Help Sorting My 68

[Evoking]

So now that travel has slowed down a bit I drove the Charger today. I have some 15" Magnum 500's on order. About to order some Wilwood brakes. Then I'm considering a 408 crate stroker.

Beyond the improvements there is some basic sorting I need to do and would love some input...

1) None of the dash lights work or internal signals work. Yet non of the fuses "look" blown when I look under there. What should I look at and in what order?

2) The radio does not come on. Is it on the same circuit as the dash lights or likely broken?

3) The speedometer and fuel gauge don't work. Although the fuel gauge does move slightly to the right when I start it.

4) The car is quite tight. But I do hear what sounds like slight trunk movement as it rubs and squeaks. I think this is it cause I can replicate by pushing on the trunk. Can I lower the striker to make a tighter fit (though it looks like it may be all the way down). Has anyone added a second rubber seal around the trunk to create more tension?

5) My steering wheel is misaligned. Yet the car tracks straight. I am hoping this can be corrected when the new steering wheel is installed.

What say ye veterans on some of these?

 

[68GTXNH]

1 2 and 3 all could be simply one bad ground given they are all in the dash. Take a look under there and see whats going one. The car is 49 years old so two things are likely. First all your grounds (anywhere you see usually a black wire with a ring lug just stuck to random metal anywhere) your charger was restored so all the grounds probably look nice and clean maybe painted black. one of two things happened. Once everything was taken apart and when they put it back together, they didnt put the ring lugs back onto clean bare steel, they might be screwed in right over paint. The other possibility is they didnt want to touch the wiring and painted over everything. And that clean bare metal inside the connection is actually crusty and rusty and a bad connection.

 

[Mike67]

Is the radio modern? In years past fuses were often put inline...

 

[khryslerkid]

5) My steering wheel is misaligned. Yet the car tracks straight. I am hoping this can be corrected when the new steering wheel is installed.

The steering wheel is indexed on the shaft. In order to make it straight again the steering links (inner and outer tie rod links) have to be adjusted. You turn one set out and the opposite side (set) in, the same amount of turns so not to change the toe adjustment.

 

[68GTXNH]

Woops hit post by accident.
4: part of the problem is as i mentioned 49 years old. The best restored cars will still rattle and leak a little. Was the trunk gasket reused? If it was in good shape it could just be softened over the years. And you can try replacing it. Dont do two though the way the mount i dont know how thatd even work. Maybe the latch needs adjustment

5: how far off is it? Is there play where you can move the wheel without turning the car? And in that play can you correct it to be straight? If so its just an old steering bow and it is what it is. You can replace it or have it rebuilt. If its way the hell off pull off the wheel with the front wheels perfectly strsight and realign it on the splines to match correctly. Also check if theres anything messed up or not properly clocked with the coupling from the column to the steering box.

 

[moparnation74]

Funny, you have people in your backyard like, me! I would be happy to see this ride and maybe help you out a bit on these issues...

Pm me anytime...I am up in Plano

Justin

 

[Evoking]

Awesome! I'd like to check out your ride too. Let me know if you want to meet up this Sat.

 

[moparnation74]

Awesome! I'd like to check out your ride too. Let me know if you want to meet up this Sat.

I am leaving out of town tomorrow and will be back monday. So any other time after that I am open week or weekend. I work some days of the week down in Dallas and can swing by after work. I will shoot you a PM...