harness recommendations

[OrrieG]

After you post about the packard connectors and I figured out how to take them apart I fished my old harness out of the trash and clipped off all the connectors. I had already saved the temp sender. Yeah the shipping is a rip, I just got 4 led lights shipped from LV to Boise for 1.69. And they have to pay the minimum wage puller for his 20 minutes.

[Kid]

I gotta throw in Affordable streetrods harness as a good quality, reasonabley priced harness. One of the best features I like is that the wires are not perm. attached. When I used an EZ harness (about 4 years ago), the wires were perm. attached, & you have to either cut, or coil up what you don't use.

[wsurf4me]

Originally Posted by Kid

I gotta throw in Affordable streetrods harness as a good quality, reasonabley priced harness. One of the best features I like is that the wires are not perm. attached. When I used an EZ harness (about 4 years ago), the wires were perm. attached, & you have to either cut, or coil up what you don't use.

That's exactly what the previous owner did with my EZ, there were a ton of wires coiled up under the dash.

[wsurf4me]

I haven't had much time to work on the truck but I did go ahead and get the AAW Classic Update harness. A few of the pluses for me were the disconnects for front, rear, and instrument cluster, new ignition and light switch. Received it yesterday and for me at least the extra money was worth it. It is very well made with tons of documentation.

[wsurf4me]

A few pictures -

[roger55]

I got my AAW harness in not long ago and I have a couple of issues with it that I'll make comments on:

Ignition switch:
Looks like the ignition switch needs a washer behind it (that they don't give you) in order for it to tighten up to the dash. Also the notches in the switch don't match anything in the dash hole. So, unless you tighten the crap out of it, its going to turn the whole switch when starting. Sure glad I looked at this. I can weld in a small piece of sheetmetal in the hole so it will hold in the flat on the switch. If I hadn't looked at this until after I had painted the dash, it would have been too late.
The keys are pretty ugly too (Pollak???? yuck!). I assume I'll be able to get some better looking blanks to cut.

Headlight switch:
First thing I see is the hole in the dash needs to be filed out just a little bigger (not a big deal). Second is the knob. Too modern. Although it does match the knobs for the signal and tilt on my Ididit steering column, I still don't like that style for the headlight switch.
I see that the shaft that comes with the new switch is too long. It can be cut, no big deal but it does cut off the knurling on the end.
I put my original switch shaft in a vise and knocked off the knob using a hammer and crescent wrench (to tap against the bottom of the knob). It slipped off pretty easily. It looks like two options for putting that knob on the new switch shaft. Drill and tap for a set screw or JB Weld it on the end after cutting new knurls in the shaft.
But, I have a whole other option I think I will do here. You can buy original style chrome knobs with set screws. I think I will do this since all my knobs are black and chrome ones would look better. Plus, my aftermarket radio came with chrome knobs.

Floor dimmer:
It seems a little flimsy compared to my original and it will need nuts to hold it on and the original doesn't. But it appears it should function OK. I'm going to save the original just in case. It works fine and it looks like the AAW plug would fit it.

[fabguy]

Originally Posted by wsurf4me

A few pictures -

I wish my EZ wiring kit came with a schematic like yours

[Coupeguy2001]

I bought an original harness for my truck about 10 years ago, When it came time to rewire the truck for the additional things (fuel pump relay and fuse, cooling fan and fuse, electric overdrive and fuse,) I determined that I didn't need a complete harness, and went to Autozone and bought a 10 fuse holder, and a lot of wire, and made my own additions.
I paid 15 for the fuse holder, $20 for 4 relays, $12 for terminal ends, got a good crimper and a good automatic stripper and a bag of wire ties.
I attached the fuse panel to the left steering column support under the dash using inch and a half long screws and some short spacers to space the block away from the metal, and wired it up. I made a drawing of each circuit in a spiral notebook, and wrote down the colors of the wires used, and attached the relays around the block on screws to the column support. All went well. The only regret is that the wires aren't in a "harness", but are wire tied together.
Although not in a harness, the wires are clearly open for inspection and the fuse block is easy to see and get the fuses out of. If I ever encounter a problem, I can always cut the ties, and separate the wires out to see if there is a short of any kind. It all came out well, and have no issues for over a year and a half. The harness I made is easily added to by buying a larger fuse block, mounting the fuse block to a piece of metal with the original holes, and attaching the new fuse block to the metal with it's own holes. The only thing is I will have metal shavings and some holes to drill when the time comes.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by Coupeguy2001

... went to Autozone and bought a 10 fuse holder, and a lot of wire, and made my own additions. I paid 15 for the fuse holder, $20 for 4 relays, $12 for terminal ends, got a good crimper and a good automatic stripper and a bag of wire ties.

Just want to say here that I despise the insulated connectors they sell at Autozone or any big box hardware store. They are just too unreliable. I buy only uninsulated connectors and buy them in bulk quantities.

The only way I would use those the insulated type would be to use a heat gun and remove the insulation (then they become an uninsulated terminal). I would then use the uninsulated slot in my crimper to crimp. Then solder and cover with heat-shrink. I also only buy the adhesive type of heat shrink.

Here's an example of one thing I did with my '55 Bel Air:

[Coupeguy2001]

I used the aircraft style terminals from Hi-Line. They are a cut above the auto parts pieces.

[Daze57]

i went with AAW - have had no probs . all paperwork were easy to follow and in color -all connectors were there.
i agree with all - there are a bunch of good kits out there - AAW just worked for me and what i needed .

[FatFenderGarage]

American Autowire is the best I have used. Easy to install and worked like a charm.

[roger55]

Daze57 & FatfenderGarage,

Please comment on my comments about the ignition switch and headlight switch in post #31.
You both have TFs like me and must have had the same parts that I have.

[Daze57]

roger55
headlight switch - i just rat filed the hole a bit bigger (carefully ) and the switch fit ok .
as far as the knob - i just got one of the set screw type like you were talkin about and loctite (the set screw) it on the shaft - so far no probs
i also loctite the ignition switch bezel and i have had no probs with that either . i also have tightened it up the best i can and so far so good ( so far) lol
also i do have a couple of OEM headlight switches if you decide you want to switch over.
(dont know if you have one or not )
i went to the AAW one only because it was there and new - the OEM switches i have are in great shape and prolly would be ok - but i just decided to use what AAW had.
hope some of this helped

[sqrlnts]

I would say I have around 20-30 hours installing my EZ Wire in my 57. Bought my 21 circuit used (unused) off craigslist for $100. I can honestly say they have the best customer support of any business I have ever dealt with, hands down, two thumbs up.

[Red Foreman]

Originally Posted by roger55

I got my AAW harness in not long ago and I have a couple of issues with it that I'll make comments on:

Ignition switch:
Looks like the ignition switch needs a washer behind it (that they don't give you) in order for it to tighten up to the dash. Also the notches in the switch don't match anything in the dash hole. So, unless you tighten the crap out of it, its going to turn the whole switch when starting. Sure glad I looked at this. I can weld in a small piece of sheetmetal in the hole so it will hold in the flat on the switch. If I hadn't looked at this until after I had painted the dash, it would have been too late.
The keys are pretty ugly too (Pollak???? yuck!). I assume I'll be able to get some better looking blanks to cut.

Headlight switch:
First thing I see is the hole in the dash needs to be filed out just a little bigger (not a big deal). Second is the knob. Too modern. Although it does match the knobs for the signal and tilt on my Ididit steering column, I still don't like that style for the headlight switch.
I see that the shaft that comes with the new switch is too long. It can be cut, no big deal but it does cut off the knurling on the end.
I put my original switch shaft in a vise and knocked off the knob using a hammer and crescent wrench (to tap against the bottom of the knob). It slipped off pretty easily. It looks like two options for putting that knob on the new switch shaft. Drill and tap for a set screw or JB Weld it on the end after cutting new knurls in the shaft.
But, I have a whole other option I think I will do here. You can buy original style chrome knobs with set screws. I think I will do this since all my knobs are black and chrome ones would look better. Plus, my aftermarket radio came with chrome knobs.

Originally Posted by Daze57

roger55
headlight switch - i just rat filed the hole a bit bigger (carefully ) and the switch fit ok .
as far as the knob - i just got one of the set screw type like you were talkin about and loctite (the set screw) it on the shaft - so far no probs
i also loctite the ignition switch bezel and i have had no probs with that either . i also have tightened it up the best i can and so far so good ( so far) lol
also i do have a couple of OEM headlight switches if you decide you want to switch over.
(dont know if you have one or not )
i went to the AAW one only because it was there and new - the OEM switches i have are in great shape and prolly would be ok - but i just decided to use what AAW had.
hope some of this helped

I'm half way through fitting the AAW kit, I couldn't agree more with you guy's on the Ignition & Light switch fitment issues, I guess they're as universal as they get. Aside from that the AAW kit is awesome & I would use one again, however the first thing I did was toss the billet Light Switch knob in the garbage.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Daze57

roger55
headlight switch - i just rat filed the hole a bit bigger (carefully ) and the switch fit ok .
as far as the knob - i just got one of the set screw type like you were talkin about and loctite (the set screw) it on the shaft - so far no probs
i also loctite the ignition switch bezel and i have had no probs with that either . i also have tightened it up the best i can and so far so good ( so far) lol
also i do have a couple of OEM headlight switches if you decide you want to switch over.
(dont know if you have one or not )
i went to the AAW one only because it was there and new - the OEM switches i have are in great shape and prolly would be ok - but i just decided to use what AAW had.
hope some of this helped

If you use Loctite use the blue{serviceable}. if you use the red{permanent} you will get an over dose of fun trying to get it apart if necessary.