Had anyone updated to new wiring harnesses?

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xLURKxDOGx

xLURKxDOGx

"An angel fat, at satan's feast"
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My 63 Valiant is a clusterfuck/Rats nest and I'm getting tired of dealing with it, I know there aren't many options out there but does anyone have any pointers or suggestions on how to start this or any suppliers?

Thanks.

Jake
 
abodyjoe said:
i've used ametican auto wire highway 22 kit.... very high quality and complete kit..
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Is it a universal kit? Easy install? I'm assuming most aren't plug and play. Thanks for the suggestion.

Jake
 
I used the Painless wiring mopar kit and they should change their name to pain in the *** wiring . It sucked but it's doable , and I'm not that great at electrical .
 
I scabbed a late model harness and fuse block from a junk yard charger for a project. You have to draw up your own diagram though, unless you want to re terminate all the wires with the correct color wire. Great if you add a bunch of junk to your car, not great if you're close to stock. If your car is electrically simple (as I'd imagine a stock '63 would be? ), this not too bad.

If the harness is ok physically and capable of all functions as designed, just untangle it, undo all the crap "fixes" one at a time the right way, and line it up all pretty. This is the best bet if near stock, and no reproduction harness is available. If you take the seats out, this can actually be quite enjoyable and rewarding. I've reached a point where I typically enjoy harness work. Isn't that messed up?
 
www.evanswiring.com will make you a good quality new engine bay wiring harness for your '63 for affordable money. They also make dashboard harnesses but they sell those only thru Year One last time I checked.
 
last evens engine harness i bought had bad crimps all over the damn thing.. wiper harness also had bad crimps all over it. then a quick google search revealed it was a common problem with them.. just say no to evans garbage..
 
I had used many Evans harnesses ( engine) decades back. all were great. maybe the quality has changed and the people doing the work. sad if true.

I would consider a GOOD used under dash harness for your application, from a member here you have confidence in. yes the plastic covering the wire is old but not deterated like the engine harness were heat is a factor.
 
I sourced a Mirada underdash harness to use in my 65 wagon. I modified it extensively to suit what's going in the dash and at the engine harness connector (engine harness wiring also modified extensively to suit what I'm doing). Was an easy way to upgrade to late model blade fuses
 
I bought a Ron Francis kit. They did a lot of custom modifications based on my specifications. Not close to stock, but the Access 24/7 kit is amazing because it has a magnetic mount that's super easy to work with. Also, ditch the firewall connecter, drill all the holes out with a 1/4" bit and just pass the wires through. Most of your electrical woes are likely coming from that connecter. It always goes bad. ALWAYS.
 
I've had no problems with the three Evans harnesses I've bought in the last five years, and the workmanship was quite good. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
I bought all my wireing harnesses through year one I think they were H&R or H&M I haven't got it completely installed but they seem to be a quality product. I only bought with a 30% off code.
 
73hcode said:
I bought all my wireing harnesses through year one I think they were H&R or H&M I haven't got it completely installed but they seem to be a quality product. I only bought with a 30% off code.
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you got lucky then.. maybe they bought new crimp tool.. mine was horrible. i'll never us that garbage again..
 
73hcode said:
I bought all my wireing harnesses through year one I think they were H&R or H&M I haven't got it completely installed but they seem to be a quality product. I only bought with a 30% off code.
Click to expand...
Yup...M+H...using their underhood harness on my '67 Dart....beautiful!
 
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abodyjoe said:
easy install depends on your ability. no not plug and play
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Totally agree. Unless you know what you are doing, even a plug and play harness can have its challenges. Let's say a prior owner did some hacking, or there has been some rodent gnawing, that means that even a plug and play harness will not match what you see in the car now. If you have to do ANY altering or massaging on a harness, you'd better be fairly skilled at auto electrical. If M&H makes harnesses for your car, they are the BEST. Buy them and do not look back. Also, buy or download a good wiring diagram. I don't want to scare you off, but wiring can be tricky. Good luck.
 
Thanks to everyone that responded and gave me a good direction to go with, much appreciated.

Jake
 
I ordered a under dash harness and engine/front harness from Yearone built by M&H. I haven't installed it yet. but it looks well built and to me a complete plug n play. I will be splicing in a 98 ram efi engine and trans harness. Should be pretty easy though...
 
jos51700 said:
I scabbed a late model harness and fuse block from a junk yard charger for a project. You have to draw up your own diagram though, unless you want to re terminate all the wires with the correct color wire. Great if you add a bunch of junk to your car, not great if you're close to stock. If your car is electrically simple (as I'd imagine a stock '63 would be? ), this not too bad.

If the harness is ok physically and capable of all functions as designed, just untangle it, undo all the crap "fixes" one at a time the right way, and line it up all pretty. This is the best bet if near stock, and no reproduction harness is available. If you take the seats out, this can actually be quite enjoyable and rewarding. I've reached a point where I typically enjoy harness work. Isn't that messed up?
Click to expand...

Jos, when do you want to come visit, I've been putting off the wires for weeks!
 
Unlikely you can find a new harness for 1963 since those had fairly unique bulkhead connectors - 1 full width, 1 half-width. On the upside, you have fewer wires and the thick ALT and BAT wires are via thick buss-bars which don't melt like most years. If you want more under-hood wires (AC, washer pump, ...), consider installing a 1965 bulkhead, since it has 2 full-width connectors, plus the buss-bars. I put that in my 1964 (doesn't have buss-bars). Buy an under-dash harness (ebay) to get the connector. B and C bodies work. You will have to rewire some of that since your push-button dash is different. I would put all new wires on the engine side, since those are usually degraded. But, a great time to upgrade to relays and such. Indeed, I installed a relay/fuse box from a ~95 Jeep in all my old Mopars.
 
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