I have wired a car by adapting the harness from something else. It was a
lot of work, and of course the harness did not quite match the car I was
putting it in. I agree it would be much better to buy a harness than adapt
one.
Putting the fuse block and other stuff under the seat seems like a good
idea. Especially if like me you have back problems that make laying on the
floor to work under the dash difficult. Need to be sure the harness you buy
comes with enough wire to reach under the dash and elsewhere.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy Johns" <oldtruckguy@mindspring.com>
To: "'Larry Burnett'" <laburnett@earthlink.net>; <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 7:46 AM
Subject: RE: [oletrucks] Before any body does rewiring and turn signal stuff
Now understand that I love junkyards. Scavengeing parts can be one of the
most entertaining parts of the project. However, I have to reccomend not
going to the junkyard for a fuse block. I considered it, but b/c it was my
first project (and it sounds like this is yours too Larry) I dropped the
$300 and bought the deluxe kit from Watson Street Works. They have smaller
kits for less of course. These kits come with diagrams, labeled wires, and
TECH SUPPORT, which proved to be the most helpful. The Ron Francis kit
looks nice, but I did not have $500 to drop in to it. What ever the route
you decide to go with wiring, let me make a suggestion from someone who has
had to wire his truck 3 times.
Consider Putting the harness under the seat instead of under the dash.
This is a gospel i have been preaching ever since i did it last spring. I
got the idea from the classic trucks magazine RB's rebuild. This is what I
have done on my 3rd try at wiring and would be done with this truck if i had
done it like this the first time. I love it. It makes wiring so much
easier. Go to Home Depot and buy some white pegboard and under carpet
padding. Cut both materials to the size of under the seat. Lay down the
pad, then the pegboard. This way, it is a clean look and you can pop zip
ties through the peg board hole to route your wires. Cut a nice wide oval
hole in the front of the seat frame, wrap a rubber tube around the rough
metal edge and run your wires through and under the carpet. I have my fuse
panel, stereo amp, hands free cell phone data thingy, and 110 power inverter
all under the seat. The bottom half of the seat at least in my '51 pulls
out and replaces easy, with out removing the back. I have found this is
much better than breaking my neck and wishing for an extra elbow while
running wires all underneath the dash.
As far as turn signal switches go, I have push button switches i got from
ron francis wire works. They are neat and different. Complicated, but they
are unique. The only down side is that they are not self canceling. They
came with a flasher and the neceseray circuitry to add them on. Anyway
there is my 2 cents worth.
Andy Johns
1951 3100
Roswell, GA
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-oletrucks@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-oletrucks@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Larry Burnett
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 5:05 AM
To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] turn signal wiring
Thanks to everyone who resonded to my turn signal question. I'm still pretty
new at this, and even newer to electric, so let me throw a few details out
for you, and ask for even more advice
:-)
First off, my truck was converted to 12V sometime before I got it. Quite
primitively as well, with an open fuse block screwed to the firewall.
Everything works fine, it's just a bit ugly.
Currently I have working rear tail/brake light, single bulb. I don't have
front parking lights (yet)
As I said the other day, I have a four-wire turn signal switch, but will
likely buy the 7-wire one (thanks for the diagram Steve) I don't have a
flasher, and really aren't even sure how I would wire one into the truck.
Short of installing a new harness, would it be feasible to clean this up,
and still add turn signals? Would grabbing a fuse box off another vehicle
be worthwile, or even do-able? And where/how would I add the flasher in,
and what kind should I get? Are 12V flashers all the same, or should I get
aspecific one from a specific vehicle?
Thanks,
-Larry
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|