Ready to be Painless

[theo70]

Well, I've decided this new box of Painless wiring has sat long enough on the shelf--and finally got a backup ride in case something doesn't go smoothly.
Anybody have any words of advice before I get started? Do's/don't's? How much time can I expect to set aside for this?
It's the 67-72 kit, by the way.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I have only seen the kit already installed please post an update as to how easy it was to install...

[Ackattack]

It took me a few weeks working on it an hour or two at a time. One thing that I was unaware of when I got it was that it didn't have all of the wiring for the air conditioning.

Also, I had to go buy a lot more connectors. I had to buy these special connectors that slide into the plastic connectors from the GM parts counter since none of the parts store didn't have them.

As you remove the old wire harnes, mark where the connectors came from. Also, try and keep all of the wires looking nice. I tried, but didn't pay enough attention when I did it and it looks kinda like poo, but I'm going to try and reorganize them to look better.

Overall, I wasn't real impressed with the kit. It wasn't hard, but it's essentially a fuse block and a bunch of wires...for $300 or $400 (can't remember what I paid for it).

Very few of the wires have the terminals on them, which I figured since I was buying a kit specifically for my truck, it would be pre terminated. Also, I had to go buy some new sockets that weren't included instead of reusing the old ones (like the side marker sockets).

Good luck, and have fun!

[nosto]

Painless is...well, pretty much painless.

I started my conversion last June, and am still not done. But that's because I'm still adding things like new audio, door switches, backup lights, more interior lights and electric valves. The main stuff (engine, power distribution block, lights, heat) was done in a long weekend.

My only complaint was trying to read the labels on those 18GA wires! Magnifying glasses did help there.

Have fun,

[bpmcgee]

I used the kit from GMC Pauls (I don't think it was "painless." Total took me about 30 minutes to install it. Wires the right length and terminated correctly.

Brian

[67_SS396]

It shouldn't be too bad. Just take your time. I like to replace it as I pull it. Don't just go in an yank it all out and start over, but that's just my suggestion. If you want help, I wouldn't mind lending a hand as well as I'm sure a couple other SBC's wouldn't mind helping/watching/learning either. I have a brand new wiring kit that I bought from Hot Rod Wires a year ago for the '67 and haven't installed it yet. Now that I have the '70, I may go ahead and start tackling the to do's I've had planned for the '67. Then again, I may wait until winter and after the tracks have closed down. LMK

[Blue68]

The aftermarket kits that are not repro like the M&H will require you to terminate one or both (connector and/or fuse panel ala Ron Francis) ends of the wire. They won't come with most connectors because there are always differences between models even in a given truck run.

The M&H is a reproduction harness and is intended to be a replacement for our specific trucks. If you read the propaganda closely, the only difference between the 67-72 Painless truck harness and the universal truck harness is the addition of a bulkhead. Everything else remains universal. Which all that really makes it different from any of the other universal ones is the longer tail light wires. I'm not knocking it. I'm sure it's a great product. I've talked to their tech department as well as a couple of hot rod shops about Ron Francis harness and the guy at AutoRewire.com regarding Centech and Ron Francis products(extremely helpful by the way, if I was going modular or Centech I'd work through him). I wanted to know about relays, connectors, what I had to terminate, bulk head passthroughs, all that fun stuff that the marketing propaganda leaves out. I did read through one of the painless intallation manuals to get a better feel for it though.

Good luck.

[MOTHERTRUCKERS]

M&H is the only way to go on our year trucks if you want quick easy quality wiring, it's a little more expensive but takes less time to install and looks factory when done. I have a complete Ron Francis wiring harness for a short bed 350-350 71-2 that has not been used and still in the box 100.00 including shipping. It was traded in on an M&H harness.

[Randy70C-10]

Painless is a great kit for a customized truck (aftermarket gauges, stereo, electric door locks, windows...... If your restoring your truck to original, go with a factory replacement.