Low voltage at gauge, no charge?

67Dart273 said
Darn, man. If the headlights don't work this sounds like probably the welded splice has broken. You will have to pull the cluster to check. the welded splice is a few inches away from the ammeter black wire termination, wrapped up in the dash harness. Once you get the cluster out, you can unwrap the harness working back from the ammeter. Follow that big black back

So what could cause that splice to actually break and let go?? The night before I had to "dimple" one the pipes of my new headers, so possibly the shock/vibration of hitting it with the hammer may have caused it to break?
I've had the cluster out a few times recently, so Ive gotten pretty good at it at least :)
What would you recommend for a proper fix of that weld? Also, would bypassing the ammeter by joining the red and black wires be recommended at this stage? Im not sure I understand where the danger lies in the ammeter, I understand that the circuit is a long one from battery to gauge to alternator, but is it the gauge itself that may fail and start a fire, or somewhere else in the wiring along that path?
Thank you again for your help and information, its appreciated and Im learning alot :)

67Dart273 said
First one of these I ever found was in the early 70's in a friend's 68 RR. We had the cluster and part of the wiring torn out of the dash in his apartment parking lot. He was beginning to think I was an idiot AND I WAS TOO!!!! LOL

Luckily Im in my garage! I also had a 68 RR many a moon ago, my first mopar, I miss that car.