Stock wiring harness and battery?

[Shawn F.]

My 46 Chrysler is in need of a wiring harness before I even try and get the thing running. Since it was sitting for about 10 years out in the grass and field during winter, summer, rain, snow, etc the wiring is all beat up, eaten up by mice and not safe. I MAY do a 12V conversion some time down the road but for now it will stay 6V so I want a 6V harness (which I like better due to the fact it's heavier gauge wiring). Basically I want to change ALL the wiring including, engine compartment, interior/dash, headlights, taillights, transmission, etc. Where is the best place to get a full wiring harness kit for this thing for a fair price?

Also how about an Optima dry cell battery? Is there such thing as one for 6 Volt?

Thanks for any help and information.

[David Maxwell]

Yes they sell 6 volt Optimas. I have one and love it. Got mine at Costco.

Even if you go 12 volt, the 6 volt wire harness is a great idea. The only reason they reduced the wire gauge when they went to 12 volt systems is because they could. The 6 volt harness is better and will work well on a 12 volt system.

[Plymouthy Adams]

My memory has drawn a blank here but I just bought a ar that came with a NIB wiring harness...it is letter perfect with the correct terminals wire color and type (cloth) etc etc..I will try to get the company name for you when I get home..not cheap but dead on...highly recommend for restore..however..for daily driver and car not being shown..you can easily replace the wires yourself..there are relatively no wires in these old cars...

[greg g]

A couple different ways have been mentioned to replace wires. The old time worn one wire at a time deal, and a couple fellows have removed the old harness for example the under hood bundle, carefully labeling each end as to where it came from and where it goes. This was then laid out on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood or something similar, and by loosly tie wrapping it in its rough position to the board, disecting the bundle and rebuilding it one wire at a time. As Tim mentioned there is not, by modern standards much wire in these old beasts. ALso as you probably know there isn't muchin the way of fuses, basically a 30 amp circuit breaker and a 30 amp fuse on the back of the headlight switch. So while you are redoing the harness, installing a 10 circuit fuse box is probably a good plan. there is a lot of room up under the dash for one if you wanna hid it or on the inner fender if thats handy.

[steveplym]

I stocked up on plenty of connectors, wiring in the correct gauge per the wiring diagrams in the manual, and did it myself. Didn't do anything fancy. I took the dash out and unwrapped all the old wiring, then I took off one wire at a time, recreating that section of wire with the right connectors and lengths. Marked off each wire I replaced on the wiring diagram. Once I replaced all of it, I rewrapped the wiring with good old wally world electrical tape. Put it back in the original harness holders and didn't have one problem.

I went ahead and changed my turn signal switch and converted my hydraulic brake light switch to a manual switch from watson street works. One of the best things I ever did. It really is pretty easy as there is not a ton of wiring to replace. Took me about two weekends with a few weekdays as well.

[oldmopar]

I have used 2 wiring harness one a 6 volt made by Rhode island Wiring original cloth color reproduction of original

and a 12v harness made by American Auto wire a generic style

Nither one is cheap the rhode island 6v repro is around $400. I got that one at a discount from ebay a few years ago about $50.00 new and unused was set up for a Pilot house truck. The 12v was about $300 you can get them cheaper but this was well done

[Plymouthy Adams]

If you want a generic 12 upgrade with multiple circuit, breakers, fuses relays etc built in...the It's a Snap company had a very affordable unit..can choose between firewall, underdash or underseat and I think I saw a trunk mounted fuse box...also have one of these NIB that will probably go on the 48 Plymouth someday...may as well use it as it came with a car I bought...

[Shawn F.]

I was thinking about changing one wire at a time but began looking at the wires and they are all starting to crumble apart and frayed, wires internally are shoring through the cloth and touching eachother, etc. I went through so many electrical problems with my 66 F100 (and still am) that I want to just redo all the wires in this thing along with switches, bulbs, fuses, etc. I like the old cloth style wiring just because it's got the old look and I like the fact that the 6V are heavier gauge wires and I can always swap to 12V later. For now I really want to just get the car started and drive it around some before doing major reconstruction like putting the engine and tranny and fixing the engine and engine compartment up real nice, doing the interior, etc. Another reason to get it started is to see what is wrong and what needs attention first before I go buying something I really don't need and then not have money for something that really needs work.

Well sorry for all the questions guys and I really appreciate all the help. I will look at Costo or Sams for that Optima battery, I think that will be the way I will go even though it isn't old looking like I like but that is ok.

[Young Ed]

I'm getting closer to having my spare dash for the p15 all painted and ready to put in. I keep thinking while the dash is out it should be rewired. Problem is I need to have the car driveable for a fall tour on 10-5 and then after that it needs to drive to storage. Anyone have a realistic time for recreating my own harness?

[martybose]

I used a Rhode Island complete setup on my 47. Not cheap, but good quality. They are also willing to make custom changes for you; I added turn signal wiring, upped the wire gauge and added a relay to the headlight circuits so I could run 6V halogens, and a bunch of other little stuff.

Marty

[greg g]

I think that when folks referred to one wire at a time it was as a strategy to replacing all the wires, not as a piecemeal replacement for faulty circuits.

[steveplym]

I think that when folks referred to one wire at a time it was as a strategy to replacing all the wires, not as a piecemeal replacement for faulty circuits.

Right Greg. I went thru and replaced one wire at a time. That way i wouldn't forget where this circuit goes or that circuit. Replaced the whole harness, but did it one section at a time. Was easier for me, but for some it may be easier to rip the whole harness out and start over from scratch.

[oldmopar]

Right Greg. I went thru and replaced one wire at a time. That way i wouldn't forget where this circuit goes or that circuit. Replaced the whole harness, but did it one section at a time. Was easier for me, but for some it may be easier to rip the whole harness out and start over from scratch.

The Rhode island set up I had was planned like that one bag had headlight wiring another ignition and so on. But with a good wiring diagram you can also rip everything out and if you have the dash out it may be the way to go. I do not have the link anymore but back on the old board blueskies had a pretty good write up on his website on how he installed his harness

Ed

[Young Ed]

Anyone know of a DIY kit like Pete used with thick enough wires for 6v?

[bob_amos]

I own an auto electrical and A/C shop. We have had great service from Gene at YnZ wiring. They are in Southern California. www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com.

(909)798-1498. His work is absolutely perfect. He can also modify any harness for future additions or change for something that you may want now. Prices are reasonable and Gene is a real nice guy to do business with.

[BobT-47P15]

If you make your own, use more than one color wire.

His work was good, but son-in-law used all brown wire for what he did on the Plymouth....just made tags on each wire from masking tape. Maybe a color marker mark also.

Well, fast forward to a few years later......after the markers have disappeared. Now ya gotta do a circuit check to make sure you have the same wire at both ends. He was saving money by purchasing all the same color wire, but makes it a little more trouble later.

I think there are basically only two gauges (or maybe 3 at the most) in these old MoPar systems.

The P15 manual does not give wire gauges, but the diagram for the 1950 and up models does have it.

[David Maxwell]

inside a vintage Mopar case. Click on this link to see the pic.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/bojeta/47%20Plymouth%20Restoration/TRV24.jpg

[Normspeed]

I got all my wire from NAPA in blister packs. only need 5 or 6 colors. Once everything was in place and connected I wrapped with that black poly split loom. Not a favorite of mine for looks but better than a bunch of loose wires flopping around.

Bob, your son-in-law could go back in and trace the wires, and put colored heat shrink on all ends for color code.

If you make your own, use more than one color wire.

His work was good, but son-in-law used all brown wire for what he did on the Plymouth....just made tags on each wire from masking tape. Maybe a color marker mark also.

Well, fast forward to a few years later......after the markers have disappeared. Now ya gotta do a circuit check to make sure you have the same wire at both ends. He was saving money by purchasing all the same color wire, but makes it a little more trouble later.

I think there are basically only two gauges (or maybe 3 at the most) in these old MoPar systems.

The P15 manual does not give wire gauges, but the diagram for the 1950 and up models does have it.

[Shawn F.]

I am THINKING (just thinking here lol) that I may go with the original cloth looking wiring. Same with my spark plug wires. The plug wires on the car now are eaten all the way through and no good. What do you guys think on cloth spark plug wires? Like I said, I want to get this thing just running down the road for now and then later I want to fix up the motor with high performance parts, change the motor over to a PCV setup (someone said to do this) and whatever else needs and should be done for more power and reliability. I am going to check the car over again today and make a list of things that it needs first.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Think you will find that the cloth on the high voltage ignition wires will get damp and such and will acr over a lot...the two piece hood design is sorta not geared for staying completely dry....might looks good but not practical in my thinking

[Reg Evans]

I'm getting ready to install some of the cloth spark plug wires. I wonder if a couple extra coats of clear coat would help with the arking?

[Plymouthy Adams]

very many years ago was reworking an old torpedo launcher...it had cloth covered wires adnd was just getting a tad on the tattered look...took clear plastic tubing and sleeved the wiring keeping the cloth in place..results were fantastic..wires looked great, totally capable of being protected and easily wiped down in the future..you may be able to do something similar here..that way you are protected and the tubing will be flexible...would think clear coating would dry and crack and not yield to bending when handled later.

[Shawn F.]

Ok well I didn't know that, thanks for warning me. I will go with plain black one's then. I went to NAPA to buy some and they didn't even have the correct ones. They gave me some from a 8 cylinder and the ends were not right and would NOT work.

[55 Fargo]

Shawn, if you want black wires with original ends order from Roberts or Bernbaums, about $20 for the set, but heck if you really want cloth it's your car, do what you feel is best. You could also get the ever dry kit, for the sparkplugs, it will keep em dry in the evnt rain leaks in over them.

The thing is it's your car, it's nice to get advice, but ultimately you have do what you really want to do, and get to live with the results. Get your brakes in condition, get the car running well, drive the car, see how you how like the car, then do your mods after that, at your own pace, the disc brake idea is always a good one, and is reversible if need be. Happy motoring..........Fred

[PatS....]

Ok well I didn't know that, thanks for warning me. I will go with plain black one's then. I went to NAPA to buy some and they didn't even have the correct ones. They gave me some from a 8 cylinder and the ends were not right and would NOT work.

Shawn, when dealing with an old car like this, you need to find a parts store that has been around for a very long time. Usually a smaller mom and pop type store, not the big box stores. The employees at big box stores usually are not "career" partsmen and they have had little to do with our era cars.

The small mom and pop stores many times have partsmen who have been at it for 30+ years, likely at the same store. These guys really know their stuff and you don't get the deer in the headlights look when you ask for a part for a '46 Chrysler.

Just ask around to find out the parts store in your area that has been in business the longest and then when you get there line up behind the "greybeard" behind the counter.