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Wiring kits....

Posted By: Chris2581

Wiring kits.... - 01/23/13 09:13 PM

Well I don't have a street rod,but I am putting my race car back on the street...So, I'd like some ideas and suggestions on wiring kits and maybe some pointers.I have a Painless switch unit in the car now and that runs everything just fine,but I also have to have brake lights and turn signals,which the car doesn't have now.

FWIW, I am using the stock Mopar steering column that came with the car (1971 Demon) and I have a factory wiring harness,but it's 40 years old and I obviously want to keep things new.

Any ideas or suggestions are much appreciated.
Posted By: kissmyaspen

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/24/13 03:46 AM

Well I say u have two ways to go about this. you could just buy all the factory wiring new.. Which will be expensive.. Or you can check out ez wire.. They are a lot cheaper than painless.. That's what I'm going to use on my truck when it's ready to be wired.. Its 200 for a 21 circuit.. Are you going to keep your painless switch panel?
Posted By: Chris2581

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/24/13 10:26 PM

What I'd like to do is just add the turn signals and brake lamps,but not sure if thats really feasable,so until I see some other answers,not sure what I will do.

I have looked at all of the major wire companys,but don't want to spend a fortune to re wire the car ...again.
Posted By: poorboy

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/25/13 04:51 AM

If your column still has a good turn signal switch in it, get a fsm and just wire up the turn signal system. That would probably be easier then installing a complete harness. The switch is the hard part. All you need to do is have an ignition hot power source to power the flasher unit and connect wires from the switch terminal to the lights following the wire diagram. Just be sure to ground all the lights good. Gene
Posted By: Hemi Allstate

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/25/13 04:27 PM

If you decide to replace the entire harness, then I think you would like the EZ harness. I used one in my build, and used the Painless switch panel. I used relays and control them with the switches.
The EZ harness has all the wires labeled and that helps BIG TIME !
Other wise Gene has a great idea .

Attached picture 7560798-!cid_002a01ccfa44$06aef070$B421233A@MobileUnit1.jpg
Posted By: Chris2581

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/25/13 10:26 PM

The switch will have to be replaced...but it's not expensive.I guess I could use just the OEM harness I have and pick the lighting stuff out of it and just use that for the brake lamps and turn signals.
Posted By: poorboy

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/26/13 04:23 AM

Quote:

The switch will have to be replaced...but it's not expensive.I guess I could use just the OEM harness I have and pick the lighting stuff out of it and just use that for the brake lamps and turn signals.



Pretty much, usually the original turn and brake wiring fairs pretty well until you get near the taillights where people hack them up for trailer wiring. Past that the condition of the bulb sockets and grounding system are the next problem areas. Mopar liked to ground the lights through the light housings and their mounting screws into sheet metal. I much prefer to attach a ground wire to the bulb socket and to a cleaned metal surface.

I have had real good luck creating a ground point to connect the ground wires to. I grind a clean heavy gauge part of steel that is a structure member of the car/truck. Then I drill a 1/4" hole and insert a new 1/4" bolt, with a new flat washer through the hole. Then I add another flat washer and a 1/4" nut. That gets tightened tight. I add another flat washer above the nut. The ground wires all have a 1/4" loop wire connecter attached to each wire. All the loop connecters go on the bolt, against the 2nd flat washer, then a 3rd flat washer and another nut are added. The second nut is tightened. This gives you a very good ground post, you can connect as many ground wires as will fit on the bolt, and it gives you a great place to connect a test light for future testing. After years of use, if the bolt gets nasty, simple remove the wires, and bolt, re-clean the metal, and install a new bolt and connecters if needed. This system has worked great under my snow plow for 5-6 years before I have to replace the bolt. If you have concerns about the condition of the metal, you can always add a 10 gauge ground wire to the negative battery post. Gene
Posted By: dogdays

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/26/13 05:47 PM

Very good idea.

I have actually considered running a copper bus bar the length of my truck to get everything grounded.

Anyone have a source/part number for a taillight socket for an 1157 bulb?

R.
Posted By: Chris2581

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/27/13 05:30 PM

Appreciate all the info. What I'm going to do is continue to use the Painless switch setup I have now,and I'll use the old Duster harness I have just for the brake and turn signals.All I should have to do is run a hot wire to the switch since the brake lamps go thru the turn signal switch.

This actually gives me the best of both worlds as I'm still going to race my car,but also drive it on the street.
Posted By: poorboy

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/29/13 03:41 AM

The last car I did bulb sockets for (Dec 2012) we got generic sockets off the rack from O'Rileys that had a ground spade already attached. They are the snap in style that fit 3/4" holes (or whatever size it was), but those don't fit in the old lights very well. I also bought a couple cheap bulb sockets and hijacked the wires and springs to install in the original bulb sockets that matched the tail lights. A guy can get away with changing the wires and springs if the socket itself is still good, just another option.

Chris2342, Be sure there are not suppose to be 2 ign hot wires going to the turn switch, one for the front turn lights, and a separate hot wire for the rear lights. the older turn switches had 2 hot wires, and I'm not sure when they changed. There is also a battery hot wire for the 4 way flashers....Now i can't remember if the battery hot for the 4 way flashers was the 2nd hot wire, and i don't have a fsm here to check. Old age sucks, Gene
Posted By: Chris2581

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/29/13 11:56 PM

Thanks for the info! I haven't looked at the FSM either,not to that point with the car yet,but the Painless wiring deal I have(for a race car) has a lamp switch in it that runs the headlamps and running lights,and I have that connected.
Posted By: abodyjoe

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/30/13 03:37 AM

i did my dart with an american auto wire highway 22 kit. very high quality kit.


here is the article on us doing it..










Posted By: abodyjoe

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/30/13 03:38 AM

some diagrams we made up while doing my car..






Posted By: poorboy

Re: Wiring kits.... - 01/30/13 04:25 AM

So according to the last chart, the Brake light wire (white on the switch) should be battery hot, throught the brake light switch. The power wire (red) for the turn signal switch should be Ignition hot, from the fuse box and the 4 way flasher wire (pink) should be battery hot, from the fuse box.
Gene
Posted By: Chris2581

Re: Wiring kits.... - 02/01/13 01:25 AM

Gene, correct info,at least that's the way I saw it in the FSM...

Joe,Thanks mucho for that info...another way I may decide to go when I get to that point. thanks for posting the article and diagrams.
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