What did I find? Is it factory?

Had some time to kill today, so I went to a junkyard I hadn't been to in several years. Sadly (but not surprisingly) pretty much all the vintage stuff had been purged out. But, off in a corner, I came across a '77(?) Plymouth Voyager van.

The engine cover was off and the first thing I noticed was the trans dipstick handle was different. Looking closer, I noticed two wires running to the handle.

The wiring didn't look 'added on', it disappeared into the main engine harness by the coil. I couldn't find a part number or even a pentastar anywhere on the piece itself.

Was this some sorta electric fluid level check circa 1977? I looked around on the dash and underhood and didn't see any obvious added-on light or gauge for it.

I don't know a lot about vans but don't recall ever seeing or reading about this before.

Yes factory. Its for the idiot level light. Its not a joy to pull the cover all the time.

I think the warning light is near the fuel pacer light.

Interesting. I always assumed the trans dipstick on a van was extra long so it could be accessed from underhood.

Is it something worth saving?

That grille's gotta be worth grabbing for a few bucks, even if it's damaged.

I was thinking that too but an even bigger problem than damage is that it's very brittle. How the heck would I ship it without it turning to dust no matter how well I pack it?

As an aside, two more random pics from the JY. The only other vintage Mopar I saw was this '77 Gran Fury last registered 26 yrs ago, and the barren area where the old stuff used to be. Actually, I got the impression this 'yard wasn't doing good and may be on the way out, but that's just a presumption on my part.

if that van has the red side markers in GC and not going for gold I'd could use them

Tail lights were gone and the marker lights were busted. The whole rig was pretty trashed as it had been used as a painters van towards the end of its life.

I believe that is for the transmission over heating warning
I've only seen them on van and motorhome chassis

The electric part on the dipstick was to indicate the trans fluid level. One of the shortcuts Dodge used during the "lean financial days" before the gov loan/bailout, or what ever you want to call that deal in 78, was to install short dipsticks in the vans. Made it a real pita to check the fluid level. The electronic dipstick was an extra cost option.
The short dipstick was only used for a couple of years (the electronic dipstick may have been around for a little more time). The very long tubes and dipsticks had been used before the coming of the short tubes & dipsticks or the electronic dipsticks and Dodge returned to the very long tubes & sticks afterwards.

As far as nearly empty junk yards, around here we have lost at least 4 yards within a 30 mile radius. Back when scrap went sky high, a lot of the locals saw a chance to cash out. The few that remained either became a pull a part with a very short car on lot time frame, or they became strictly scrap yards that didn't sell auto parts. Between the fed, the state, and the local govs, running a junk yard to sell car parts out of has become a major undertaking, they don't want old cars around, so the easiest was to solve that "problem" is to make it difficult to sell old car parts, and they are pretty good at what they do. Gene

Wall hanger, or sell it locally.