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Wire Harness


pkelley3700

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Good day everyone. I am new to this site and have found it to be very informative. I have searched the site for a while and could not locate the answer to my question. I am in the process of a frame off restoration of a 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe. This project is about 95% complete, however she has been neglected for a number of decades. There is extensive rust and decay, but it is worth saving. I want to keep everything as original as possible including the 6 volt system. The question I pose is; would buying a complete wire harness be a good move or making my own? Also, where would I find a proper harness? I plan on installing one ought battery cables, but not sure what gauge to use for the rest. Thank you all.

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There is a company that makes the wiring harness that looks original.  Which is probably what I would do on a resto.  I also believe they can supply the proper looking wire for anything you may have added.  It's under the links directory at the top of this page.

 

http://www.riwire.com/

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RI is a great choice...I have installed several in 1946-52 MoPars.

Better than Y&Z....weak connector and labeling issues.

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Be careful to note where the horn relay is located..

Early or late model p15's have the horn relay mounted in different places...in front of the radiator drivers side and or drivers side inner fender panel...requires a different harness.

I don't remember if RI lists more than one production model change...call them and ask questions before ordering.

Do you still have your old harness to compare old to new?

Anyway RI instructions are good and clear...and the factory wiring diagram is a must too.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

Be careful to note where the horn relay is located..

Early or late model p15's have the horn relay mounted in different places...in front of the radiator drivers side and or drivers side inner fender panel...requires a different harness.

 

 

 

 

My 46 has it in front of the radiator, in the center (right next to the horns).

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A sample out of a 2005 RI harness catalog P15...early/ late changes in harness options depending on serial#.

20210107_193215.jpg

20210107_193156.jpg

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Don't be timid about giving the folks at Rhode Island Wiring a call.  They will go over your requirements with you to recommend what best serves your needs.  They will even advise if something you may be looking at is not the right product.  I've been getting wiring for our Terraplane from them.  They are very helpful.  Although it may appear daunting, the wiring harnesses of these cars are fairly easy to deal with, even if you have missing sections.  Routing may be in question if you don't have where it originally went, but that's where we come in ?.

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RI is also the company I got my 1940 D14 wiring harness from. It is a top quality product with great care taken to original appearance with higher quality than original equipment. I am presently very close to installation and it should go pretty good considering the detailed documentation that comes with it. I installed the headlight pigtails already and you have to preserve and install the flange that is used to fasten the wiring to the headlight bucket if you have the spiralled cover that goes over the wiring. I remember getting the harness for my 39 chev from JC Whitney about 40 years ago and not one short yet! Wiring is one of the best things to replace on any one of these old cars since the shellac coated textile insulation on the old stuff has the same flammability as BBQ starter. All the best on your restoration!

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I used YnZ for three cars and had no problems. For your purposes, a wiring harness for RI or YnZ is the way to go. Hopefully, you have not installed your headliner yet as some of the wiring is covered by it and would likely be impossible to install with it in place. Good luck with the project.

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Not that I know of, but you can try. But having the wiring schematic you are miles ahead of the game. Go to office depot and  have it printed. several copies, large over 40 (AGE) print. multiple sheets if needed. Be sure you seal the joints where harnesses come together with self sealing tape. RI breaks it down into sections, So should you and make notes. Lots of notes.

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I have also been eyeing all the wiring choices on RI's website, and they have a great selection for sure! The interior wiring on my 49 is still in decent shape for it's age, but a lot of the wiring under the hood is down to bare wires in some places. My next project is to rebuild the carb and replace the harness going between it and the transmission as I know it's already been very poorly spliced in a few spots. I've been contemplating trying to order the color and period correct wire from them to make my own replacement versus spending over $200 on a pre-made one from them. I know several of you have made your own harnesses so would you say that it's cheaper and hopefully worth the effort? I'm not looking to keep everything exactly stock, but I would like to at least try to make it look as close as possible.

 

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The wire and correct connectors will probably cost you as much as the pre-made wiring. Turning a bunch of individual wires into a harness is time intensive if you want to have it look good. The pre made harnesses also use the same colour codes as original wiring. This pays off later on when you have to trace circuits while doing electrical troubleshooting.  My best wishes M

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1 hour ago, Marcel Backs said:

The wire and correct connectors will probably cost you as much as the pre-made wiring. Turning a bunch of individual wires into a harness is time intensive if you want to have it look good. The pre made harnesses also use the same colour codes as original wiring. This pays off later on when you have to trace circuits while doing electrical troubleshooting.  My best wishes M

Thanks Marcel, I guess I hadn't looked into it enough to price every single part I needed but I had thought it might be cheaper. You make a good point about having it done right and looking good, I'm willing to pay a little extra to have a quality job rather than be disappointed with the results of trying it myself.

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hey 49

I lived in Golden CO and had the time of my life in the rockies! The folks at RI have the wiring down to an art form and you can't go wrong. They also sell individual components. I will soon be contacting them for wire and fittings to install signal lights on my D 14. all the best M

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