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Wiring harness

mrploww

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Has anyone replaced their wiring with an aftermarket kit like Painless or Ron Francis? I was considering updating mine to get rid of the bulkhead connector. And be able to easily add accessories.

Thanks!
 
I did my own custom installation based on the guidance given by MadElectrical.com. I've used his methods on three builds now and it is trouble free and easy to do. It uses a bulkhead distribution block instead of a connector and all power is distributed from there. Works very well and as long as you have a basic understanding of electricity anyone can do it.

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When it comes to wiring its really pretty simple. When it comes to the dash, it's easiest to wire out of the car.

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Just work on one circuit at a time and using a fuse panel and basic wiring kit that has labeled wires also helps.

I've used Painless, Ron Francis and It's a Snap harnesses in the past and the only one I would not use again is Ron Francis. Not because its a bad product but because the fuse panel uses a proprietary circuit card that only he can fix so if anything goes wrong your SOL. The others don't use a circuit card so that's not a problem.
 
I'm going to use the 24/7 setup from Ron Francis on mine. I capped off most of the holes on the firewall and will be bringing the wiring in between the inner and outer fenders and the same for the HVAC stuff. Have not done all the work yet, car is back burnered until garage is built [I moved], but some of the work is in progress. I saw these nifty firewall pass through units at SEMA and will be using at least one for the wiring.

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I upgraded another car by simply replacing the fusebox with a painless 7 circuit kit, fit in the same place as the old fusebox. I bypassed the ammeter, eliminating the bulkhead connector, put relays for the headlights, h4 lights, pos and neg blocks, etc.

Since my wiring was new, but original replacement, I just ran the painless wires directly to the items the original harness powered.

Ended up with fused circuits that originally were not, and 1 extra circuit.

Can post details if needed.
 
I upgraded another car by simply replacing the fusebox with a painless 7 circuit kit, fit in the same place as the old fusebox. I bypassed the ammeter, eliminating the bulkhead connector, put relays for the headlights, h4 lights, pos and neg blocks, etc.

Since my wiring was new, but original replacement, I just ran the painless wires directly to the items the original harness powered.

Ended up with fused circuits that originally were not, and 1 extra circuit.

Can post details if needed.
Greetings..... I would be interested in your details. I have a 62 Polara 500 and all the dash wiring should be replaced. What part/model number of the painless kit did you use? Thanks very much! You can E-mail me that info at: magnumforce440@comcast.net
 
These are my notes. I may have changed a thing or two since.

Original fuse box has 5 fuses:
1) Dash lights
2) To light switch for interior lights and to hazard flasher/stop light switch
3) Lighter
4) Heater
5) Radio

Bought Painless 70207 fuse block, 7 circuits (3 Constant, 4 Ignition), 20amp fuses, circuit breaker included.

Removed old fuse box, mounted Painless in same spot, fits perfect.

Ammeter/Alternator Charge Wire
1) Ammeter and wiring with welded splice eliminated entirely by just bypassing it, left in place within the dash harness.
2) New Denso 60 amp Alternator.
3) New Alternator charge wire to Starter Relay – 8-gauge wire with a 6 inch 12-gauge fusible link.
4) New Sense wire with inline fuse from Alternator to Starter Relay.

Headlight Relay Kit
1) Bought from a FABO/FBBO member, crackedback I think.
2) Relays and fuses can be mounted anywhere, under the battery, radiator support.
3) 2 power wires can be routed across the firewall to the Alternator stud, or in front of the radiator support with the headlight harness.
4) Eliminates power going directly to headlight switch then back out to headlights.

Positive Junction Block mounted under dash, made a small bracket.
1) Connected the ‘Start’ wire (Brown).
2) Connected the ‘Run’ wire (Blue Tracer).
3) New wire to positive on coil.
4) New wire to a voltmeter.
5) Tach power.

Painless Fuse Box
3 Constant
1) Wire directly to light switch (B1, replaces BLK-TR). Light Switch was not originally fused.
2) Wire directly to ignition switch (replaces RED wire). Ignition switch was not originally fused.
3) Wire to pink/pink splice where fuse box was (to light switch for interior lights and to hazard flasher/stop light switch).

4 Ignition
1) Wire directly to heater switch (BLACK-TR).
2) Wire directly to new alternator.
3) Wire directly to aftermarket radio.
4) Extra.

That leaves 3 wires where the old fuse box was:
1) BLACK – into the fuse box – comes from the ignition, goes to a welded splice, then out to the Directional Flasher, Gauges, and fuse box. It is an Ignition power source, so I connected it to the Painless Pink wire.
2) TAN – into the fuse box, it is the feed from the Light Switch to adjust the Instrument Lights.
3) ORANGE – out from fuse box, it is the power to the Instrument Lights
4) TAN and ORANGE – inline fuse holder with a 10amp, spliced them together, zip tied to the side of the Painless.

Notes
1) Distributor power from positive on coil.
2) Original ORANGE wire for radio lights used for lights on Tach/Accessory Gauges.
3) Aftermarket radio came with fused constant power from battery, but I don't think I ran it to the battery, I forget where I picked up constant power, only for memory. I bought a Pioneer blue tooth deck, no cd, half the size, a quarter the weight, battery has been disconnected all winter and it kept the preset radio stations, so maybe I didn't need it.
4) When running wires directly to original plastic connectors, used terminals that fit and lock in.
5) Original harness runs on driver side inner fender. Removed wiring from engine on passenger side and routed on passenger inner fender. Factory holes already there, used factory harness clips. No wires on engine.
6) Use harness tape, not electrical tape, factory connectors, regular connectors, heat shrink, heat gun, good crimpers, etc. Bought all in bulk, cheaper and mistakes/changes don't leave you with not enough of this or that to continue.
7) New instrument circuit boards and lights. Made a small harness to ground every light, from the back of the instrument cluster to the dash.
8) Negative hub mounted on firewall next to battery.
9) Replaced headlights with H4 and new housings.
10) Replaced interior bulbs with LEDs.
11) Replaced taillight and reverse bulbs with ones for a Honda, more $ but last decades.
12) Replaced both flashers with the NAPA solid state one, it’s like $13 but well worth it. Directionals work awesome!
13) See Daniel Stern Lighting for bulb and flasher info.

Pic of my original wiring diagram, which is a large laminated color copy, I think I got it on ebay, and it was a great tool.

My harnesses were all new or in excellent shape before I did this, so leaving existing wiring was a good choice for me, plus all the major stuff was replaced or eliminated.

Other pics are during the re-wire, not the final product, but it might help.

I'll be doing the same to my 62. I might even have to build a harness from scratch, but once you get the correct connectors for the factory plastic plugs it's so easy. Got mine from Summit.

Also, I somehow had extra black and red vacuum port block of things, so I put them on the studs of my pos and neg junction blocks, and one on my alternator stud.

When replacing or running a new wire to the engine bay, I ran it straight thru the bulkhead connector, no wire connectors. The only original connectors at the bulkhead are for the headlights, wipers, and reverse lights.

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I threw my whole harness in the trash and bought a universal kit from American Autowire. I've seen several members use their kits since then and as far as I've seen everyone has been happy. One thing that is really nice and saves a lot of time with their kits is every wire is labeled and not numbers, the wire will say right front blinker, high beam, low beam, etc... really helpful!

What you buy depends on what your goals are and how good you are with wiring. If your decent at wiring and have a good understanding then the universal kits give you more flexibility for routing and hiding everything plus generally cost less. If your unsure of your capabilities then buy a plug and play kit.

All of my engine bay wiring comes through the firewall right behind the intake then travels underneath it so unless you look you can't hardly see any wires at all.
 
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