has an aftermarket cable without the extra body ground or firewall ground.
Click to expand...
As I plainly said, there is one from the firewall on the passenger's side to a bellhousing bolt from the factory on my 64 Valiant. I am sure you have the same place for it on your firewall, too.
 
RustyRatRod said:
As I plainly said, there is one from the firewall on the passenger's side to a bellhousing bolt from the factory on my 64 Valiant. I am sure you have the same place for it on your firewall, too.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I want to add one but wasn't sure where to attach it. I considered a 904 bell bolt. Any chance you can shoot a picture of yours?
 
66Valiant528 said:
Thank you. I want to add one but wasn't sure where to attach it. I considered a 904 bell bolt. Any chance you can shoot a picture of yours?
Click to expand...
Here you bees. I tried to get some landmarks in so you could see right where it attaches to the firewall. It's way too tight to get the bellhousing bolt end in a picture, but it's the closest bolt in a straight line from the firewall connection.
DSCF2661.JPG
 
The more grounds, the better off you will be. When we wired my race car, we welded studs to the frame rails front, rear and center on both sides, then used ring terminals for the ground wires.
 
My 63 has none to the radiator support but has one from upper bellhousing bolt to the hole below the heater hose. But as stated by many others, more grounds better than not enough.
 
On the '66 V8 cars, the engine to firewall ground goes from the right rear intake bolt to the firewall. The battery ground cable goes to the left front intake bolt, and there is no extra ground pig tail to the body. Both cables are painted engine color. The battery cable is painted up to about 2" from the battery, and the firewall ground cable is painted all the way to the end including the eye terminal.
 
Cudamark - great info re: 66 cars but do you have this kind of info for the small block 68 cars too? Thank you in advance for your help.

Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top