1969 Imperial progress thread

[vdk2010]

I made myself diagrams to better understand the function of the Sequential Turn Signals including the relays used and an internal diagram of the turn signal switch.
Since this information is not yet available, I will share it with the world ;) Maybe it will help someone someday.
For High Resolution versions click on the images.

The internal relay shematics in the FSM wiring diagrams are not detailed enough to understand them. These help to understand them better.


I was not able to do such diagrams for the two big relay boxes, but these shematics helped me to understand them "better". Such an overly complicated system...


The internal shematics of the original turn signal switch were not available either.
The Shee-Mar SM-107 Turn Signal Switch is the exact replacement for the Saginaw build non Tilt- & Tele Steering Column

 

[3175375]

I made myself diagrams to better understand the function of the Sequential Turn Signals including the relays used and an internal diagram of the turn signal switch.
Since this information is not yet available, I will share it with the world ;) Maybe it will help someone someday.


The internal relay shematics in the FSM wiring diagrams are not detailed enough to understand them. These help to understand them better.
View attachment 616263

I was not able to do such diagrams for the two big relay boxes, but these shematics helped me to understand them "better". Such an overly complicated system...
View attachment 616264

The internal shematics of the original turn signal switch were not available either.
The Shee-Mar SM-107 Turn Signal Switch is the exact replacement for the Saginaw build non Tilt- & Tele Steering Column
View attachment 616265

View attachment 616266

View attachment 616267

Good documentation! My suspicion is that the sequential circuit charges a capacitor to engage the coil of the next relay in the series. I had a 1969 Mercury Cougar that had sequential turn signals and that control was in a plastic box, about the size of 2 packs of cigarettes, mounted in the trunk.
I believe that had a solid state control circuit, that used transistors to deliver power to each bulb.

 

[MacLebaron]

Hi VDK 2010,

As always, still in awe of the awesome work being done on your car. I am not trying to take over your latest post, just wanted to add some information for other users, I hope you do not mind.

I thought I would include a link for anyone that has a 69 Imperial looking to replace the factory mechanical turn signal flasher since they are extremely hard to find. The company specializes in Cougar sequential tail light parts, but they will custom make a silent electronic unit to replace the factory mechanical flasher. I am currently using one and I am very satisfied. The owner did exactly what he said and it was delivered on time.

The company is Cougars Unlimited, LLC. here is the link: Cougars Unlimited LLC Home Page
Once you go to the site, scroll down about 2/3 of the page to the heading ..... Sequential Turn System Parts, on the far left side open the 'Chrysler Imperial' heading and you will see the information.

 

[vdk2010]

Hi VDK 2010,

As always, still in awe of the awesome work being done on your car. I am not trying to take over your latest post, just wanted to add some information for other users, I hope you do not mind.

I thought I would include a link for anyone that has a 69 Imperial looking to replace the factory mechanical turn signal flasher since they are extremely hard to find. The company specializes in Cougar sequential tail light parts, but they will custom make a silent electronic unit to replace the factory mechanical flasher. I am currently using one and I am very satisfied. The owner did exactly what he said and it was delivered on time.

The company is Cougars Unlimited, LLC. here is the link: Cougars Unlimited LLC Home Page
Once you go to the site, scroll down about 2/3 of the page to the heading ..... Sequential Turn System Parts, on the far left side open the 'Chrysler Imperial' heading and you will see the information.

Hey! Thanks for the Tip! I appreciate that, but I know Vic, the owner, very well now since I'm in contact with him for a couple of month now.
In fact, I'm helping him understand the much more complicated Imperial system and its differences to the simpler cougar/firebird systems by providing all the information about the Chrysler parts he needs.
Vic is the guy I opened up the original Relays and studied the turn signal switch for in order to draw exact schematics of the internals for him to better understand the function of them.
The flasher motor and switch you mentioned is one part he already offers for Imperials because it's identical to the cougar one. And that's because Chrysler borrowed this part from Ford. ;)
He will eventually make an entire plug and play system for imperials that replaces all the problematic components with modern electronics. Especially the 2 big relay boxes (Emergency Flasher Relay & Turn Signal and Stop Relay) because they are notorious for burned and sticking contacts after all these years. But this will probably take 1-2 years for him to do that.

After understanding the OEM system and its problems, I decided to go a different route. Since I'm rewiring my entire car anyway, I'm going to remove all the original STS stuff so that I technically have normal turn signals like all the other brands have. Then I use the TS-400 Turn Signal Sequencer from cougars unlimited to retrofit STS. It's designed to retrofit sequential turn signals to any car that normally doesn't have STS.
That's the cleanest way for me to solve this problem. I just have to add the TS-400 box and 2 different flashes (which cycle slower) in the ron francis express fuse panel I'm going to use.

I have a lot more stuff I provided to Vic, but what I posted are informations that are not available on the internet yet. The other stuff are "just" colorized, digital wiring diagrams I made and such things.

 

[vdk2010]

Progress is slow, but steady..! Next stop, redo the driver side because of the modifications for better gaps.

 

[Samplingman]

Can you elaborate on what modifications were made for better gaps? I have trunk gap issues I would like to fix.

 

[vdk2010]

Can you elaborate on what modifications were made for better gaps? I have trunk gap issues I would like to fix.

My body man cut away the door and fender edges, rewelded them and then grinded them until they were right ;)

 

[Samplingman]

My body man cut away the door and fender edges, rewelded them and then grinded them until they were right ;)

Interesting. Do you have any photos of this process?

 

[vdk2010]

Interesting. Do you have any photos of this process?

Not many unfortunately. Check post #2924

 

[Samplingman]

Not many unfortunately. Check post #2924

Thank you, that shows a lot. Basically, he put a bead of weld along the door edge while the door was on the car, and then finished the edge while checking the gap. I wouldn’t have thought of that.

 

[Big_John]

Thank you, that shows a lot. Basically, he put a bead of weld along the door edge while the door was on the car, and then finished the edge while checking the gap. I wouldn’t have thought of that.

I have seen where they weld a piece of welding rod (or coat hanger) on the door edge and grind it back.

 

[Samplingman]

I have seen where they weld a piece of welding rod (or coat hanger) on the door edge and grind it back.

That’s more along of what I was thinking, or peeling back the edge, then using a hammer to “re-fold“ it back into place. This method is certainly easier.

 

[vdk2010]

Fresh Chrome and now fresh paint on the Bumpers, too! Beautiful!

Front Bumper:

 

[vdk2010]

Rear Bumper:

 

[vdk2010]

Rear Bumper Horns:

 

[marty mopar]

Were they painted black on the backside at the factory?

 

[vdk2010]

Were they painted black on the backside at the factory?

No, the factory didn't apply any protection on the back and the Chrom doesn't cover very well on rough, unpolished surfaces. That's why bumpers are usually heavily pitted or even rusted through from the inside.

 

[300L]

As always, better than new

 

[sixpkrt]

Painting the inside of the bumper is actually a good idea. I'll need to remember to do this for the future.

 

[mopar preferred]

Definitely. I had a '68 Imperial with the back bumper mostly only made up of the chrome layers. It was like a thick foil in most places.