49 Plymouth ignition

[John Hendricks]

The conduit was a theft deterrent

[Alan_Hepburn]

What is the purpose of the conduit? What are the implications if an ignition switch is replaced and the conduit is not put back in place?

My son has a '50 Plymouth and he just replaced his ignition switch with a generic one from the local parts shop, and it does not have the conduit attached. We just ran the wire through the firewall using that generic plastic loom stuff. Should we cut the conduit off the old switch and put it back in?

[Don Pohlmann]

David,
Thanks for your info. I cut the conduit with my Dremmel tool and spliced in a new wire. I used a 3" piece of gas line hose and a couple of clamps to splice the conduit back together so that the end extends thru the fire wall as it originally appeared.

[David Pollock]

Very carefully score the conduit with a die grinder or cut off wheel until you get a clean break.  This will leave the wire intact.  Slip some shrink tubing over the wire to protect it then tape up the end of the conduit.
Another solution is to use the switch assembly from 1953 up to about 59.  It accepts the key lock which is easily changed if you have the key and has an ordinary stud on the back for the ignition. In all other respects it is the same as the 49.

To remove the key lock (barrel) from your switch, turn the key to the on position, depress the little locking pin on the side of the assembly and pull the key outward. The lock will follow it. Simply reverse the proceedure to re install.

[Don Pohlmann]

The main ignition wire of my 49 broke off at the firewall and there is not enough wire showing to splice. I have taken out the ignition assembly and this wire runs thru a conduit from the rear of the switch to the firewall. Is there a way to detatch this conduit from the rear of the switch to run a new wire? If I take the easy way out and cut the conduit  and splice in a new wire am I looking for trouble?
Thanks,
Don Pohlmann