Topic: Ignition/Resistor Wire on '69?

[drummingrocks]

Quick question: does a '69 Mustang have a resistor wire built into the ignition circuit like '65-66s do?  I'm running a Pertronix conversion in the distributor, and I've always read about the need to bypass the resistor wire under the dash when doing this conversion.  I know on a '65-66 that you can unplug the wire.  Is the '69 wiring harness the same--does the wire unplug somewhere behind the dash?  Also, can anyone recommend the best looking/least intrusive way to run a new 12v wire from the switch to the Petronix module?  I'm aiming for Concours Driven with this car, so I want to keep it as stock looking as possible.

[69RavenConv]

The '69's don't unplug. I ran a wire in parallel - both electrically and physically - to the resistor wire. I spliced into the resistor wire at its source under the dash, then snaked the second wire alongside the pink resistor wire through the firewall to the distributor and the Pertronix module. The extra wire is not correct of course, but I wanted to keep the mod reversible, and it's pretty hard to notice. To really go unnoticed, I suppose you could remove the resistor wire and replace it with a conventional wire of the same gauge and color.

[drummingrocks]

That sounds good to me.  I searched long and hard to find a decent usable '69 dash harness, so I'm really hesitant to cut anything up or do anything that isn't 100% reversible.  Doing it this way, the original resistor wire is still hot with the key on, right?

[midlife]

That sounds good to me.  I searched long and hard to find a decent usable '69 dash harness, so I'm really hesitant to cut anything up or do anything that isn't 100% reversible.  Doing it this way, the original resistor wire is still hot with the key on, right?

On a 1969, the resistor wire runs from the ignition switch to the gauge firewall plug (standard dash) or from the tach plug (tach dash).  At the ignition switch, there is a green/red or red/green wire as well that you can tap into to avoid using any part of the resistor wire at that point.  If you leave the resistor wire intact at the gauge firewall plug, it will still be hot.  From there, if you use the original gauge harness without cutting into it, simply do not connect the coil wire to the coil but use the extension from the ignition switch instead.  I like the idea of snaking another wire through the firewall plug (if you're really clever, you can snake the wire through the grommet itself) and then splice into the gauge harness coil wire, leaving an exposed pigtail from the 3 prong plug itself or go directly to the coil.

Snaking a wire through the grommet is tricky and I use a solid metal wire spliced to the electrical wire to fish the wire through.

Hope this helps a bit.

[69RavenConv]

At the ignition switch, there is a green/red or red/green wire as well that you can tap into to avoid using any part of the resistor wire at that point.

I tapped into the green/red wire, exactly as you described.

[drummingrocks]

Thanks guys, that definitely answers the question.  Again, I like the idea of it being almost completely hidden.