New from Germany '69 A100 pickup

Those ammeters are useless,,,,,,they just tell you which way the current is flowing,,,,,it could very well be 20 volts, it dont care,,,,,,,but the big problem is the Amps,,,,,,ALL the charging has to go through the gauge,,,,,,,60 amps gets REALLY HOT flowing through anything,,,,,,sounds like a good idea to me to bypass it and put a voltmeter in to monitor the charging system voltage..

I do know about the problems with the old style ammeters. And I also do love them, because they tell a lot about the system. But you need to know the interdependencies and where and how current flows  through which cables within the system.
And it looks just original...

Former owners obvioulsy did not know - that's why the original ammeter is gone and had been replaced with an aftermarket ammeter. The scorched area is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are clear traces of burnt cables behind the dash. I suspect that the alternator was replaced with a much stronger one without taking care of the implications on cables, ammeter, connections and such.

That's why I'm upgrading the system, especially with the following:
* Replacing the main wires from/to ammeter (-> to alternator and to starter relay) with 7 AWG wire (10mm²). That's good enough for the new alternator, which has a little more bang  than the original 35 or so amps.
* Lights (which have to be H4 and suck a little more amps) are relay controlled. Main power is directly connected to the alternator side of the ammeter (no more using the splice) and the light switch is relieved a lot
* Ignition will also be relay controlled within the doghouse (fed from alternator stud at the back of the doghouse). This takes another up to 7 amps from going back & forth and through the ignition switch.

With those measures the system is pretty safe and I can retain a functional ammeter, which I prefer.

For all others, not used to electrics, I actually do agree to an ammeter free solution. Easiest solution is to make a fat shortcut between alternator output and battery. Something like a 2 AWG (35mm²). I have done such upgrades together with a 60 amps fuse.

Good reading on ammeters, lighting and other electrical can be found on MAD Electrical

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

It is your van, you like ammeters, that is cool, just make sure your ammeters stays that way too.

That is indeed very good reading, especially including possible easy cures for the fault-prone system.

Replaced the trans oil cooler hoses. And yes, the mudpile behind will be cleaned.
(before/after)

Much better!!! Once the mudpile is cleaned up, it'll look spiffy!

Meanwhile, I replaced the stock points-ignition with a Pertronix II and Flamethrower coil (ballast resistor removed) plus new ignition wires.

Rear Doghouse is also removed, but the center screw didn't survive (what a f-reaking spot for a screw above the transmission housing...). But it was just enough rust to get it off anyway . Will be fixed, of course.

I also started the engine-harness rebuild. Will post more when done (still waiting for some cable due to color shortage ). It'll have an AMP superseal connector, right before the radiator for all "small wires" (ignition, starter, temp, alternator field, brake sentinel switch), the alternator + battery cable will be directly connected (as mentioned above, to avoid any additional resistance). A new old starter relay (donor: Charger) has been assigned to the truck already.

I noticed that my dip stick tube is loose, after some cleaning behind the alternator:



My understanding is, that it is only pushed into the block. Right? I'll just have to widen it a little, I guess.

Yes, there should also be a tab spot welded near the upper part that allows the tube to be secured to the head with a bolt, that keeps it from flopping around.

I found some welding residue in that area, will have to take care of that later.

Today I replaced the engine harness. Although the old harness looks pretty original, there are two black wires, which I was unable to identify - they are not mentioned in the wire schematics... Later ....



Then I took out the hydraulic tubes - all hoses have to replaced. But first the draglink needs to be replaced. And the ram cylinder will be removed. I do really have a lot of respect for those huge nuts at the steering linkage. Looks pretty rotted, I'll prime with WD-40 first...





The engine stamped number shows, that it was build on 10/23/1968 at Mount Road - that fit's "first sold 1968" as of title and trans build in Aug 1968. Number 7020 of Model year 1969, built at Warren plant.

Final test of the new harness - all works very well. I even got the key-start position back to work (ok, I jumped the starter relay to ground instead of the neutral safety switch ). The two unidentified wires could have been the backup light switch, which has moved somewhere around '68-'69 from the gear selector to the transmission (three pin nss + bu-light instead of one pin nss). And my gear selector did not have the backup light switch, as indicated in my service manual (which obviously is for the '68 model).

Now I'm priming the steering linkage nuts daily with WD-40....

Whohoo, the old drag link (with power steering valve) is off, finally. Quite some force needed with the puller, but it worked. KLONK it did. Tomorrow, donivans draglink (big THANKS for that!) gets mounted and steering should then be more or less without play.

New (old) draglink is in - no more steering play, very good. Thanks again, donivan - it was worth the effort.
Also, new inner swaybar bushings installed. Unfortunately, fedex messed the rockauto-order and I'll get the replacement parts for the swaybar links next week. Then the links and the shock absorbers will be replaced. Should be fine with the front.

Remaining to be replaced are the front and rear spring bushings and shackles, but with that I'll wait until the sheet metal work (including one of the spring hangers) is done. I'm going to talk to that guy next week.

I forgot the pics:

,,,,so what kind of weather do you get out there,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that little drag link is kinda used to warm Southern California weather,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and what about the language,,,,,,,is there much English spoken or other types,,,,,,,,,,,we dont get to talk about geography much around here,,,,,,,

That's easy to change. The draglink is exposed to people speaking German - native. English is useful only, if the world's biggest important industrial fair takes place around April every year (uhh, traffic will be L.A.-style again... ). Same if the CeBIT (world's biggest computer expo) takes place in March. English needed and all in all ok spoken here in Hannover. There are quite some more huge expos taking place at Hannover fairgrounds, but none of them are vintage-car/truck related...

And weather changes quite a lot. Worst winter day this year was around 10°F, summer sometimes up to 95 (pretty rare). Its at around this area: https://www.google.de/maps/@52.4843842,9.7977533,15z.
And I'm very happy that the draglink has proper coverage by its original paint, as it may rain every now and then... Hometown weather charts
I was happy to have installed an A/C on the upper floor - helped a lot to get some sleep at those (for our area) hot nights. A/C's are very rare (except business places), because it is usually only 1-5 days a year you could not get sleep due to heat.
But I think global warming gets this changed over time...

Any further questions - anytime

its just so cool how these vans bring so many different people and places together,,,,,,,,and we all speak and understand  the same  language,,,,,,,,,

EARLY VANS!!!!

I'll stick with early 70's music, Isaac Hayes "Shaft":

Right-on, brother!

,,,,,,and you know what,,,,,,,my Dodge Omni also hears German each time I turn the key,,,,,,,because,,,,it has the 1.7L VW engine in it that Dodge used from 78-80........

Is that the new power train for the PT?

no,,,,,thats the 1.7L VW engine going back in,,,,,,,,I have had it for over 30 years, and the engine in it needed refreshing,,,,,,,,that car is real dependable,,,,,,

That 1.7 would only understand English with a Yankee accent, a product of Pennsylvania with quality German engineering backing it up.

back in the 70's, there were 2 oil embargos and Chrysler was on their way to bankruptcy because no one was buying their big cars,,,,people wanted small, fuel efficient ones from Japan and Germanys VW,,,,,,,,,so Chrysler kinda bought VW Rabbits, took off the emblems, and put Dodge and Plymouth on them from 78-80,,,,,,,,,then they made their own versions and got back in the game,,,,,,,these original VW Omnis and Horizons have WAY OUTLASTED the newer Dodge/Plymouth versions,,,,,,,

I thought you guys were talking about the language the "curse words" were in when you are working on them. (See where my mind goes.)
Jim

its not like that,,,,,,,I am interested in how his life in Germany is,,,,,,he has 2 Dodges,,,,,I just wondered how AMERICANIZED it is out there,,,,,,,,,,you sure dont want 1/2 the stuff going on over here,,,,,,,,,come to think of it,,,,,,our van world is about the only peaceful place left for most of us.........

Never a re-badged Wabbit, design was based on the Simca/Talbot 1100, all bodies manufactured in USA, yea the engine was a VW engine, actually an Audi engine with some Chrysler parts on it, the manifold & carb for sure, I have heard the head was a Chrysler design. That was only for the first year or two, the 1.6 engine was provided by Puegeot which was actually a Chrysler designed engine, by the early eighties Chrysler had the 2.2 engine ready.

So I guess you could say the Omni/Horizon was skilled at colorful wording in many different languages.