• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Reasonable Time to Re-wire a Dash

71SandbugCharger

FBBO Gold Member
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
3:28 AM
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Messages
934
Reaction score
995
Location
California
I’ve gotten a dash wiring kit from year one for my son’s 71 Charger. I have taken my dash apart, but haven’t gotten to rewiring it completely. How long is it reasonable to remove a dash and strip the old wiring out and put all the new wiring back in and put the dash back on the car? A least a full day? Hours?
Of course everyone’s skill set is different. I’ve got experience with car electronics, radio systems, etc.
Really trying to see if it can be done in under 2 hours.
 
One of the OEM style replacement dash harnesses? It will take you longer to pull the glass and dash than swapping out the harness... If you have to pull the glass in a '71... not sure...
 
Don't have to pull the glass. I've R&R an E body dash and did minor repairs in 5 hours and I do this for a living. I could the same for a 71 B.
 
Under 2 hrs? Depends on your quality expectations.
 
Remove:
sill plates
kick panels
A pilar covers.
steering column
Disconnect and remove dash assembly.
Rewire dash.
Reverse for install.
2 hours????
 
Remove:
sill plates
kick panels
A pilar covers.
steering column
Disconnect and remove dash assembly.
Rewire dash.
Reverse for install.
2 hours????
Like the Hagerty appraiser that asked me how long it took to take the nose off the Bird and put it back on. 4 hours? Ah..Yah.... :BangHead:
 
I’ve gotten a dash wiring kit from year one for my son’s 71 Charger. I have taken my dash apart, but haven’t gotten to rewiring it completely. How long is it reasonable to remove a dash and strip the old wiring out and put all the new wiring back in and put the dash back on the car? A least a full day? Hours?
Of course everyone’s skill set is different. I’ve got experience with car electronics, radio systems, etc.
Really trying to see if it can be done in under 2 hours.
You do not have to remove windshield. I would allow a weekend to do this. Two people to handle dash is good idea. Don't forget heater controls, radio antenna connection. Awkward and heavy. IMG_0391.JPG
 
Under 2 hours? Not possible for us mortals.
Question, does it have factory AC? Then and more time.

I’ve done dash wiring swaps 1967 b bodies several times with the dash in the car when I was young, energetic and double jointed. still took over that time.
 
I’ve gotten a dash wiring kit from year one for my son’s 71 Charger. I have taken my dash apart, but haven’t gotten to rewiring it completely. How long is it reasonable to remove a dash and strip the old wiring out and put all the new wiring back in and put the dash back on the car? A least a full day? Hours?
Of course everyone’s skill set is different. I’ve got experience with car electronics, radio systems, etc.
Really trying to see if it can be done in under 2 hours.
I rewired my entire car. It took a while, couple months if not a little more. I worked on it 2 days a week and on the other days made a plan for the next 2. That was key for me. Where you are just doing the dash it won’t take that long at all! But, I bet it takes more than a couple hours. The kit may fit perfectly, you may find it doesn’t go exact. Things like that will slow you down.

Lay all the new out, if you haven’t and get a plan! If it’s a kit with a new schematic, have that on hand and also have the original on hand! I don’t know how in depth you’ve gotten but unless you’re replacing your steering column the new kits may not jive with that. turn signals etc. That was an issue for me!

Any and all pre planning will cut your time down! Here’s what I had to work with! Hope th3 thoughts help a little to cut your time down. Do go slow, you don’t want to go back in!
2611F66F-589B-4A07-9F89-A33713D1CF26.jpeg
 
It can be made on 3-4 hours by just one guy knowning all the points you need to de-attach. 2 hours maybe by two guys.

But if not... don't be hurry, make it patienly to not broke anything and take your full day to make it. ( 7-8 hours )
 
Whole car harness. Painless customizable kit. It was more organized than it looks. Mark, tag, document everything. You never know when you might need to trace something down.
I still can't fully finish it until the motor is back it. I started with the steering column then worked out from there. Load up on zip ties. I cut more off from mocking things up than actually stayed on the harness. Take your time.

IMG_2547.jpg
IMG_2606.jpg
IMG_2612.jpg
IMG_2762.jpg
 
It not only matters if you can work a wrench. but also how many times you have done that exact job.
Any task done by someone who has done it many times will be many times faster than someone who hasn't done it yet.
Each time you do the same task you learn from the last time you did it and you do it faster and more accurately.
It should be approached as if you were changing spark plug wires for the very first time on an engine you are not familiar with.
Do you just remove all the wires and then try to figure which goes where ? Or lay out the wires, see which one is the longest and replace the longest first and work your way back to the shortest. This way seems slower but it is quicker when you don't have to do it more than once.
If you got an M & H harness, it should be labeled on each wire where it goes. But it is always a good idea to take pictures before you take anything apart and label each wire as you remove it in case the wires are not the same color.
Sometimes things are done incorrectly even though they are new.
Remember that it is a human doing the work and none of us are perfect.
Now is the perfect time to also restore the gauges, replace all the bulbs, clean all the connections and make sure you have real good grounds.
Test the gauges before you reinstall the dash just in case. It can save you a lot of extra work.
Here is a video on testing Mopar gauges. This is for E-bodies but they all work the same regardless of car model so follow to the end.
Videos
 
Sounds like a winter project to me, LOL. I helped my buddy rewire his '62 Dart last winter after an underdash meltdown. I am pretty sure he thought his car would never run again after I pulled all the wires out from under the dash. One of our forum members supplied us with a couple of used harnesses, from which I was able to make one complete good harness. The car had some additional accessory wiring I had to sort out and fix (aftermarket gauges, tach and shift light, MSD box). I don't know how many total hours we spent on it, but I think we puttered around with it for almost a month before it was done. I am 75 and my buddy is 68, so we are not real spry, especially upside down under the dash. We likely spent more time watching Velocity TV in his shop than actually working on the car. About 2 hours per afternoon was all we could handle, 2 or 3 times a week. There was obviously no time deadline, and we had a great time shooting the $hit and having the odd beverage. We thought afterward that we should have pulled the dash out.

P9120051.JPG


P9120055.JPG
 
Just take your time and don't worry about time. Its probably one of the most satisfying and frustrating projects on the car. Its good therapy. Have fun with it.
 
Sounds like a winter project to me, LOL. I helped my buddy rewire his '62 Dart last winter after an underdash meltdown. I am pretty sure he thought his car would never run again after I pulled all the wires out from under the dash. One of our forum members supplied us with a couple of used harnesses, from which I was able to make one complete good harness. The car had some additional accessory wiring I had to sort out and fix (aftermarket gauges, tach and shift light, MSD box). I don't know how many total hours we spent on it, but I think we puttered around with it for almost a month before it was done. I am 75 and my buddy is 68, so we are not real spry, especially upside down under the dash. We likely spent more time watching Velocity TV in his shop than actually working on the car. About 2 hours per afternoon was all we could handle, 2 or 3 times a week. There was obviously no time deadline, and we had a great time shooting the $hit and having the odd beverage. We thought afterward that we should have pulled the dash out.

View attachment 1405894

View attachment 1405895

Who is the giant elf Dave? I want to party with that dude.
Looks like a night in jail waiting to happen.

1674443741009.png
 
Thanks for the unexpected praise, but I can not, in good faith accept the accolades. That is the gent that sold his Dart to my friend. He is a very interesting guy though. Very talented.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top