Author Topic: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness  (Read 4429 times)

Offline EddieE

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I got a new harness from Evans, but I don't know where the firewall hole (for the grommet) is in my 74 Cuda.  It was an automatic car, so I'm guessing I'll have to drill it once I find the location.

Also, I don't know where the new square harness plugs into.  Is there any electrical provision for the 4-speed reverse light harness plug on an automatic car?  I know where the reverse light switch is on the trans (duh).

Does anyone have a pic of a later firewall that shows the location?  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.




Offline EddieE

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2013 - 06:38:56 PM »
Just to clarify, the reverse light I'm talking about when I referenced the grommet is the light under the dash.  The car was originally an automatic car, and it now has an A833 4-speed with the stock reverse light switch on the trans.

The harness Bill made is actually two harnesses that plug together.  The under-dash reverse light harness has a plug in the engine bay, goes through the grommet/firewall and is terminated with a light bulb socket at the reverse light.

The square connector has only two leads, although one has two wires connected to it.

If there's no plug-and-play for an automatic car that's be converted, any experience on doing the electrical transition will help.  Thanks.

Offline Jamiez

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2013 - 06:43:41 PM »
You are talking about this harness?


Offline EddieE

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2013 - 09:34:42 PM »
You are talking about this harness?




Exactly.  And there's a complementary harness that goes through the firewall (within a grommet) and terminates in a light bulb socket that pushes into the "REVERSE" light under the dash.

Honestly, I don't even know if an automatic car has the "REVERSE" light, so maybe that valence with the map light was added.

Offline Jamiez

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2013 - 09:45:10 PM »
Automatics didn't have a reverse light.

The white plug goes into the bulkhead connector, this should help:


Offline EddieE

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2013 - 09:55:31 PM »
Great diagram.  So should I use the backup light leads to power this harness?  It looks like there's no place to plug the harness in the current configuration on an automatic car.

If so, please advise which wire (black with white tracer or black) should go where.  Thanks.

Offline Topcat

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2013 - 09:56:00 PM »
71's were down lower. (first picture) It was a bigger grommet also than 70'.
(compliments from Alanauto) 

70's were up higher. Had a smaller grommet and what the repro's are right now.
(second picture)





Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline Jamiez

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2013 - 10:02:48 PM »
Great diagram.  So should I use the backup light leads to power this harness?  It looks like there's no place to plug the harness in the current configuration on an automatic car.

If so, please advise which wire (black with white tracer or black) should go where.  Thanks.

As far as I know, all cars got the same bulkhead connector...auto or manual.  The harness connector is keyed to fit into slots 7 and 8 on the bulkhead, you shouldn't be able to install it the wrong way without a lot of force. 

Offline EddieE

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2013 - 10:53:17 PM »
Topcat is the top photo a cuda?

Offline Topcat

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2013 - 11:46:23 PM »
Topcat is the top photo a cuda?

No it's a Challenger. Cuda's and Challenger's were both built on the Hammtrack assembly line. So there wouldn't be any deviation in where the reverse light hole was made for 1971.
Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline Topcat

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2013 - 11:49:27 PM »
If your car was an early production date (like mine, Dec 70) then all bets are off.

No sure way to know when the exact date switch for the hole location was done.
Unless you look at dozens of early procudtion 71's.
Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline EddieE

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2013 - 12:16:48 AM »
Mines a 74 BS Cuda so it's anybody's guess what they were doing that late in the game.

Offline EddieE

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Re: Need Pic of Later Cuda Firewall - Installing Reverse Light Harness
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2013 - 08:57:36 PM »
As far as I know, all cars got the same bulkhead connector...auto or manual.  The harness connector is keyed to fit into slots 7 and 8 on the bulkhead, you shouldn't be able to install it the wrong way without a lot of force.

As usual you're exactly right.  There was room to plug that harness right in at the bulkhead connector.  For the record, I didn't see it because I was too LAZY to lean that far over the fender, not too OLD.