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View Full Version : Wiring, To build a harness or buy a kit?



Protour_Pinto
04-04-2017, 01:11 PM
For me the one thing I dont look forward to the most of every project is the wiring.
I always try to barter my way out of it by doing anything but wiring, tune up a rowdy horse? wrestle an alligator? dig a ditch? Im your Huckleberry. Wire a car or bike and you will hear nothing but bellyaching.
So im at the point on this project where I should start thinking of the wiring and plumbing. Soon I will tear apart my perfectly running and driving low mileage '85 Toyota Pickup and plunk it on the chassis I have been making.
So as I think about it I can either just splice in my American Excess into the Japanese Utilitarian and be done with it. Forcing SAE and the Metric systems to get along and not having too much trouble doing so, BUT....
I am hoping to recover as many green dollars as I can by selling the original rolling chassis with all the running gear and thinking I can get a few more of those green coupons to roll over into the project if I include the harness and computers for the EFI with the deal.
I know the kits from places like Painless and AAW can be a bit pricey but have seen some budget friendly kits too.
My truck will have no power windows and things like that so I have been looking at some of the smaller kits, I just need it to run a engine harness for a '75, If I gut the truck of its harness I will put in some aftermarket gauges and switches so those would be relatively easy to wire. Maybe have the option for A.C. in the future.
Is there a kit people like? Dislike?
Its not that I cant do the wiring, Just hate doing it.

chpr1972
04-05-2017, 03:37 PM
I would use a universal kit and make sure it has enough relays to run the accessories. If you use a aftermarket A/C it might come with it's own relay system. If you are planning on running 1 or 2 fans, electric fuel pump, aftermarket headlites, and any other accessory loke that you will need a large cable to a fuse to a relay for each item. I run a top /side terminal battery with the top running the car and the side terminal running my accessories fuse like a large stereo system and 7 different relays. I took an old ford solenoid and gutted it and ran my cable thru a stereo fuse and then my relays off of that terminal. I then used the other side of the solenoid I used for all my grounds. I did not think thru sall the different things that I might/did add!

Protour_Pinto
04-11-2017, 10:52 AM
I would use a universal kit and make sure it has enough relays to run the accessories. If you use a aftermarket A/C it might come with it's own relay system. If you are planning on running 1 or 2 fans, electric fuel pump, aftermarket headlites, and any other accessory loke that you will need a large cable to a fuse to a relay for each item. I run a top /side terminal battery with the top running the car and the side terminal running my accessories fuse like a large stereo system and 7 different relays. I took an old ford solenoid and gutted it and ran my cable thru a stereo fuse and then my relays off of that terminal. I then used the other side of the solenoid I used for all my grounds. I did not think thru sall the different things that I might/did add!

Thanks for the advice, I have been "Interviewing" a couple of the Wiring vendors and have decided that AAW will be my choice.

I will get a generic kit that would be overkill for my truck so it will allow me or the next owner to expand without a huge headache.

ryanleiker
04-11-2017, 01:03 PM
Here's the kit I'm going to use for my Nova... but you could possibly change fuse blocks if you wanted to change the terminals over.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Universal-22-Circuit-Wiring-Harness,229874.html
I also use this relay/fuse module for my LS swaps. Comes in a variety or orientations and has a good price.
https://www.waytekwire.com/manf/15/EATON/&sc=1369

Protour_Pinto
04-11-2017, 01:33 PM
Thanks for the information, I will have to look into that before I pull the trigger.


Here's the kit I'm going to use for my Nova... but you could possibly change fuse blocks if you wanted to change the terminals over.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Universal-22-Circuit-Wiring-Harness,229874.html
I also use this relay/fuse module for my LS swaps. Comes in a variety or orientations and has a good price.
https://www.waytekwire.com/manf/15/EATON/&sc=1369