Wiring

[teal32]

As some of you may remember, I did an engine swap earlier this year, replacing a 454 with a TH350 with an LS2 and a 4L65E. I achieved the gas mileage that I was shooting for. I'm getting 30 mpg on the road. I had told the "boss' that is would pay for itself in 2-3 years. Of course, that was when gas was $4.50 a gallon. Now, it may take 4-5 years since the price has gone down.

While doing the swap, I uncovered allot of wiring problems. When I did the trade of my '32 for the '40 Chevy, I thought I checked it out pretty good. The trade was with a friend, so I might have been a little lax in my inspection.

It turns out that I was more than a little lax. I checked the car out pretty good. But, I never looked under the dash. SHAME ON ME!!! :oops: I found wires that were 3 or 4 times as long as they needed to be (he would go back and forth from side to side). I won't go thru all of the things that I found. He must have gotten a good deal on red wire, because everything was done in RED, RED, RED. Oh well. Oh, did I mention the 2 ballast resisters???

So.........my first winter project will be to rewire the darn thing. While I'm doing that I figured I would go ahead and install power windows and doors, and a power trunk (I had a post about using gas struts earlier, but have decided to go electric).

I searched RRT for suggestions about wiring harnesses and saw several thoughts. Some of the posts were a couple of years old, so I would like to ask again. Of course I would like to get the best, but I know that probably won't happen.

Which companies do you guys reccomended for:
    Wiring Harness
    Power Windows
    Power Doors
    Power Trunk Lifts

Thanks for any help. I've used most of the suggestions that I have received on other projects. And, I've tried many other things I've seen here. I have all of my fingers still, so I must be doing something right.

[zzford]

As some of you may remember, I did an engine swap earlier this year, replacing a 454 with a TH350 with an LS2 and a 4L65E. I achieved the gas mileage that I was shooting for. I'm getting 30 mpg on the road. I had told the "boss' that is would pay for itself in 2-3 years. Of course, that was when gas was $4.50 a gallon. Now, it may take 4-5 years since the price has gone down.

While doing the swap, I uncovered allot of wiring problems. When I did the trade of my '32 for the '40 Chevy, I thought I checked it out pretty good. The trade was with a friend, so I might have been a little lax in my inspection.

It turns out that I was more than a little lax. I checked the car out pretty good. But, I never looked under the dash. SHAME ON ME!!! :oops: I found wires that were 3 or 4 times as long as they needed to be (he would go back and forth from side to side). I won't go thru all of the things that I found. He must have gotten a good deal on red wire, because everything was done in RED, RED, RED. Oh well. Oh, did I mention the 2 ballast resisters???

So.........my first winter project will be to rewire the darn thing. While I'm doing that I figured I would go ahead and install power windows and doors, and a power trunk (I had a post about using gas struts earlier, but have decided to go electric).

I searched RRT for suggestions about wiring harnesses and saw several thoughts. Some of the posts were a couple of years old, so I would like to ask again. Of course I would like to get the best, but I know that probably won't happen.

Which companies do you guys reccomended for:
    Wiring Harness
    Power Windows
    Power Doors
    Power Trunk Lifts

Thanks for any help. I've used most of the suggestions that I have received on other projects. And, I've tried many other things I've seen here. I have all of my fingers still, so I must be doing something right.

I saw this on the HAMB message board, you might look at these kits.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288310&highlight=rebel+wiring

[enjenjo]

I am using Haywire for wiring harnesses lately, good product, decent prices.

For power windows, the only one I will suggest is NuRelics. The rest don't fit in a 40 chevy door without major surgery. If you have the skill, AMC Concord power  window lifts will fit a 40 with minor welding on the window lift, and drilling 4 holes.

Autoloc for the doors

For the trunk lift, and window lift with an arm can be modified to open the trunk with just a drill.

[WZ JUNK]

I used this company on a 1938 Chevrolet  http://www.nu-relics.com/  and I like them.  They cost more but you get a much better mechanism and the easiest installation yet.

There are many good quality wiring kits and a few poor quality ones.  I use a lot of the Haywire E series which is similar to Painless and they are both based on a GM harness of the late 70's.  Haywire is just up the road from me and Ken is very helpful if you need technical advise.  I actually buy the harness from one of his vendors and get a better price than his catalog.  He has to price his products higher as not to compete with the people he wholesales to.  They are about $200  I use Williams Streetrods in Illinois a lot to purchase the wiring kit.  They usually pay shipping and there is no tax on out of state purchases.

John

[paul2748]

In my opinion, Ron Francis and American Autowire are probably the best.  I have a Ron Francis I installed in my 48 conv about 25 years ago and NEVER had a problem with it.  Still running the 48 today.  I have Nu-Relics in the same car - installed about 10 years ago, and same situation - no problems, easy installation although the wires were hard to route because there were all four windows.  The units for the rear quarter windows were amazing.

Nu-Relics has a door jamb installation package that makes running the wires easier where there is little room in the jamb area - requires welding though.

I have used one other wire harness, Its-A-Snap and I am very pleased with this.

[Danimal]

Since we are on the topic of wiring, Court and I are done with the hard work of brakets and inner fenders on his truck, now it is time to wire it all up. Not to hijack the thread but maybe to add to it.

My question is: What wire ends do you use and where do you get them? Crimped vs. soldered? (I believe enjenjo told me crimping is his way) And where is the best place to get the plug ends for the headlights and such?

I think ours is an Its a Snap harness as well but we bought it from a HAMB guy who bought it for a car and left it in the box. Looks like it works OK for what we've been doing. All the wires are run close but nothing is terminated.

[Fat Cat]

I have a Haywire harness for my 47 Chevy. I bought it from Williams Streetrods also. They had a good deal on it at a swap meet I was at. I will be combining that with a Painless TPI harness for the motor.

[enjenjo]

Bring the switches over, and I'll fix you up with plugs and terminals.

As to crimp vs solder, either one is good as long as you do it correctly, Neither one if done imprperly. for most, I crimp, but a few I solder, Headlight terminals for instance.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Lots of Red wire , eh?

I worked on a T-bucket years ago.. Not many wires but the wire was all black , no labels, no markings.

[Danimal]

Only a stock headlight switch so far, everything is going to end up with terminal ends, spade or closed. I think we need to put in new sockets for the marker lights. Just going to need the headlight plugs from what I can see thus far.

I'll get with you shortly, I still need to pick up that fuel tank from GPster.

Bring the switches over, and I'll fix you up with plugs and terminals.

As to crimp vs solder, either one is good as long as you do it correctly, Neither one if done imprperly. for most, I crimp, but a few I solder, Headlight terminals for instance.

[BFS57]

Hello;
I can only speak for myself. I purchased a harness from EZ and I must say that it wasn't as easy as some say to install only because I had never done it before but all in all when the job was finished (re-wire my 57 Chevy) I couldn't have been happier. The wires were all labeled, plenty of length, had a relay for the horn, which works really super now, and as far as crimp versus solder, I used very good tools to crimp most of my fittings and where I did some solder, I pre installed "shrink tubing" to pull over my solder point and used a heat gun to shrink the tubing over my job.
I can say the the re-wire of my Chevy was one of the best modifications I did to the entire car!!!
My 2 Cents worth.

Bruce

[rumrumm]

I used Centech for my '32, and was very pleased with the system and the detailed instructions that came with it.  In addition, their technical assistance is excellent. Jim is a street rodder, and he asked me a lot of questions when I ordered it so it would meet my needs. I would use them again on another project. I haven't used any of the others, although I have heard good things about several of them.

www.centechwire.com

[IC2]

I'm finishing up my 'A' roadster with American Autowire. I ended up with their top size module as I originally was building a sedan - which now means that this is many sizes larger then what I really needed. It has been a comparatively easy installation, and mistakes - are mine, not theirs. The kit included all of the normal switches - ignition, headlights and dimmer switch rather then add-ons like other (i.e. Ron Francis). All of the connectors for my VDO instruments were also a part of the "kit". The wires have an arrow pointing to which direction as well as the circuit printed on it about every four inches. The positive for my 'A' with the module behind the seat and in a compartment (a roadster) is that these wires were plenty long enough - and as a matter of fact, have several very long pieces left over. With this oversized module, I could have run several power devices - but would have needed a relay module beyond the normal horn and fan. I've added a couple of relays for a different dimmer switch (Watson's Street Works column switch) and an extra for the a/c(another left over from the sedan).

Instructions and schematics are great - a 3 page, 11x17 over view drawing and many, many pages of individual circuit schematics and instructions, including, again, specifics for my VDO gauges

Oh yeah, any place you see black electrical tape - it was temporary and it's been removed.



This is my dash and module (they have been 'cleaned' up some {a lot !!} with rerouting and many many wire ties (my second batch of 500 is well on the way to be used up) since I took the photos)







and a couple more: