re-wiring question

[Young Ed]

Contemplating rewiring of the p15. It certainly needs it. What I would like to do it order enough of the factory appearing wire to do the underhood sections. I did some searching around here and found a chart for the pilot house trucks that has the lengths added to the wiring diagram. Am I correct in thinking that the underhood stuff would be similar? My rewiring plan of attack is to pull the dash with all the wiring still connected to the instruments etc. Then recreate the harness and attach to my newly painted dash and reinstall. Sounds so easy doesn't it!

[1948Skip]

Dodgepu1946

Why not check into the outfit in Rhode Island that makes up complete wire harness. At present the name escapes me.

Skip

[Young Ed]

Thats who I will probably order the factory appearing wire from if it isn't too expensive. The premade harness for a p15 adds up to about $700 if you have them do it.

[steveplym]

I rewired my p-15 last summer. Here's the link to the thread on the project and there were some pics in there too.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=3666&highlight=rewiring+my+p15

I did like you are talking and pulled the instrument panel out of the dash with the dash removed and everything still connected. Pulled the old tape off the original wiring harness and replaced it one wire at a time. I actually had a wiring diagram and each wire I would replace I would mark off the list.

I used some heavy duty wire I had and used the correct gauge as I found the sizes on the 50's model Plymouths wiring diagrams. I went ahead and soldered the connectors and any splices I had. Also resoldered the old bulb sockets and fuse holders back into the wiring. Was fairly easy and took only a couple weekends.

I looked into purchasing a wiring harness from Rhode Island too, but that can get pretty pricey and I wanted to spend the big bucks elsewhere on the car. Especially when I have a really nice wiring harness now and it cost me about $100 or less. Good luck!

[Young Ed]

Thanks Steve I read part of your thread last night. Pretty much the plan I have too. I might pull the wiring completely out and bring it inside where its warm

[Tim Frank]

The place is Rhode Island Wiring Service www.riwire.com

They will supply full harnesses or the parts to DIY.

Rgds,

Tim

[Frank Blackstone]

Painless wants $700.00 for my 72 Pontiac. I am with you Steve as a DIY kind of guy. I have done enough wiring on other projects that I am going to tackle it my self AND solder ALL the connections. I got a handy little propane pencil torch solders in seconds. Painless wants 200 just for the fuse box. The P-15 looks simple enough and def innately more room to work than my other rides. Thanks for telling how successful your job turned out.

[Frank Blackstone]

flashing light that tells me I forgo to cancel the signal. If it is I need one. Where did you get yours? Forgetful Frank

[Young Ed]

Spent a little time looking under the hood of the p15. I discovered some extra wiring for the starting system that the truck diagram doesn't include. So I will have to use the plymouth diagram to double check the truck one.

[greg g]

There was a thread a few years back from a fellow who pulled the entire harness and layed it out as it would be stretched out on a 4 x 8 sheet. the then fastened them in place with push pins or something similar and labled each piece with it attachment points, and then stripped the binding stuff and did each wire individually to assure it wa the proper length and the proper gauge and color etc. 1 wire at a time. I happened across a repoped front harness for my Studebaker at Hershey. I got it home and layed it out on the floor, I went through it wire by wire checking continuity and then matching up the ends as per the chart for there location. This harness is fairly simple, it has a few wires for the OD circuit that I won't be using. But this process took me about two hours to sort through the wires colors tracer stripes and gauges. And it is about a 25 wire harness.

Take your time and do it methodically and you ashould be fine, especially if you can replicate the old one wire by wire.

[Young Ed]

I do remember the plywood thing. Didn't come across the thread when I was looking around before posting. That's basically what I will be doing to. I'm trying to figure out what wire to order a head of time although I probably do have plenty of projects to work on while the wire comes in the mail.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I just purchased $185.00 of all the correct colors and guages from "Rhode Island Wiring"to rewire/repair the harniss on a 48 chrysler. RI has everything you will need. There are other suppliers too.I`ve always done all my own harniss complete rewire/repairs. It`s kinda fun to do. I use either correct new ends or reuse the original harniss ends. You need to know how to solder well. You need to carefully study the harniss-preferably remove it completely/photograph it well/measure/ exactly match color codes and guages and you will SAVE $$$$$$.

Bob

[Young Ed]

Wow $185. I was hoping to come in a little less then that

[Merle Coggins]

When I was making the harness for my truck I looked at the old sections and measured lengths. The wiring diagram in my shop manual listed sizes and colors for each wire. Between the diagram and my measurements I determined aproximetly what I'd need. Then I went shopping at Farm & Fleet. I got WAY more wire than I needed. I typically bought 100 ft. spools of each color and size. A few sizes I bought a 15 or 25 ft package as I only would need a small amount. I don't think I spent much more than $100 for all of the wire. When I'm all done I'll make up a rack in my garage for all of the spools. I shouldn't need any wire for a while.

Merle

[Normspeed]

Ed, I came in at way less than that but I just used primary wire from the parts store, in the correct guages and colors. I tagged all the wire ends before I pulled the harness, then laid it out, removed the tape, and cut new wires, temporarily holding them together with zip ties to keep them routed correctly. As I added each terminal, I swapped the tag from old to new.

When I tagged them I just labeled them like "regulator top, regulator middle", etc. Made it easy to hook back up. The photo is my new engine harness and OD harness ready to install. I didn't tape mine, I used plastic split loom covers. Worked out pretty good.

[Young Ed]

I'm trying to plan carefully and order correct appearing wire for only the stuff under the hood. I will use plastic stuff for the under dash etc. Hopefully that will land me somewhere between Bobs 185 and Merles under 100. I have a buddy who works at a hardware store who will get me a discount on the plastic wire and the terminals.

[steveplym]

flashing light that tells me I forgo to cancel the signal. If it is I need one. Where did you get yours? Forgetful Frank

I bought the whole switch on ebay for about $20 and yes the green knob on the end is the flashing indicator.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I always use original cloth wire installed exactly as per the original on all nice original MoPar cars. Chrysler cars use at least 30 percent more wiring than a Plymouth. Also much more heavier guage circuitry too. Plastic wiring costs 1/2 as much! You can buy it at 7-Eleven! $185.00 will do more than 1 car for clip and solder repairs. RI wants $1200.00 for all the wiring assemblys for a 1946-8 NewYorker! Y and Z probably close.

Bob

[Normspeed]

Bob, I was wondering why some of that primary wire came with a coupon for a free slurpee!

[Young Ed]

Got another question. To save on so many wire types could I use 14 in place of the items listed at 16g? That would make it mostly 12 and 14 with a few 10 items mixed in.

[Normspeed]

I think that could only help the current flow. I did that on some circuits. With the 6 volt setup, bigger is better as long as the larger wire fits and bends where needed. Just my opinion.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Too much copper might make your vehicle a target for theft!

Bob