The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Is painless wiring really painless?

I read all the old posts on the painless wiring harness #10127. but couldn't find any recent ones. How complete is the kit? How was it to install? Worth the time and money?

I am in the process of fitting the mopar specific kit.

Going OK so far. Only little snag is some of the wires are not long enough to run the way around I want them to. No big deal.

I'm definately going to have to do something with my wiring eventually, but its getting to close to driving and car show weather, not sure if I should take on such a big project now.

Do you have to remove your dash? I've heard thats a nightmare.

You can do it without removing the dash but it is probably easier to do a neater job of it if you do.

Removing the dash is no big deal. It is a little tricky getting out the bolts in the windshield vents with the glass in place, particularly if they have rusted, but it is possible.

I had to remove my front screen anyway to replace the vinyl top. So it was easy to then take the dash out.

dave-r wrote:Removing the dash is no big deal. It is a little tricky getting out the bolts in the windshield vents with the glass in place, particularly if they have rusted, but it is possible.

Like Dave said, removing the dash is not that hard. I did that 3 weeks ago, it took 15 minutes with a friend. I found out I didn't need to remove the scrwe in the vents (they hold the dash metal frame, all I took off was the dash pad. It has several screws you can reach from under the dash frame, and one on each side. Here's what I did :
(My seats were already removed, I'm making brackets for the race seats).

- Remove steering wheel and loosen column (removing it entirely is also a possibility - makes things even easier, but I was waiting for the new turn signal switch and starter switch to do this - probably later today.

- Remove ashtray and ashtray receiver.

- remove instrument light bar, instrument cluster, label the wires (color code is quite straightforward if you have the FSM)

- get on my back under the dash and remove the dash pad screws - I'd say between 4 and 6, I don't remember).

- remove dash pad. Easy.

- remove sill pates and kick panels (you need to do this to access the body wiring and the door switches).

Once you have the pad off, you can access all the wiring easily.

It's a big gain of time compared to the alternative : working on your back, with a lamp, with the pedals in the way, the 38-year old insulation falling in your eyes every time you move something...

fbernard wrote: It's a big gain of time compared to the alternative : working on your back, with a lamp, with the pedals in the way, the 38-year old insulation falling in your eyes every time you move something...

How are you supposed to have fun that way?

Seriously, if I had known the pad came out that easy, it would have been out years ago to do all this. That would make things a ton easier.

thanks for the tip fbernard i was dreading removing my dash is your car an a/c car if so was it easy to reach up past the a/c heater box it doesnt look like theres much room
cheers ian