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  • Installing wire harnesses

    I've been wondering if anyone can tell me about how long it can take to install a new wire harness in a typical Lark. The wiring in my '66 Cruiser is such a mess, I am considering getting a new harness. I've never done it and the thought of putting a new harness in the car fills me with a certain amount of fear.

    So far I have a strange open in two of my dash gauges, backup lights that aren't plugged into anything; a ground strap in the engine compartment that isn't attached to anything, but comes out the harness; blinkers that keep shorting out; a disconnected dome light (was working, but my mechanic seemed sure it was the cause of a drain on my battery [I'm not sure it was, though]); and extra wires under the dash that aren't stock and could've been for an after market radio.

    Like I said, the wiring is a mess.

  • #2
    It shouldn't take more than a 4 to 8 hours to install the new one. With new harness in hand, I'd cut the old main harness where it goes thru the firewall. Then feed the new one thru the firewall and route and connect the various legs and connectors - one-by-one - hooking each new connector in place as you remove each old one.
    The toughest part is behind that dash.[}] It's crowded in there and you may end up having to pull the inst. clusters out for access. Some will advocate pulling the whole dash. I think that's asking for more trouble than it's worth.[:I]

    Miscreant at large.

    1957 Transtar 1/2ton
    1960 Larkvertible V8
    1958 Provincial wagon
    1953 Commander coupe
    1957 President 2-dr
    1955 President State
    1951 Champion Biz cpe
    1963 Daytona project FS
    No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

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    • #3
      Thanks Mr. Biggs. This is one of those jobs that, especially if I had to remove the dash, I'm not sure I'd want to tackle without using the buddy system!
      "Madness...is the exception in individuals, but the rule in groups" - Nietzsche.

      Comment


      • #4
        You forgot the scraped knuckles, cussing and swearing involved too Mr. Biggs! LMAO
        Been there done that. I bought a '64 wagon some years back (It was a bet I lost, what can I say?). It had a dash fire in the past that toasted the dash. Seemed a good idea to replace the front harness. Oh the joy![)] Oh the fun![)] Jeeeeeze what a pain! It was well worth it. I am replacing the wiring harness (front) in my 63 with this one simply because the car is already taken apart. Then again, sleeping dogs are best left alone....[:I]
        Be careful of that dash. The padded part is extremely fragile.[:0]

        Lotsa Larks!
        K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
        Ron Smith
        Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
        K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
        Ron Smith
        Where the heck is Fawn Lodge, CA?

        Comment


        • #5
          I would follow the advice given above and also go ahead and remove the steering wheel, lay a towel over the column (maybe even drop the column from the lower dash to give you more room) and pull the gauge cluster so you don't have to spend an hour or two laying on the floor with your legs over the back of the front seat (BTDT) Alternately you could pull the whole dash which IMHO is not all that hard in the grand scheme of things and will really help you do a neat job.

          I'd probably do the dash end first so that you have slack in the wires to make life easier, the underhood portion is pretty simple.

          good luck,

          nate

          --
          55 Commander Starlight
          62 Daytona hardtop
          --
          55 Commander Starlight
          http://members.cox.net/njnagel

          Comment


          • #6
            Don't you just love it when you get under the dash and someone has hacked and spliced wires and you say what does this do or why is this one taped off. What color is this and why is is yellow instead of red and on and on. I can't understand why this doesn't work and why is this wire hanging down here and why is it hot. This is just a great thing!!!!!

            Dan White
            64 R1 GT
            64 R2 GT
            Dan White
            64 R1 GT
            64 R2 GT
            58 C Cab
            57 Broadmoor (Marvin)

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            • #7
              My God AOL is slow today!!! I think messages would travel faster by Pony Express!

              As I was saying (before AOL so rudely dumped me)

              Yes Dan, that's why they sell wiring harnesses. And thank God they do! It's so much easier in the long run going through the hassle putting in a new harness than dealing with imagineative additions[)], shorts, and other fun old wiring stuff.[}]

              Oh yes! I forgot! Nothing is so fun as underdash fires![:0] Been there dealt with that.[}] Yes, new wiring? Well worth the effort!

              Lotsa Larks!
              K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
              Ron Smith
              Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
              K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
              Ron Smith
              Where the heck is Fawn Lodge, CA?

              Comment


              • #8
                OK, I'll put it on my To-Do list. Another thing I want to put on my To-Do list is to start a new planned community where the home owners MUST own a car made before 1967 and preferably a Studebaker! I'd love it if I had neighbors that knew as much as you guys. It would also be nice to have good help nearby on this kind of thing. Yes, a planned community....now what to call it?
                "Madness...is the exception in individuals, but the rule in groups" - Nietzsche.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I believe its already been named Bugsport Kevin in the Stoogebaker

                  1963 Champ

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                  • #10
                    This reminds me of something I have been meaning to bring up. As good as Turning Wheels is, I'd really like to see some how to articles published from time to time. Better yet, a monthly how to column. A "Lark Wiring Harness How-to" would be a great article. I know there are many Stude experts out there that could write some fantastic how-to articles. Another great one would be "Dana 44 Rebuild" or "Disc Brake Conversion" etc. Although there is lot's of help on the web, a good article with pics can't be beat.
                    Todd


                    63 Lark 2dr Sedan

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Todd,

                      that's a good idea and one that the Web is perfectly suited for. The thing is, someone has to write these up, take the pics, then get the stuff hosted. Now if SDC would be willing to host all the "how tos..." I'm willing to bet that there's lots of knowledgeable people here and on alt.autos.studebaker that could probably knock some out off the tops of their heads. Now I have no idea whether SDC's web site is hosted on a computer in South Bend somewhere and they are just paying for the IP address or if (like most people) they pay someone to host the site... that could make a difference.

                      In any case I'd rather see such stuff permanently posted on the SDC site in a "technical" section rather than in the forums, just because it'd be easier to find. Certainly nothing wrong with submitting one and posting a link to it in the forums alerting people that there's a new "how to" up though...

                      nate

                      --
                      55 Commander Starlight
                      62 Daytona hardtop
                      --
                      55 Commander Starlight
                      http://members.cox.net/njnagel

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Several years ago there was a series of articles by Chuck Lampman or something like that on restoring a Studebaker. They were very good.
                        "Madness...is the exception in individuals, but the rule in groups" - Nietzsche.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Took me about 3 months to change my harness on the wagon. Of course thats working about 10 or 20minutes at a time. I completely removed the old one first, which was highly modified. The wiring diagrams were somewhat confusing to me (my vocation was an avionics tech). Guess I'm not as smart as I used to be.

                          Norm
                          58 Transtar 1 ton dually PU
                          58 2 door wagon
                          Davenport, Fl
                          Norm
                          58 Transtar 1 ton dually PU
                          58 2 door wagon
                          Davenport, Fl

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Keep in mind that when you rewire, you're only working on half of each circuit! Unless you have good grounds, the gremlins are still in business. Even by cleaning up the fasteners and attachment points around the light/motor/gauge, you're still at the mercy of rust, old nasty grease, shifting/rattling body panels, etc. Although it adds appreciably to the time need for a rewire, I learned the hard way to install ground wiring to accessories. Install a terminal block in the trunk area, dash and engine bay; run ground wires from each accessory to the terminal block; connect the blocks to one another with one gauge heavier wire and tie the system together with a wire from the engine bay block direct to the battery. Do it right, and you'll do it once!

                            51 Commander State Sedan

                            Kittanning, PA

                            51 Commander State Sedan
                            Butler PA

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I strongly endorse Nate's suggestion that you pull the instrument cluster, with all wires attached, from the dash before disconnecting anything. It is MUCH easier to work on the thing with you sitting upright and with the cluster in your lap than it is trying to do it lying on your back. If the old harness is really a mess, then just cut it at the firewall, which will allow enough slack to pull out the cluster.

                              I have rewired a couple of cars, including converting a Camaro from idiot lights to full gauges -- the wiring harnesses are different. One trick I learned is to make a map (on a piece of cardboard is best) of the back of the dash, with each wire numbered. Put a piece of masking tape with a number on it on each "good" wire of the old harness before removing it, and an identical label on the comparable wire of the new harness. Note each number on your map. Disconnected or incorrect wires added later don't get labeled unless you can figure out from the wiring diagram in the shop manual where they were supposed to go.

                              Do the same thing with the underhood end of the harness, noting also how the wires are routed through clips etc.

                              Then sit down with the wiring diagram and try to identify all unlabeled wires -- most will be easy to ID and can be labeled. It actually is not that hard, but it does take time and patience. If you try to rush it you could make a mistake that will burn out a gauge or even let the smoke out.[V]

                              Skip Lackie
                              Skip Lackie

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