Labrauer Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) I started to pull wires that go no where in the 48 Plymouth just hanging down but are hot when key is turned on. Some are just cut off and others are taped over the ends. After pulling those out I have noticed that there are a lot of wires that are bare with no inslulation on them. I also came across some kind of hard things that I don't know what they are. Can some one give me some light on what they are for and if I need them also do you all think I should put a fuse box in when I go to rewire the car. With all the bad wires I guess I can count my blessings that it didn't catch fire. Also I hope the pics came out.http:////s774.photobucket.com/upload/albums/braular Any infromation on what to do will be appreciated, Larry Brauer Edited May 28, 2011 by Labrauer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxer_inv Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 Larry Link for the photos didn't work for me, but by what you're describing, those 'hard things' are possibly just some connectors? If you've got loose and unconnected wires, I suspect someone in the past has had some accessories installed, but then removed. I came across a few during my re-wire project. I re-wired my 47 just using stock wiring diagrams and didn't include a fuse box, but I know there's an argument for it and many of the members have done so. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 Larry, Just a suggestion, not meant in a mean way, - perhaps a Service Manual for your car would have the entire Wiring Diagraham. I would follow it religiously for the sake of "keeping it Stock" then if you entertain "Accessory" notions or add ons follow the instructions. I know how confounding wiring can be I just rewired my 1948 Chrysler Royal. It took months as I am a hard head and chased the wires one at a time, a back breaking tedious task - but hey our spare time (hobby time) is our spare time so what the hey. By the way I bought my Cotton Braided Wire at Rhode Island Wire (www.riwire.com) Travis or Marsha are Real good folks to deal with, I bought wire by the foot, much more economical than buying Harnesses, but much, much, much, (did I mention much?) slower. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labrauer Posted May 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/braular Hope these come out on the forum now so you all can see what I am talking about in the wiring and how bad it is. It is a wonder it didn't catch fire all this time. I don't know what these round things are. Are they fuses or just some kind of connectors? I checked rewire.com and it is going to cost a lot to get the wires from them. I thought I would try EZ-wire and see what they have and the cost they have. Thought of rewiring one wire at a time but as you said it will probably take a longer time to do it that way. Make my mind up for me please. Thanks for any replies on this subject, Larry Brauer Edited May 28, 2011 by Labrauer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 Those are basically butt conectors made of bakelite. Looks like you are a cadidate for a re wire. You can go big with a complete harness from Y and Z or Rhode Island wire, or you could get a basic hot rod wiring harness from speedway or rebelwire. Luckily our cars did not have a ton of circuits so one of the ten circuit deals with a fuse box would do you but you need to ask if they will support the amp draw of 6v if you are staying 6v. Usually they are wired up with 16 gauge stuff. There should be a main 30 amp circuit breaker ( a small metal box with a couple wires attached and the 30 amp fuse on the head lamp switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1941Rick Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 From what I am seeing i would rewire the car....just did my 41 and i was not as bad as that....pretty straight forward job...did mine from scratch as there was no kits available. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossback44 Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 I'm rewiring a '47 Plymouth right now using an EZ wire harness. I have used them before and find them pretty simple to install. Don't miss Greg G's point about 6v vs. 12v. Most of the street rod harnesses, like EZ wire, are sized for 12v which allows smaller wires than 6v requires. Since I'm installing a 360 small block and converting to 12v, I don't have a problem with with the wire size in the harness. Most of the street rod harnesses have wires labeled every few inches which really helps reduce the confusion of rewiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 Larry, Yeah, your at the point of re-wiring there. Those Bakelite Connectors have "Bullet" ends pluged into them. You can get them also, and remember to Solder everything - especially inside your Directional Buckets. They come undone if you don't and reak real havock on your re-wire. Your stuff under the Dash looks real rough, you are probably a good candidate for the Whole Harness. Expensive but much faster. By the way keep your Battery un-hooked when your not using your car, there can be a real Fire Hazzard afoot with all your Bare Wires. Good Luck. I think most of those wire places are good, but RIWire was the one I used. Your Call! Have Fun with it and remember go slow and get it right the first time. I crossed a Wire at my Front Junction Block and it caused a problem I couldn't find for weeks. Tom Skinner Huntersville, NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadworthy Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 I just rewired the '49 this winter. Like you, I was amazed it hadn't caught fire I did everything with individual spools of wire, and lots of assorted connectors. It took a while, but I was able to use all the same colors as in the manuals wiring diagram, and get it all nice and neatly wrapped up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labrauer Posted May 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Hey roadworthy did you use a fuse box to go through when you rewired your car or did you just run the wires from one place to the other? I was thinking of going through a fuse box so if for some reason a short happens it will blow the fuse instead of causing a fire. What do you think is the best way instead of getting a wiring Harness. Thanks for the replies, Larry Brauer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1941Rick Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 If you can get a fuse block I would use it......otherwise in the old days they did not use many....My P12 had a main fuse on the headlight switch...I now have 8 fuses and a fusable link from the battery.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffy49 Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Rewiring my 49 with an EZ Wire kit. Replacement engine has stock 12v accessories. Modern wires with micro-fuses. Rewired my stepson's 54 English Ford one wire at a time. Marine grade "tinned" 10-14g for every circuit. Modular install, used marine grade junction blocks to seperate out each light and the gauges. Used a fused junction block as the main power feed. Glass fuses, boat shops still carry them. We got all our supplies at West Marine. Wiring is easy, just a bit time consuming. Well for our "old" cars and trucks anyway. My 69 Dodge truck will also be getting an aftermarket pre-fab harness with modern fuses. That truck is one big rolling short right now, nothing behind the cab works right. Factory fuse block is crumbling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldguy48 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Here's my fuse/relay panel in my P15. Mounted in the trunk along with the battery. I've converted to 12V, and rewired the whole car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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