Introduction and a couple issues with rewiring '62

[PoDuck]

I've lurked on this forum for a very long time, but never had a question I couldn't find the answer to from someone somewhere, so I have been forced to finally sign up and be social in hope that someone can help with what is truthfully a couple of really minor things.

I've owned my '62 for about 10 years now, and it has been pretty well behaved other than the wiring. I had an issue with my brakes one day and couldn't stop, so I pulled the emergency brake really hard before I hit someone, and I immediately noticed all the electricity escaping from my dash in the form of smoke.

When I got it home and looked under the dash to see the damage, I noticed that the harness had tons of splices in it, and much of the wiring was fried. I went through and fixed the wires, doing my own splicing and got it running, which it did well for another three years without incident, then my generator blew and that somehow fried some wires under the hood.

Deciding to replace the generator with an alternator, and realizing that I should probably replace and upgrade my wiring, I bought a classic update wiring kit from American Autowire. I thought I was being fairly conscious of where things were going while removing my old wiring. One thing it seems I wasn't so aware of was where the wires that go to the starter from the ignition switch (red and purple) go through the firewall.

The AAW main dash harness has a connector for them that seems to come out in the middle of the truck, about a 1-2 feet from the engine harness hole. Usually this is an indication that the connection is in that area. I see no hole to send the wires in from outside in that spot though.

Considering that they have a separate harness, and they aren't connected to the engine harness, I assume they have their own hole, but there also isn't a grommet in my grommet set that is specifically for those wires.

Inspecting the original harness hasn't helped me either, because the ignition wires were so hacked and spliced that it's almost impossible to get an idea of what GM originally did. Plus, I got a bit frustrated when wires wouldn't easily come out and I admit I went a little happy with the wire cutters.

Another question is what is the deal with the little wire coil on a circuit board type thing behind the heater box area on the right side? I assume it has something to do with the heater, but it is just sitting there hanging from a wire and not attached to anything solid. If power goes through it, I can't imagine it would be a very good idea to have it hanging where it may swing against something and ground it out.

Is it supposed to be mounted somewhere, and where is it supposed to fit into the wiring?

Anyway, nice to finally be vocal, and I appreciate any help.

[1963c-10]

The wires for the starter /selonoid come out on the passenger side firewall. The little coil thing on the heater is the heater resistor. It has a 2 or 3 prong connector (cant remember now) that comes of the heater harness.

[PoDuck]

I have found a connector that comes through the firewall with three connectors that is just to the left of the center of the firewall. On the original connector, there was a purple, pink and a black wire. Pink I assume is switched power, purple might be one going to the starter, and black I'm not sure about. Anyway, here's a picture.


Here is the connector on the dash harness that comes in the kit.


On the passenger firewall, I have the wire that goes out to the blower motor and I have a hole that seems to have no grommet. I can't imagine that it's a good idea at all to send wire through it without protecting it.

Also, in these pictures, you can see where the heater resistor is hanging. Is it just supposed to hang there like that or should it mount somewhere?

[TBONE1964]

It looks like (from your photos) that the wires in your kit are marked with a location of where they go. Yes the bigger purple wire goes to the starter solenoid directly from the ignition switch. This wire will only (should only) have power when the ignition switch is held in the start position.

You should have grommets around any wire that goes through any hole. Anything that runs off of 12volt battery power should be fused. Good luck and remember you have a lot of good support here. we are all knowledgeable in certain areas, some more than others and vise versa.

Myself, I am a fan of the factory style wiring harness. They are much less grief if you ask me. I then modify portions that I need to modify for specific reasons like having and HEI or using a internally regulated alternator as opposed to an external.

Have fun and good luck
Tom

[1963c-10]

the plug on the floor by the pedal is where the taillight harness's connect. the heater resister will snap into an opening on the heater duct. the opening is on the back facing the firewall. the coil will go inside the duct.
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[PoDuck]

Thanks guys. So far, so good. I'm still having trouble finding the place where the wires for the starter should go through the firewall. If the connection I found is for tail light wires, that still leaves me without a proper place for the starter wires to go through the firewall.

As for the wiring kit, the one I got was the classic update series, which I have found to be pretty close to the stock wiring as far as connections go. Almost everything could attach to the stock harness.

I only really have two complaints about it so far. First, the new ignition they give isn't quite right. The stock bezel won't fit the threads on it, and the bezel they have looks out of place. Second is the fact that I have the metal handle on the vent doors, and the new fuse panel comes down so far that it takes some man handling to get it to close all the way because of interference with the bottom of the fuse panel. That one I can probably fix by bending the handle down a bit, but it would seem they should have seen that one coming and mention it in the instructions at least.

[TBONE1964]

Maybe this photo will help. I know it is a 6 cyl but the wires should come through in the same spot. It looks like on the passenger side of the firewall near the heater box. I have my heater box removed but you get what I am describing. Do you have the original connector where it went through the firewall? If so, can you check the wire coloring. If it has the bigger gauge purple wire iin it, then that is the correct spot.

[1963c-10]

you could also use a set if vents from a 60 or 61 and convert to a cable pull style vent and you wouldnt have to bend down to open them. the pull vent knob mounts on the bottom lip of the dash
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[PoDuck]

Tbone, that harness that comes out of the top right side of the firewall hump has thermostat, oil pressure, tach wire, charge light wire, and battery wire to distributor on my harness. The two wires that go from the ignition to the starter are not in that harness.

If that is how it was wired originally, there may be some other way they intend that be wired. AAW was closed today. I may have to call them on Monday to see what they intend with those.

I may find something else once I pull the engine tomorrow.

Thanks.