Hello. Not a wiz when it comes to wiring. Had gotten someone else's project. I ve been working on it here and there. It's always been running and drivable. Then the dreaded burning electrical smell and the cab was engulfed in smoke. I believe the electric trunk switch under the dash shorted on either the ignition switch or the electric fan switch. Luckily it did not burn down or did I have to use the fire extinguisher on it. It is a rats nest under there. What is the best wiring harness to get. It is a 1956 Ford Customline carbed 292 Y block that I am planning on adding a one wire alternator with internal regulator. A big stereo is not important to me neither.
I rewired my '54 Ranch Wagon as well as my '39 p/u with a 9+3 kit from Rebel Wiring. USA made and great tech support. And they are an Alliance vendor. @REBEL43 here on the HAMB Rebel Wire .:. Wire kits .:. Wiring Harness .:. Connectors and Accessories for Real Rods But if you want a factory correct I'd use YnZ Yesterday's Parts. Local family owned business. I know the owner and have been to his shop. First rate all around. JMO YnZs Yesterdays Parts; Manufacturer of Cl***ic and Antique Automotive Wiring Harnesses (ynzyesterdaysparts.com)
I used a Painless harness in my 54, primarily because of name recognition. I sure others are as good or better. I liked having the manual with wire by wire instructions. When I finished wiring the manual provide for wire by wire identification. Don't let it over whelm you. It's one wire at a time.
Yes. I've seen an example of the wiring diagram. More complex looking than my nervous system. Haha. Thank you for the recommendations. I believe I can byp*** the regulator box with the internal regulator on the alternator. Not trying to be concourse or anything. So non stock is fine. I believe I'll have to change out the stock gauges. To 6 volt gauges? 56 if I read correctly was the weird year of switching to 12 volt and using 12 volt gauges that broke. I got to sign up to get those discounts. Plain to get Lincoln ****ons on the doors.
I used a painless surely, there’s other great harnesses tho. I didn’t have any real issue with the painless. The one big thing I liked is the book that came supplied talks through every circuit pretty well. Although I’m a substation tech by day so I’m pretty good with wiring. I also have allot of my stock harness still intact if this is something you’d want to try to make heads or tails of although I don’t recommend it.
Have EZ wiring on one car. It's basically marked all the way down. I have the rebel wiring in another. Opted for the LED kit. The issue is that the taillights are not hot all the time. It has to to with LED and cutting the power to them. But otherwise grey customer service and the the harness is good. Note for most of the kits you can use you existing switches and and bulb holders if you it's going to the same type of voltage.
Last thought on this is that the mid 50 Ford turn signal switches might be difficult but not impossible. I would recommend getting a set of molex style connectors and run the wires though that so you can easily unplug the setup when removal is needed. Basically and the wiring kits have the turn signals setup for a GM switch so you have to convert it to ford. I posted an image with the key to the colors a while back. I think the TSS and good ground are the only hurdles with this wiring kits.
I went Kwik Wire in my car. I could see an instruction book before I laid my money out. Rebel, no previews were available at the time. It went very well and I only had one mis-wire in the back of the car. I went with a 3-wire alternator, this is what I was familiar with. Tools, you gotta have tools. I already had some simple crimping tools. I needed something better, Lowes had a good wire stripper, Advance Auto had a nice ratcheting crimp tool that handled almost everything. Extra wire, sockets, crimp lugs I mainly got at Advance Auto and online at The Wiring Depot. I still have the "harness board" that I made from plywood and finishing nails. The harness comes rolled up and had to be busted out and routed by function. One key element is to figure where the main bundle will be routed, also the fuse block location. Take your time.
I used Rebel on my 56. It went well. They have good support but I didn't need any questions answered. I only wish the bundle to the rear was 3 foot longer. I had one issue but I had crossed wires on my front turn signal.
All of the issues above would have been non-existent with a Ron Francis Express kit. Made for YOUR Ford, ( not just Fords in general) no Chevy conversions needed. Made in the U.S. wiring, great instructions. I've read from guys that know, that American Autowire is the only one on the same par with Ron Francis. You did ask what the best was. You won't find the Express kits on a shelf in a store somewhere, as I said, they are made for your car, and will have a serial number so they can identify down the road what exactly they made for the customer. We actually found out who built a car that a '57 guy had bought in Scottsdale thru that serial number on the RF fuse panel. The widow who placed the car with the dealer understandably did not want to be disturbed/ contacted, so we were able to byp*** her.
I went with Y&Z Yesterdays. I'm not going for Concourse either but measuring, crimping, binding and buying a couple dozen colors and gauges of wires just seemed like too much work. Y&Z harnesses are the correct colors, gauges and lengths. They come with easy to read diagrams and each harness is a replica of the original. They didn't have a pattern for my seat motor power wire but was able to replicate mine, complete with a clear plastic sheath, when I sent the old one to them. As far as I'm concerned it was $1500 well spent.
Glad it worked out for you. The owner should be at the veteran's benefit car show on Saturday. If so I'll let him know you're pleased with the harness.
On the Ron Francis wiring, where on my column am I going to locate my turn signal plug that will match up with their kit ? They have all the plug ends on a chart, but how do I locate mine and when rewiring am I going to have to remove the steering column to run the new wires through? I'm still looking through the pros and cons on the kits. This will be the biggest tackle on a car I have had to deal with. I've been blessed with my past cars functioning like they were brand new. This is my first "project vehicle" I've tackled. This group is great for advice and help. Thank you all .
I'm sure some of the '56 guys can help with that question. I don't even have a '57 column in my '57, so I'm no help there, but that is a question that you will need an answer for regardless of whose kit you decide on. I am sure Joe/ Okiedokie went thru this just a few years back and could answer your question. Maybe try sending him a PM
on my 56 mercury I just made up a Delphi plug to the original wires hanging out of the column then tie wrapped it up under the dash. Idk about Ron Francis though.
When I did my 56 I used the GM male and female steering column connector so if I ever changed columns with an aftermarket steering column it would be a simple task on the wiring because most after market columns come with the GM connector.
Kwik Wire made me up a set of GM connectors to go with my harness and it worked out well enough. In hindsight, I would have picked up some military (M24308) style connectors since I have the tooling and they are far more robust over what I got. I could have gotten one of my work vendors to sample me out a pair.
We have rewired several cars in the last 8 years, our wiring kit of choice is the American Auto Wire, the kit is a little more than the other kits but everything you will need is in the box along with individual color diagrams for each step of the proces, a wires are color coded and have it's purpose printed on the wires, plus more wire than you will ever need. This kit is easy to install, I bet my 15 year old granddaughter could install it if I could pry that cell phone out of her hands. HRP
Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll post when starting up and let you all know what I am doing. Also get some tips if I get stuck. Cheers
Danny. This looks like a good place to compare American Auto Wire to Ron Francis. Threads on the main board in the past have indicated these two to be the top two, so let's do some comparisons, particularly with our Fords in mind. Your pic of the harness shows alot of similarities to the RF Express kit. I like the way the connectors are wired, not the fuse panel. So, my questions on what you used: I'm guessing that harness is custom ordered/made for a specific car, not universal, is that correct? Are the actual wires used GXL or SXL, meaning double jacket, and American made? Does AAW also make EFI conversion engine harnesses, so if one is doing a late model swap, you can stay with the same supplier? Does AAW supply Ford connectors, such as for the steering column? (most mfg use Chevy)? I'll probably think of other questions later.....it's been 7 or 8 years since I wired mine.
Texas 57, good call on the wire insulation. Much of the wire that comes from the internet has insulation that is sub par and even hazardous if it ever catches on fire. There are some materials that produce toxic gas when burned, car manufactures have standards they are required to follow. Mercedes and some other manufactures tried to go green in the 2000's and went with a soy based insulation, mice thought it was candy! Many mid 2000 European cars were junked due to the cost of replacing the wire harness after the critters were done with it.
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