Joke - selling wiring sections

[Bryan]

Tried to get my wife laughing..didn't work.  I was telling her I should cut all my original cloth braided wire that has been protected by rubber sheathing into small 6 inch sections, and sell them on Ebay for $50 a piece.   Seems the going practice on morals these days. That way people could install whatever wiring they wanted in their cars, and splice the original sections on the exposed ends, and please the judges at car shows.   I COULD BE RICH!! ? ?

[Plymouthy Adams]

for those wishing to have braided terminated ends jutting out from a wrapped harness....you may have a marvelous idea here for marketing....but I am afraid you may would have to supply the terminal on one end all whipped up nicely...else they have a hack job as before...

[Bryan]

No, I would never do that but thought it was funny, especially given prices on Ebay for original stuff.   Yeah, I keep assuming that most people could learn to do a decent terminal connection, but again, this is meant as a joke.

[Plymouthy Adams]

could and would are two different animals.  Anyone could take an extra minute and put things correctly...dress right dress as the saying goes....but sadly many do not take that time and do the hack instead...  I saw your humor.....maybe I should not have added the reality.....?

[dgrinnan]

Some of the parts the sellers really have you by the short ones.  I saw a listing on Ebay for "Restored Grill Bolts".  Exactly what it sounds like.  the bolts used to fasten the grill Trim to the front of the truck.  They polished the exposed head.  the bolt itself is still rusty.  Anyone want to venture a guess the cost of 9 bolts and 1 screw?  $175.  Don't forget the tax and $6.20 shipping.  To your point, we could probably retire if we wanted to part out our trucks.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by dgrinnan

[plymouthcranbrook]

Of course you can ask whatever you want for parts or cars. I have almost completely stopped looking at Flea-Bay for the reasons you quote.  Still in order to sell you must find a buyer. At those prices you only need one though.

Edited December 1, 2021 by plymouthcranbrook

[Eneto-55]

Back to the idea of reusing the old wire, on a serious note:  I used wire we scavenged out of other old cars back when I redid the wiring harness on my 46 (1980-81), but now all of the wire wrap is very brittle.  My question: I wonder if there is something a person could use to treat the cloth covering that would make it pliable again.  (Except that on mine, it isn't just the weave that is falling apart, it is the rubber insulation inside that is really brittle.)  

[Plymouthy Adams]

one of the reasons that reusing the older wire is not such a good idea.  the rubber polymers back in the day were known to break down and thus the cloth coating...if cracks occured...the cloth would prevent exposure.  If cloth is breached your wiring is exposed and could be an accident waiting to happen.   Not all wire is created equal and each has its own limitations and applications the gauge, coatings and strand count.  With 6 volt and the heavier gauge needed local wire purchased can be very limited....source from wrecked cars is also scarce for gauge and particularly longer lengths.  If converting to 12, the junkyards are almost limitless in supply.

[Bryan]

Most of the ignition wire was eat up by mice or squirrels.  The head light and park light cables would have been ok, but the rubber outer sheathing bound to the 2 cloth covered wires was brittle. Could not flex it at all w/o cracking. If I get the time today I'll flex the cloth wire that was rubber sheathed and see how it does.

[Los_Control]

I will say, "Do not do what I do!" 

Was a time when I did not have a nickle to spend on my project. Was recently disabled and working through the process of social security disability.

 

Anyways I was attempting to turn a old rusted up model 61 heater into something usable. Wife used food stamps and bought a gallon of molasses for me, brother inlaw had some blue spray paint he gave me. Mother inlaw donated some thread & wife had some finger nail polish ... I got it done. Came out ok.

Anyways I wrapped the bare spots in the original wire with white thread, then painted the thread with fingernail polish.

This photo was taken about 4 years after I did the repairs with the thread .... seems to hold up ok ... kinda.

 

I changed projects since then. I had a blue truck so needed a blue heater. Now I have a black truck and will need to paint the heater again.

riginal cloth has come off., needs more thread & paint ? ? ?

 

 

1 hour ago, Eneto-55 said:

Back to the idea of reusing the old wire, on a serious note: 

Just saying there is a way to repair short sections. I did it at the time for my own reasons, I doubt I would do it again. When I paint the heater I plan to properly replace with new modern wire. Switching to 12 volt and probably switch the motor while at it.

On 11/30/2021 at 6:05 AM, Bryan said:

Tried to get my wife laughing..didn't work. 

I laughed. I found something similar in a 52 suburban. There is a channel above the doors on the headliner for the tail light wiring. 3 or 4 wires 10' long, never seen the light of day ... I thought I found gold. I never bothered to remove it though as the car was heading to the scrap yard.

Edited December 1, 2021 by Los_Control