For those that have done frame up restos...

[kas83]

...what have you done as far as the factory wiring goes? I'm going to take mine down to the frame in the future, and was just wondering about what others have done.

Reason I ask is that I was helping my uncle on his 87 Chevy 3/4 ton, and we were redoing the engine compartment harness. We got a setup from Painless, and was great. However, once we started looking into the truck some more, we noticed quite a bit of problem areas, where stuff had been cut out when the truck was gutted by theives. We wound up getting the entire 18 circuit harness for that truck from them, and were amazed to see the quality over stock components. Install was smooth as silk, everything works way better than the botched theft recovery stuff did, and for around $700, I feel it was a great deal.

I've been looking, and they don't have an entire kit for our trucks, but they have a 20 circuit universal harness that might work. Many talk of the inferior wiring that these trucks came with, just wondering how you guys have remedied this.

 

[F350farmboy]

I would like to know as well, some hacking has been done before.....but unfortunately, not all from the P.O's

 

[jperecko]

Elevator wire- bundle of 18 wires each labeled "one" to "eighteen" 9 yellow and 9 orange. I plan to do most of the truck with that. Larger wire for grounds and higher amperage stuff. Should be fun. I think I am leaving the wires that run back for the lights but everything up front is gonna be from scratch.

 

[Agnem]

Aside from the damage that people do, most wiring harness stuff holds up over time pretty well. Everything that is wrapped up and out of the sun will look pretty good when you get to it. I think most guys doing resto's have just tried to find an intact decent shape harness from a donor.

 

[trackspeeder]

The wire harness on the 85 was in good shape where it was protected. It had issues at the light switch (famous brown wire) Ended up rewiring the switch with some new wire. Replaced a couple of broken connector from an existing harness. The engine harness I will fab from scratch, because of a couple of electrical changes.

 

[fx4wannabe]

The only harness on my truck that could use some help is the glow plug wiring. I am going to make up a new one eventually.

 

[IDIeselman]

Aside from the damage that people do, most wiring harness stuff holds up over time pretty well. Everything that is wrapped up and out of the sun will look pretty good when you get to it. I think most guys doing resto's have just tried to find an intact decent shape harness from a donor.

Yes Sir, Much easier than making your own.