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How to connect electrical in 1958 rambler

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1958 rambler super View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 1958 rambler super Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/02/2021 at 9:18pm
Ok, trout willy thanks for the info about the battery tray and ect!! I'll buy according to that Info, I also think I had looked into the tsm about the battery info last week, I don't have my little red project book with my notes so I can't reference it for the thread post, also billd, the link didn't work for some reason, sorry!
 And this morning I ran into a difficulty with trying to replace that chewed red wire, I took a better look specifically at if I could take out what was left of the chewed red wire from the "plastic block" I don't know what else to call it, I looked at it, I could tell that maybe the block will seperate in the middle, but it was on there real good and I couldn't pull it apart, I tried to look and see what kind of attatchment the wires have on thier ends that go into the block, it looked like flat metal clips, so I tried to pull the short portion of the chewed red wire out of the block with needle nose pliers but after several tries the wire had been ripped off, leaving only a small tiny bit still inside the block, I tried harder to grab onto the end of the red wire but saw that I was starting to break the plastic block, so I stopped. I tried pulling it apart cus it looked like it might be two pieces that clip together, but I had no success. I unwrapped the electrical tape from the bundle holding the rest of the red wire together with the other wires and affirmed that yes it does have a destination at the "arm" post of the volt regulator, the other end is going to the fan nob after it passes through this plastic block.
I'll post a clear picture of the plastic block, maybe someone has experience with them and can give me a tip, or advise me on how to proceed with replacing this red wire and brown wire before I pop a battery in the rambler and start doing the other tests of the electric system and ignition switch.



Edited by 1958 rambler super - Jul/02/2021 at 9:23pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote troutwilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/02/2021 at 10:08pm
Lets start with the connector.  It should come apart.  Its obvious from the picture that the half with the broken wire fits into the other half.  There is usually some sort of clipping or snapping mechanism that keeps them together.  Pry easily around all sides with a flat screwdriver to get it going and maybe see where the clip/snap is.  Be gentle though.  They get old and brittle.
Once you get it apart, the metal connector on the end of the wire comes out towards the wire side.  There is a very small tang that angles down off the metal wire connector and snaps it in place to keep it from pulling back out. Push and hold the wire/connector into the plastic connector as far as you can.  Insert a small flat (jewelers) screwdriver between that metal wire connector and the plastic divider from the opposite side and pull the metal connector out.  Its tricky sometimes.  May take several tries.  This is where goggles (flip down magnifiers) come in real handy.  Here's a YouTube video from American Auto Wire that shows the connectors and tangs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3GoK3xE1gs  There are tons of them.
Because your wire is so short you will probably need to crimp on a new connector and maybe even add a section of wire.  You will need to find a connector that is very close to the original to fit into the space and connect to its other half.  The new metal wire connector should just snap into the holder.  Or you could try soldering.  There are tons of YouTube videos on wire connectors, crimping, soldering, and shrink wrap.  If using shrink wrap, remember to put it on the wire before you make or solder your connection.  Can't count how many times I forgot that.


Edited by troutwilly - Jul/02/2021 at 10:12pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 1958 rambler super Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/02/2021 at 11:57pm
Ok, totally was destroying the connector while trying to get it starting to seperate with the gentle application of the screw driver technique... I'm stumped! If I brake it getting it apart, is there another connector you know of that is available to buy?
Also, maybe I can go around the connector with the new red wire and brown wire? 
What does the connector do anyway?
Ok just watched the YouTube video you linked and man oh man do I wish my connectors looked that good!
I think I should fix those wires before I pop a battery in there.....


Edited by 1958 rambler super - Jul/03/2021 at 12:07am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 1958 rambler super Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/03/2021 at 12:35am
Ok, GOT IT!! I used a pair of channel locks to get a good grip on the plastic block and I pulled a few times and it eventually came off. The connectors look dirty and rusty, I'll clean em up, and when I have free time go down to the store and buy new wires.
What a success!!! I'll try and be careful and open up the metal edges of the metal clip at the end of the wire and put it back on the new wire. And then after that I will be ready to put in a new battery!! It's going to be very exciting seeing the lights in the dash come to life!!!


Edited by 1958 rambler super - Jul/03/2021 at 11:19am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 1958 rambler super Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/03/2021 at 10:55pm
Ok, now I have the wire I thought I would need, it's similar in appearance and size, but I cut open a small portion of the wire from the chewed red wire on the rambler and took it to the store with me to help me buy the right wire, but, I didn't bring the magnifying glass to help me count the strands inside, so I bought what I thought was the right wire, got back to my house and chopped off a small piece and counted the number of strands of copper wire inside the wire Insulated plastic part and there was 19 strands of wire in the wire I bot, but there was only 16 strands of wire inside the wire from the chewed wire.... Is that ok?
Also, I bot a wire cutter/crimper to use, I thought it would be ok to crimp I stead of solder, so I'll be learning how to crimp wires together in "butt connectors"
Also, they didn't have brown colored wire for the other brown color of wire that I need to replace, I was thinking of simply using the red wire but then painting it brown.
And concerning the group 24 battery to buy, I checked the shelf again for the group 24 battery to buy later on, and the only battery in group 24 had a cold cranking amps rating of 650, would there be anything wrong with buying that battery with a higher amount of cca?
Also, what size of wire could be used for the polarizing of the volt regulator when that time comes?


Edited by 1958 rambler super - Jul/03/2021 at 11:06pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bigbad69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/03/2021 at 11:20pm
As long as the overall gauge of the replacement cable is the same as the original, you're OK. Stranded cable is made up of multiple strands of smaller gauge wires. The number of strands used depends upon the gauge of the strands. For example, 18 gauge can be made up of 7 strands of 26 gauge, or 19 strands of 30 gauge wires.

Personally, I prefer solder to crimp, but crimp is fine as long as you have a good quality crimper. Do a pull test on the crimp to make sure it's not going to come loose.

The colour of the jacket is immaterial. If you want to paint it brown, go ahead, but it won't matter if it's red unless you want it to look original, which it won't with butt connectors in the mix.

The higher the CCA, the better the battery will perform in the winter. I prefer 700 CCA, or better, here in Ottawa, but we can go down to -30 at night during the deep winter. Victoria winters are milder, so 650 will probably be fine.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 1958 rambler super Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/03/2021 at 11:25pm
Ok, that is good info! Thanks! Now I'm saying shoot because I forgot to buy better needle nose pliers to unwrap the metal parts of the old wire connector that fits on the end of the red wire and plugs into the old connector plastic block.... I hope the old NN pliers I have will work out.
Well, I didn't even use NN pliers after all, I used small sized flat head screw drivers, I meen super small sized ones for special types of work for tiny tiny screws, I used those to pry open the crimped metal connector parts that hold down the strands of wire, it took along time to get one done and I still have another one to do, but I havent been to the other store yet to check and see if they actually sell new connectors that are like that, if not, I'll just try and salvage the old one like I did last night.


Edited by 1958 rambler super - Jul/04/2021 at 10:50am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/05/2021 at 6:31am
Great work so far!! Keep on giving good details and we can give you good answers!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 1958 rambler super Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/06/2021 at 9:24pm
Ok, so I uncrimped the small metal tabs of the brass connectors, removed all the old wire strands from them, and crimped in the new wire strands, and was thinking of using a small amount of solder on the smaller tabs holding the wire strands, would that be a problem to use solder on the brass connector as long as it doesn't interfere with the interlocking it does with the terminal block? After that I also have to crimp the two ends ofnwire together, and then connect them back into the terminal block.
I have just bought a battery today, it is group 24, and the cold cranking amps are 650, that's the only group 24 they had, so after I fix those chewed wires I should be ready to hook up the battery..... When I hook it up, I will polarize the generator and the volt regulator using the wire across two terminals of the volt regulater, I have the specific info about doing this in the tsm and will review it closer o that time, I'll either have to get a 10 gage wire to do the small polarizing operation, or would a wire the same gage as the wire I bot to repair the chewed wires work fine? The wire I have is 16 gage, there's 19 strands of wire inside the insulated cover of the wire.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 1958 rambler super Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/11/2021 at 2:02pm
Ok, polarizing the volt regulator to the generator with the 10 gage wire across the terminals of the battery and generator terminals caused BIG sparks, it was alittle bit shocking (pun Intended) to see the big sparks like that, I touched the 10 gage wire across both terminals again and it did the same thing but it almost welded(?) The wire to the terminals, they were alittle bit stuck to them.
Is this normal? Was that kind of spark a bad sign? Did that happened because I used a large gage wire? I would also like to mention there was no smoking wires I saw and I didn't smell anything burning!! That's good!
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