1970 Challenger. Correct ignition Switch

I have pulled and refinished the steering column assembly from my 70 Challenger. Decided to replace ignition switch as female connectors in the original no longer made good contact with male side from dash harness side of connector. Am replacing that harness also.

Ordered up new ignition switch and received what for my car is incorrect as shown in the first photo. 2 of the wires,,,red and black terminate outside the connector and are male. The remaining ones terminating in the connector are female.

My original is as in the 2nd photo. All wires from ignition switch terminate in the plastic connector and all are female. This switch is believed to be but not certain, original to the car.

However with few exceptions, when you search for an ignition switch for an Ebody, what you find is as in the first photo.

Questions. Why the difference, what do I now have and where do I find another like it from Moparts part supplier. I have found a couple on eBay but wonder what I really have here.

Third photo is steering column after extensive prep and in primer, now in trim black but no photo yet as still drying.

The 4th photo is of a website that offers to sell what appears the same as what I have removed from my car. Is in British pounds. The part number associated with it, if plugged into google brings up both the correct and the incorrect ones for my car,,,,the red and black wires outside the connector and terminated with male Molex pins and ones with all female terminating in connector.

Realize that I could likely modify the incorrect one if I find the right sized molex females for my car, the replacement unit sent to me but would prefer not to. And am curious as why the discrepancy I am seeing.

If you can, get the NOS switch. The replacements aren't that great. I'm temporarily using one while my original gets restored.
The replacement switches have longer red and black wires to fit '70 up A B and E bodies. The longer wires went to a different connector used '74 and later IIRC. A lot of the early connectors had melted so the factory changed the design.
Here's where you can get the terminals and removal tool:

http://www.alliedelec.com/molex-incorporated-63824-0200/70090740/

The one you received is and aftermarket piece that fits more than one application. I believe it also fits A-bodies. I believe I purchased the same one for my 73 Challenger from Advance Auto. Did the switch come with any loose female connectors? You can cut off the male connectors(and extra length of wire) and crimp on the correct ends.

Also, my original switch didn't use and extra ground wire. There was an empty slot in the connector. The new switch has a thinner gauge black ground wire in the connector where my original one was blank. Check to make sure you don't have a "hot" wire on the other side of the plug. On my 73, there were two orange "hot" wires on the dash harness side of the plug where that extra ground wire was located. I just removed the ground wire from the connector and tied it out of the way. It's not needed. I believe the instructions indicated that the extra ground wire was used on the A-body applications.

Thanks guys, Though I could use this reproduction after market unit, I will obtain the proper Molex terminators and rehab my original one. Opinion is well taken that the original switch electronics are extremely important to ignition system performance and should not be compromised to save a few bucks, given that all ignition current must pass thru it,,,.i have read before of severe performance issues with after market switches.

Mystery solved as to why the wiring is a bit different from original to repro,,,to allow usage on a variety of platforms.

Looks to me like the second picture is from Rick Ehrenburg's eBay store. Rick is a good guy, so why don't you just buy that one?

Pynzo had mentioned that he is having his switch rehabilitated. What components are there to be refurbished and who does it.

Yes, I saw Rick's eBay ad. Is on my short list to obtain a original NOS piece.

Curious on the rehab comment however, likely a nos piece less expensive. No hurry as have decided to replace switch at same time as I replace dash wiring harness after up-coming Mopar Alley show in Cupertino at De Anza College June 12.

Did all you local guys get that? Likely upward of 400 cars.

Pinching slightly with a tiny screwdriver closes female Molex's enough to assure continuity between switch and dash wiring to relieve the intermittent issues I had been experiencing.

During a car cruise, my Challenger just shut off and wouldn't restart. After fiddling with it for awhile, it finally restarted. I made it about 100' and it shut off again. This time it restarted right way. I was only a few block away from home so I was able to get it there. When I went to exit the car, my foot brushed the steering column connector. At that same moment, the engine hiccupped for s split second. I grabbed the connector and gave it a wiggle. The car died. Make sure your connections are tight!

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/738678/js-restorations.html#Post738678

Jim is The Man!

As mentioned, the high power wires are subject to failure on the original '70 design. I put a correct style switch in my '70 Challenger about 12 years ago and later had to bypass the high current wires due to failure... mine looks more like the current re-pops now if you get under the dash and look. That connection, like the bulkhead connector, is a bit of a weak spot.

You got dat right. Great link.

Been there, done that on both the hiccup and the wiggle to get home. That's why the Bubba fix of pinching the females a bit and why the new switch need.