65 Dart Wagon Conversion to a Sedan Delivery

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65 Dartman said:
I called on my buddy for his assistance with the dash ... 5 hours in messing with the dash and good luck to the next person if they have to take it out.
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man, i feel for you. i'm going to re-do the under dash i did previously, and have been mentality going over all these same issues :lol:
was even planning on using the same fuse block in the same place. decided awhile ago the insert the fuse block mounts to needs to be removeable just like the stock insert, with enough wiring so nothing needs to be unplugged to pull it out for accessing the back of it.
can't wait to see yours all buttoned up :thumbsup:
 
65 Dartman said:
I called on my buddy for his assistance with the dash since it’s completely assembled other than the actual stand alone instrument cluster (which has its own ribbon harness). I anticipated the dash will be (and was) a two person installation! I figured once it was in place i could reach through the cluster opening to connect the HVAC temperature control cable to the controller bracket. No Sir, that’s what I get for thinking! So I figured we could just leave the frame on the end side bolts on the kick panels and rotate it enough to connect the cable. Nope, now the cable won’t reach the controller bracket which is already installed. So remove the dash and set it down on the floor and remove the HVAC vontroller to attach the cable. Got all that installed and dash back in place. Oh crap, now I can’t get my hand in the back to plug the 2 wires into the fuse panel, which is now mounted to the back of the glove box. Man, it’s so cramped back there with the AC and heater assemblies. So, remove the bolts along the top the dash and rotate the dash. Now the wires to the fuse panel won’t reach because the wires are also connected to the controller AND the fuse panel is mounted on the right side of the dash in a shortened glove box AND the fresh air cable just installed won’t let the dash rotate eniugh. So remove the controller with the cable still attached for the 2nd time, remove the dash for 3rd time and install the the wires to the fuse panel. Got the dash back in place and secured the controller through the cluster opening just like I planned! As an aside to this fiasco, the bulkhead connector needed to be removed and reinstalled twice as the routing under the dash wasn’t right the first time. Luckily that part of the harness was long enough so it didn’t need to be removed every time we dropped the dash or the dash dropped to remove and reinstall the bulkhead connector. The AC manual mentions needing to remove the glove box to get at the defroster hoses; with the fuse panel attached to the back, the glove box is not coming out anytime soon! So I anticipate a fight to install the defroster hoses. 5 hours in messing with the dash and good luck to the next person if they have to take it out.

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Yes, all these wire do go someplace! 5 to the rear for brake lights, turn signals, park lights and gas gauge. 7 to the Dakota Digital brain box, 2 to the power seat, 2 to the power lumbar module, 3 to the power rear window, and 2 to the door power windows master switch.

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And the modified bulkhead connector. I have added an additional power buss circuit between the outer busses which go to the ignition switch and the middle one goes directly to the headlight switch and constant power in the fuse oanel

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You have gotten some real challanges that you solved well! Hats off Don!
 
good to see the dash back in place, looking forward to seeing it fully assembled. Just about to cover my custom crash pad for the Dodge. Then onto the planning stage for placement of everything inside my dash. The fun part!!
 
65 Dartman said:
Thanks for the kind words! I found those wire looms on Amazon from the Better Cloud store. They come in either black or silver and are $24.95 for the pair plus state tax and free delivery. I see black is a next say delivery while the silver is about a week out. Hope this helps!
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thanks ordered 2 sets. now to fed the power window and door locks wiring in. (88-93 ram door locks can be made to fit on the 66 , 65 with a different latch might not fit) you do have to drill 2 holes down below the latch to get them to work. and putting the rod on is a total monster. I'll see if I actually too pictures or walked out in disgust after many tries:D
 
66Dvert said:
thanks ordered 2 sets. now to fed the power window and door locks wiring in. (88-93 ram door locks can be made to fit on the 66 , 65 with a different latch might not fit) you do have to drill 2 holes down below the latch to get them to work. and putting the rod on is a total monster. I'll see if I actually too pictures or walked out in disgust after many tries:D
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Thanks! I actually have a cheap eBay power lock set and an expensive Electrolife set. Both use similar installation instructions with both modules wanting to share the same space as the door handle rods. I never thought about mounting the module to the latch side of the door. I have basically decided to not use them as the looms won’t accept the power window AND lock wiring. I kept looking for a similar but larger diameter loom with no luck.
 
65 Dartman said:
Thanks! I actually have a cheap eBay power lock set and an expensive Electrolife set. Both use similar installation instructions with both modules wanting to share the same space as the door handle rods. I never thought about mounting the module to the latch side of the door. I have basically decided to not use them as the looms won’t accept the power window AND lock wiring. I kept looking for a similar but larger diameter loom with no luck.
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I cheated and stole the power wire from the windows that way it would be 1 wire for operation . I'm hoping I can stuff my wires through that loom.
 
I think the wires from the motor are 12 gauge so that’s what I used coming from the switch. both went through the loom OK
 
66Dvert said:
(88-93 ram door locks can be made to fit on the 66 , 65 with a different latch might not fit)
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Although the basic vehicle is a 65, the doors and internal hardware and latches are 66. A plus is they use the common small round door locks rather than those odd 65 locks.
 
Well, another day with 3 or 5 steps back! Had to pull the the HVAC controller AGAIN!! Found out the pushbuttons cannot be installed with the controller installed as the buttons need to be installed from the top and then rotated down to the position where they come through the bezel which is secured to the cluster. And of course to position the controller where the buttons can be installed, the temperature cable needs to he disconnected. Finally got everything squared away.

And also discovered the rear end still has a very small leak - i hate leaks. So while my buddy was here, he pulled the brakes and axles and the pumpkin. We discovered some kind of residue on the mating flange of the pumpkin and got it all cleaned up as well as the face of the rear end. Went to reassemble it and the extra gasket I bought some time ago is from what looks like one for an 8.25. Nobody within 40 miles has one but Advance said they can have one tomorrow morning.

The day wasn’t a complete bust as I got all the rear seat trim polished and got a start on installing it - forgot to take pictures! Maybe after I finish the installation tomorrow.
 
When is this thing gonna be done? I'm ready to cruise chicks.
 
65 Dartman said:
forgot to take pictures! Maybe after I finish the installation tomorrow.
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Garethw said:
Didn’t happen then :)
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A bit of the trim and the bracket that lets the seat lay on the seat cushion
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Looking nice! What carpet are you using there?
 
Garethw said:
Looking nice! What carpet are you using there?
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I bought it through Stock Interiors in IIRC #512 which matched the color of the carpet on the lower part of my front seat’s rear panel. It came in an ACC box lol!
 
I did finish the trim and the bar that lets you lower the seat. The machine bolts I used on the brackets is the same length as the originals but stainless instead

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Got the reproduction console lights installed snd drilled the mounting hole for the heated seat switches just to the front of the lights. As they are black, they trnd to blend in with the console

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finally with the leaky rear end hopefully solved and all reassembled, i wanted to see what the it would look like with the Magnum 500 installed. Bear in mind the wagon is still on jack stands so the tire is lower than it would be if it was on the ground
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while it was in the air my buddy went underneath with my portable butane torch and a punch and heated it up and punched through the carpet for the seat holes, the seat belt holes and gas pedal holes. The heated punch kind of melts the carpet and doesn't unravel the carpet like a drill bit would.
 
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Nice work. Great tip using a heated punch to make holes! Not sure I would have thought of that.
 
Man...I can't wait to see this done. You've done so much great work here Don.
I wait to see what you post next with anticipation. It's like I'm sitting on the edge of my seat.
Absolutely beautiful.
 
Garethw said:
Nice work. Great tip using a heated punch to make holes! Not sure I would have thought of that.
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when I worked at an antique auto resto company that was one of the tricks the trimmer used. My buddy who was under the car was amazed as he had always used a drill which unraveled the carpet threads.
 
67dartgtgo said:
Man...I can't wait to see this done. You've done so much great work here Don.
I wait to see what you post next with anticipation. It's like I'm sitting on the edge of my seat.
Absolutely beautiful.
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Still a lot left to do - motor, front suspension, reupholster the front buckets, finish the wiring, and the headliner- a job I’m not looking forward to doing!
 
Don. Heated punch. What a great idea!! I used sharpened nails to push through the carpet from the bottom of the car, then climped out, then used a knife blade to enlarge the hole for the bolts. Never too old to teach this old dog new tricks....time saver for certain. Back saver as well. Looking good Don. Sgrip65
 
65 Dartman said:
while it was in the air my buddy went underneath with my portable butane torch and a punch and heated it up and punched through the carpet for the seat holes, the seat belt holes and gas pedal holes. The heated punch kind of melts the carpet and doesn't unravel the carpet like a drill bit would.
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what i good idea, wish i'd thought of that when i was drilling through the new carpet on my valiant and wrapping the drill bit in thread :BangHead: :rofl:
 
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