What is the best aftermarket wire harness for a 1956 Chevy 2100?

[lts70]

I have a friend that just bought a 1956 Chevy truck that has some wiring gremlins. He is sending me some pictures and I will post them as soon as I get them. It has a Camaro front clip with a small block HEI 350. He said a lot of the wiring ugliness it is at the steering column. It has a later model probably from the mid-80s tilt column that was spliced in. He has already ordered a slimmer 67 to 72 style short column to replace the existing cloumn. He is wanting to install a modern style stereo system ran with the head unit out of the glove box.

With that said can anyone give me any recommendations for what brand and style of wire harness would be best for this application?
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[lts70]

pictures

[lts70]

...

[parkwood]

well i can give you my 2 cents, if i had a choice American Auto Wire would be my first pick only because they come with the best wiring instructions i have every seen in a wiring kit, plus you get all the right plug ends, ign. switch, light switch, dimmer switch for what every you are working on.. Painless is good but lacks a little in the instructions and you have to buy some of the switchs, E-Z wire looks like a good kit for the money and i know some of the guys on here have said they have use it with good luck, also the price seems right.. I have never used the E-Z wire so not know about the instructions... look them all up and see what you think will work for you...

[Daze57]

I agree w/ parkwood AAW is the way to go - i have one in my 57 very clear and understadable

[lts70]

Thanks guys! Do you have a link or part # for the one that worked good for you?
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[lts70]

This is the kit you guys are using right

http://www.americanautowire.com/47-55truck.html

[parkwood]

Originally Posted by lts70

This is the kit you guys are using right

http://www.americanautowire.com/47-55truck.html

Yes that's the good one...

[lts70]

Thanks guys. My friend / boss ordered the kit today.

He wants to pay me to install it.

How long did it take you guys to install this kit in your trucks?

I will have to take some time off to do this work. What would be a fair price for the labor to do this work?
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[Daze57]

That is also the kit i used - you can prolly do it in 8 hrs or less. i stretched mine out over a couple of days - i had some accessories i added so i had to make up a few things . But overall its a great kit - instructions are in color - how cool is that!!!!!!!
Good luck with the project -let us know how it all works out .
Price wise to do it? sorry i dont have an answer for that one
as i did it myself .

[lts70]

Whoops. I had to have him email the company and tell them I was off by a couple years. This is the one he wants for his 56, not the other one I posted.

http://www.americanautowire.com/55-59truck.html
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[parkwood]

Originally Posted by lts70

Whoops. I had to have him email the company and tell them I was off by a couple years. This is the one he wants for his 56, not the other one I posted.

http://www.americanautowire.com/55-59truck.html
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Still a good kit, and as far as time goes if you take your time and lay all the wires out neat and clean not looking like a spaghetti dinner you should be able to do it in two days easy... maybe less.. for me it takes a little longer as i'm a little anal about how things look even if you can't see them...

[lts70]

Got it ordered correctly. They have to build it so it may take a while to get it.

[lts70]

Got the wire harness today. Holy crap i have a job in front of me.

Does anyone have any pictures of where they put the fuse block.

Did you guys put your main runs in loom?

Any pictures would be appreciated.

[parkwood]

If you're using an american auto wiring harness and you bought it for the year truck you're working on you should be able to bolt it back up where the stock one was.. i use looms where the wires bolted to the fender..

[fdwrench]

My 55 second series the fuze block mounted to a bracket that mounts to the hood hinge bolts coming through the firewall.
You may notice that I have a thing for blue. Wrapped the engine compartment with blue electrical tape. Used blue split loom down the frame.
I did away with some of the connectors. It would be a good idea to get the right crimping tool if you do not have it.
I have enough left over wire to do another truck. They give you plenty.
I think that 8 hours is pretty optimistic.