Things I'm doing to my '69 300...

[Big_John]

A couple things for reliability.

First... DON"T use any gaskets under the exhaust manifolds. The factory never used any gasket under the manifold. It isn't a matter of IF it will burn out, it's WHEN it will burn out. Never seen an exhaust manifold gasket not fail.

Get some decent battery cables on the car. Don't just replace the ends. Those temporary cable ends are trouble prone and will bite you at the worst possible moment... Like when you are dressed up for a night out.

It's funny how this all works out... @Yeahrightgreer posted a pic of his fuse block the other day and I remembered seeing the plug for the dash lights.

A lot of us buy leaf springs from Buy Quality Automotive Leaf Springs, Coil Springs and Suspension Parts for your Classic or Antique Auto and are real happy. Be extremely careful with the rear shackles. That offset shackle is not available new.... even though it's listed at a lot of places. Soak the nuts and even give some thought to just using a nut splitter to remove the nuts instead of trying to unscrew them.

 

[GBsPanhead]

Thanks Big John! I just sent ESPO an email. I saw that connector down buy the fuse block. The connecter doesn't go up into dash. Too short. I did connect to the dash connector, bulbs lit, but when I turned on headlights, bulbs went out. Also bulbs are very dim. Not sure that's the right connector. The cables would have to be way longer. I'll order up some new battery cables.

 

[GBsPanhead]

Well just the wiring of the back of the gauges took all day. I originally did each negative and positive as 3 separate runs. That looked like crap! So I took it all apart and bridged the negatives and positives. Looks much better now. All connections are soldered, and shrink tubed. Just have to find keyed power, and run the lights from gauges to the dimmer switch. Once I find it!!

 

[Wollfen]

The front of the car has torsion bars which are height adjustable if you wish to raise the front of the car a little to make it the same ride height as the rear.

 

[live4theking]

You're really getting after this, way to go.

 

[GBsPanhead]

You're really getting after this, way to go.

First day home, been working outside my primary territory in Arizona. HOT!!!!

Anyways, been under the dash all morning, tracing wires and connectors. Found my switched 12vdc. I think my dash dimmer switch is dirty, when I rotate the dimmer, sometimes bulbs go completely out, tap the dial, they come back. Pulled radio out, she's dead. I see what appear to be MOSFETS? Two of them screwed into the bottom front of AM radio. Want to get working just to say I have a working OEM radio. Will use some self contained underseat speakers connected to a phone for audio. That way no cutting or modifying dash etc.

Found map light connector. Checked with volt meter, map switch works! Just have to find the bulb. Think the old one had GE90 on it. Need to research that.

Checked heater, even though I don't use heater in CA. Defroster, heater all work.

Cig lighter has power, but is crusty. Will replace that with OEM.

Have new shocks to install. Just a bunch of little stuff. But I hate working in the heat!!

The big project is adding AC to a non AC car. Researched the hell out of that subject last night. I know I'm going with a Mark IV underdash from Vintage Air. Under hood stuff from e'bay. Saw a few good threads here on the subject. Sanden 508, big condenser, etc.

 

[Big_John]

Have this guy rebuild your dash light dimmer switch. I'm very pleased with his service.

67 68 69 70 Chrysler Newport 300 Dash Light Dimmer Switch Rebuild Service | eBay

 

[GBsPanhead]

Too many projects!

Working on the 300 this week. I had topped off my radiator, and noticed it was puking on driveway! Did research here, saw that recovery systems were not introduced till later years. I wanted an old school system. Went to my local Ecology parts yard. Bring your tools and pull your parts! Usually have only newer stuff like 2000 up. I knew what I wanted, but didn't think I would find it. Well they had 3 mid 60's trucks, pretty much stripped when I saw them....but there was a old catch can with the wire rack! 2 bucks, no leaks! Next found some ford dome lights. I will take the guts out of the dome light, and move to my license plate light that is shot. Lastly, couple hand fulls of good fuses for my other cars....for a dollar!! All tested, and work!! Gauges installed, (wire tomorrow), and AC underdash finally installed. Still need to mount the other AC hard parts this week, and wire/plumb later.

Oh, and put a new Champion Group 27 battery in. Pepboys had a sale, normally 125, got it for 95 plus tax. Old battery was 5 years old, still worked, but why chance it.

I mounted the recovery tank using an exisiting hole. I hate to drill into metal that has not been modified. Few pics...

 

[GBsPanhead]

Well, got gauges all wired. Pretty cool to see water temp slowly climb to 180-190, then watch temp slowly go back down as thermostat opens up. Oil pressure was 40 at hot idle, crusing around and flooring it, would go to about a high of 55, maybe 60 I think I once saw. Voltage gauge is messed up, at idle shows like 18+ volts! Using a DVM, shows about 14.2 to 14.4, so something messed up with my new SW Greenline voltmeter. I think the needle was put onto the shaft in wrong position. Indicating higher voltage. But rethinking it, gauge goes to 0 volts when off, so maybe internal problem.

If not raining Thursday, probably start putting in the AC condenser, dryer etc.

 

[GBsPanhead]

Condenser installed. Hated to do it to virgin metal, but drilled, (new Milwaukee bit at least lol), four 1/4" holes for the U-nuts. Used 1" spacers to move condenser out away from sheet metal. Going to swap to, or cut these down to 1/2". Tighten stuff up. Also think will paint condenser black, and swap to black hardware. Mocked up the dryer, still deciding where I want to mount it. Somewhere on passenger side, probably in front, by headlights. Have to look for pics of what others have done. Next will be the bulkhead connector plate, then compressor brackets, and all the other brackets, and pully swap. Saving that till last. Then of course plumbing.

Started raining, so done for the day. Still working on motorcycles now.

 

[CBODY67]

What is the original application for the condenser? Looks big, which is nice. Specs?

Thanks,
CBODY67

 

[GBsPanhead]

In my research here, I think I read where someone said to use the biggest condenser that would fit, so I used this. Spans the opening in front of radiator perfectly. Could be taller. I have about a 2" opening below, and above the condenser I could still fill. But this should work good....

edit, just looked on ebay, there is a 16x22 that would fit too. 45 bucks.

 

[GBsPanhead]

Didn't do much on the 300 today, working on my dually. But...I did get my replacement SW voltage gauge, works perfectly!

Looking at tachs, would a Don Garlits Stars&Sripes be frowned upon? Too flashy?? Or should I go with another 'period correct' tach? I don't want a large/huge tach, I like the mini style, less than 3" diameter. SW makes a Greenline tach to match my gauges, but the mounting cup is made by VDO, and I don't like the looks of the cup. The SW GL tach is kinda long, so not all cups fit.

 

[barnfind]

I prefer the look of factory- ish
I finished building my 69 fury dash Tach today

 

[CBODY67]

Didn't do much on the 300 today, working on my dually. But...I did get my replacement SW voltage gauge, works perfectly!

Looking at tachs, would a Don Garlits Stars&Sripes be frowned upon? Too flashy?? Or should I go with another 'period correct' tach? I don't want a large/huge tach, I like the mini style, less than 3" diameter. SW makes a Greenline tach to match my gauges, but the mounting cup is made by VDO, and I don't like the looks of the cup. The SW GL tach is kinda long, so not all cups fit.

View attachment 263292

Any 7000rpm or 6000rpm tachs around any more?

 

[GBsPanhead]

I've been reading the threads on making a tach to mount in the clock/tach opening.

I'm gonna go order a pizza, lol

Repop of course....

 

[CBODY67]

What does it take to "run" those tachs? Or is it just a matter of hooking up the correct wires to the correct terminals? Just curious.

 

[GBsPanhead]

6K tach....

 

[GBsPanhead]

What does it take to "run" those tachs? Or is it just a matter of hooking up the correct wires to the correct terminals? Just curious.

All electrical, no cable drives. One wire probably to negative terminal on coil, switched wire, and the lamp wire. Three wires total I think.

 

[barnfind]

I've been reading the threads on making a tach to mount in the clock/tach opening.

I'm gonna go order a pizza, lol

Repop of course....

View attachment 263295

Wow, I ask less than half of that builder on B set ups. Haven't started a C tach build yet, but its in line. That factory C set up you posted looks like a good deal. I'm pulling for the factory style set up in that cool vert of yours.