Anyone have any idea how...

[challngd73]

 I realize with a little knowledge and a lot of patience doing my own work on my challenger is the cheapest way to go, and worthwhile too.  However, I simply do not have enough time in the day with work and family to do all the work myself.  So I need to farm some of the work out.  How much should I expect to pay a shop to rewire my challenger, and put tti headers on?  If no one has a price idea, how about how many hours would each take?  How about installing a new dash?  Sorry this is so long.  I just need an idea how much I'll have to spend for each so I can decide what I should try to do myself.  Any input is appreciated as always.

[shadango]

I realize with a little knowledge and a lot of patience doing my own work on my challenger is the cheapest way to go, and worthwhile too.  However, I simply do not have enough time in the day with work and family to do all the work myself.  So I need to farm some of the work out.  How much should I expect to pay a shop to rewire my challenger, and put tti headers on?  If no one has a price idea, how about how many hours would each take?  How about installing a new dash?  Sorry this is so long.  I just need an idea how much I'll have to spend for each so I can decide what I should try to do myself.  Any input is appreciated as always.

What are you putting the headers on?

When I installed my Dougs headers on my 318, it took maybe 4 hours start to finish, except for the connection to the exhaust pipes....that came later and I had a shop install my exhaust cause I needed some custom bending done on a freaking "do it yourself kit"...

Of course I also had some issues with a bad stud at the head, so had to fix that first before the install.  A shop could probably do it in a couple hours IF the headers go right in (the dougs did)......I have heard TTIs are easy too.....   

IF you are reasonably handy with tools you can do it if on a smallblock IMHO...plenty of room to work etc....cant comment on a big block.

Wiring the dash -- are you looking to rewire as stock or rewire with custom gauges etc?     You can buy complete dash harnesses already built....plug and play......for the stock setup I believe......If I were doing that, I would do it myself.    Custom dashes, all bets are off.  I have a relative who had a guy rewire him for custom gauges and all and it took a long time.  IMHO that's an artform.  LOL

[challngd73]

The headers are going on my 440.  I already have the painless wiring harness.  The gauges are not factory.

[burdar]

The headers shouldn't be hard.  You can install those yourself.  Then take the car to an exhaust shop to hook the collectors up to the existing system.  This is if your Challenger isn't your daily driver.  If you need it done to drive to work the next day, I'd have a shop do it all.

The dash rewire will take longer.  I assume by "dash" you just mean installing your new gauge panel and don't mean installing a new dash pad right?  If it's just installing the gauge panel and wiring it up...you can remove the old gauge bezels and gauges yourself.  You can also install your new panel since it looks like it will be a mostly bolt in deal.  Then take the car in for someone else to hook up the wiring.  Anything you can do to save them time will save you money.

[burdar]

Are you completly doing away with the entire under dash harness or are you reusing some of it?  Do the existing engine compartment harnesses plug right into the Painless harness or are modifications needed to make those connections? 

If the painless harness is going to totally replace the origonal dash harness, you would be better off removing the entire dash assembly from the car.   It will be a lot easier to get the old harness out and the new one in when the assembly is on a bench rather than in the car.  I know it sounds scary but it is a very straight forward job and will go very quickly.  As long as there are no mods needed to any of the other wiring, that would be the quickest way of doing it.  I would imagine that it would cut the installation time in half with the dash assembly on a bench.

[challngd73]

Yeah I am replacing the entire dash, gauge bezel, gauges, wiring and all.  The painless harness is a mopar harness.

[burdar]

Then take the assembly out of the car for sure.  Two bolts at the kick panels and four at the windsheild is all that holds it in.

[jimynick]

Can you touch base with Painless and ask if they have any approved installers in the area? Can't speak for where you are, but around here the door rates run from approx. $50-100 an hour for electrical work and not much less for mechanical work. Even though I heard you say that time is a scarce commodity, if  you're not in a hurry, you can do all of it, eventually- that's a very popular word around here. Good luck

[mojavered]

I can tell you that the Painless kit is not plug and play if it is the universal kit....and it more than likely is the 12 or 18 circuit kit.   I would not recommend pulling out the old harness yet.  It is probably a good idea for the installer to be able to lay them side by side, take photos, etc... before and during the install.  I would think that is probably going to take them upwards of 8 hours @ 95/hour shop rate = ~$750.00. 
Headers can be a little bit of a pain sometimes, but you can do it in less than a day.  Maybe there are some fellow mopar nuts in your area that would be willing to help out???

[Chryco Psycho]

It took me apporx 4 days to create a complete wiring harness for a hot rod Cuda , Painless is anything but , you have to connect every circuit up & have the proper sockets & ends to maker it go , you may want to use a repro factory harness which is a simple replacement

[challngd73]

It took me apporx 4 days to create a complete wiring harness for a hot rod Cuda , Painless is anything but , you have to connect every circuit up & have the proper sockets & ends to maker it go , you may want to use a repro factory harness which is a simple replacement

Well
That's not good news!  I already bought the painless set!

[ShelbyDogg]

I just spent two whole week-ends installing a simple alarm system into my Challenger and I know what I'm doing with wiring.  If I was to install a custom painless harness and have to wire every single circuit up from scratch and install ends, then wire up and install a custom dash  (while still in the car), If I charged you $45 an hour. It would come to about $4500.    This stuff isn't easy so expect to pay big dollars if you can't do it yourself.

You are better off sticking with a stock wiring harness and stock gauges. Everything is laid out in the service manual, and we can tell you where everything goes when it doesn't work.

[challngd73]

Ok heres an update.  I picked up a set of g8 seats, so I no longer need the summit racing buckets I got last year.  My mechanic, coincidentally, wants the summit buckets.  I worked it out where i will trade him the seats in exchange for him installing the headers and exhaust, as well as dropping my tranny and putting new gaskets in it and run new lines.  My buddy has rewired his old camaro twice and is willing to help me.  Sooooooo, looks like im gonna do most of the work myself.  wish me luck.

[mopar12372]

not very hard just time consumeing. the trick is to look at every circuit seperately and hook it up . the wireing on the painless is a different color but it is coded with writeing And with directions . the only problem is the color of the wireing matches chevy not mopar. the wires will solder up nicely and work better than stock. dont use butt conectors and solder as much as possible (crimped conections are like resistors and could cause problems in the future . this is also a great time to up grade to gen 3 alternater 120 or 90 amp 3 wire depending on your power usage . TAKE YOUR TIME !!!!! when you get frustrated and you feel your getting no where take a step back go on the web and look for wirteups videos ect im pretty sure you CAN DO IT !! dont be a chicken . ALWAYS REMEMBER NOT TO LET OUT THE FACTORY SMOKE.Bill

[challngd73]

not very hard just time consumeing. the trick is to look at every circuit sererately and hook it up . the wireing on the painless is a different color but it is coded with writeing And with directions . the only problem is the color of the wireing matches chevy not mopar. the wires will solder up nicely and work better than stock. dont use butt conectors and solder as much as possible (crimped conections are like resistors and could cause problems in the future . this is also a great time to up grade to gen 3 alternater 120 or 90 amp 3 wire depending on your power usage . TAKE YOUR TIME !!!!! when you get frustrated and you feel your getting no where take a step back go on the web and look for wirteups videos ect im pretty sure you CAN DO IT !! dont be a chicken . ALWAYS REMEMBER NOT TO LET OUT THE FACTORY SMOKE.Bill

Very good advice that I will follow.  thanks