wire harness idea, what do you think? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

beautimus · 09-10-2003, 01:18 AM

ok guys and girls, i just might be able to make a contribution here for once, (info that is.)
now, keep in mind that i haven't actually done this yet, and i would like to get your thoughts on this.
i had been getting sick of looking at my crappy spliced up, twisted up, scorched up wiring on my truck. i had butt spliced and heat shrinked about half of the old splices that had been done to the thing over the course of 30 years of repairs, abuse neglect and what have you. well about a week ago i put the core support back on and reached for the harness that was draped over the engine to start putting it back on and low and behold 3 0r 4 old splices that were just twisted together came apart
And since a p.o. had replaced those wires with a color that did not match i was in for a lot of head scratching. add to this the mess of butt splices already in there and the 3 0r 4 wires that were cut off at the fire wall . now i was really ticked off.
i unbolted it from the fire wall and unplugged the whole mess and dumped it in the trash can. then i went to all the restoration parts catalogs i had and started brooding over the prices of all that. well i got to thinking,
what if you could remove the wires that were bad and replace them with the wires from another harness??? maybe take 3 or 4 bad ones and make 1 good one. i ran down to the curb and pulled that harness back out of the trash. well i checked at the plug that goes into the fire wall and the wires are removable. (see the attached drawing.) you just lightly squeeze the terminals and presto, they slide out.

so heres the plan, take the good wires from all the bad harnesses
dicard any wires that are spliced, freyed, burned, or have bad insulation and use the remainder to make one perfect original harness, and while i am at it i will replace the old resistor wire to the distributor with a good heavy gauge one for the hei.
i believe ron francis wire works has the correct connectors, to put new wires in the big plug,i haven't emailed them yet to make sure but i saw a picture on their site that looks exactly like them.

jose · 09-10-2003, 01:32 AM

Thats exactly what i did with my present harness in my 72 4x4 . I used two harnesses and made one good one . 4 years and i haven't had a problem yet .

70c10 · 09-10-2003, 07:27 AM

Nice graphics!, keep us posted. I didn't know you could buy all the connectors.

JimKshortstep4x4 · 09-10-2003, 07:30 AM

We have been repairing our harnesses like that for years but you have explained the procedure beautifully. It is a very good way to go even though it is time consuming. One problem that you will run into is that harnesses have similar problems so similar wires are bad.

Jim

cdowns · 09-10-2003, 07:59 AM

you should be able to get the proper connectors locally, awhile back somebody had posted the part# for them at NAPA i think

J.Lance · 09-10-2003, 08:26 AM

I had bought the correct block terminals at NAPA but don't have the part number handy. Just take the old one down and match it up. I've also had good luck with soldering and heat shrinking in new lengths of wire. Have had to do that a lot for temp. sending wires because they get so brittle due to the heat.

09-10-2003, 01:18 AM	#1
beautimus Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: woodstock, alabama, usa Posts: 938	wire harness idea, what do you think? ok guys and girls, i just might be able to make a contribution here for once, (info that is.) now, keep in mind that i haven't actually done this yet, and i would like to get your thoughts on this. i had been getting sick of looking at my crappy spliced up, twisted up, scorched up wiring on my truck. i had butt spliced and heat shrinked about half of the old splices that had been done to the thing over the course of 30 years of repairs, abuse neglect and what have you. well about a week ago i put the core support back on and reached for the harness that was draped over the engine to start putting it back on and low and behold 3 0r 4 old splices that were just twisted together came apart And since a p.o. had replaced those wires with a color that did not match i was in for a lot of head scratching. add to this the mess of butt splices already in there and the 3 0r 4 wires that were cut off at the fire wall . now i was really ticked off. i unbolted it from the fire wall and unplugged the whole mess and dumped it in the trash can. then i went to all the restoration parts catalogs i had and started brooding over the prices of all that. well i got to thinking, what if you could remove the wires that were bad and replace them with the wires from another harness??? maybe take 3 or 4 bad ones and make 1 good one. i ran down to the curb and pulled that harness back out of the trash. well i checked at the plug that goes into the fire wall and the wires are removable. (see the attached drawing.) you just lightly squeeze the terminals and presto, they slide out. so heres the plan, take the good wires from all the bad harnesses dicard any wires that are spliced, freyed, burned, or have bad insulation and use the remainder to make one perfect original harness, and while i am at it i will replace the old resistor wire to the distributor with a good heavy gauge one for the hei. i believe ron francis wire works has the correct connectors, to put new wires in the big plug,i haven't emailed them yet to make sure but i saw a picture on their site that looks exactly like them. Attached Images __________________ i survived cancer and kidney stones, but my kids are killing me.

09-10-2003, 01:32 AM	#2
jose Registered User Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Salem , Oregon 97301 Posts: 1,796	Thats exactly what i did with my present harness in my 72 4x4 . I used two harnesses and made one good one . 4 years and i haven't had a problem yet . __________________ 68 GMC 4x4 SWB jose6772@yahoo.com

09-10-2003, 07:27 AM	#3
70c10 67-72 Addict! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The TAX State! Posts: 7,857	Nice graphics!, keep us posted. I didn't know you could buy all the connectors. __________________ Jim 1970 C/10 Fleetside w/Ghost Flames Lowered 4.5" front and 4" rear (Raked) 355/350 Turbo w/shift kit 10" Redneck Performance Verter w/2500 stall Hooker Super Comps part#2808-1 Performer RPM Air-Gap 12 Bolt w/3:73 gears- Eaton Posi Comp Cams XE262 with 1.6 Crane Energizers, Road Demon 625 and Brodix IK 180 heads

09-10-2003, 07:59 AM	#5
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	you should be able to get the proper connectors locally, awhile back somebody had posted the part# for them at NAPA i think __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

09-10-2003, 08:26 AM	#6
J.Lance Too many is never enough! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Idaho Falls, ID Posts: 455	terminals I had bought the correct block terminals at NAPA but don't have the part number handy. Just take the old one down and match it up. I've also had good luck with soldering and heat shrinking in new lengths of wire. Have had to do that a lot for temp. sending wires because they get so brittle due to the heat.

09-10-2003, 07:30 AM	#4
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	We have been repairing our harnesses like that for years but you have explained the procedure beautifully. It is a very good way to go even though it is time consuming. One problem that you will run into is that harnesses have similar problems so similar wires are bad. Jim



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