Electrical: Wiring suggestions?

[mkibler]

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It was 65 degrees here in southern Ohio and so I drove my new used 1951 2R5 pickup to town today to gas her up. I figured out how to make the overdrive work, kicked her down into overdrive, and let the wind blow through my hair, what little I have left. I felt like I was in the '50's again... such a wonderful bygone era.

My truck needs completely rewired and I mean completely. The original wiring is still on the truck. So where and how do I begin this daunting task? I spliced in some new wiring for the flasher unit today but it still doesn't work. But I did get the carb adjusted so it runs smooth and I bumped up the high idle too.

What would I expect to pay if I had someone who knows what they're doing rewire my truck for me...? Anyone close by who would work with me and guide me through it? As much as I would hate to pay someone to do it, at least it would be done right. Any suggestions?

Thanks guys,

Mark

[Dan White]

http://www.studebakerswest.net/product.sc?productId=1269&categoryId=9

Trucks are pretty simple, you can do it if you take your time.

[mkibler]

Thanks for the link Dan. So the wiring harness has all the wires I need to completely rewire my truck?

[StudeRich]

The Wiring Diagrams are in the Studebaker R series Shop Manual.

We have TWO Studebaker Wire Harness Suppliers of high quality, exact reproduction, Complete ready to Install Harnesses that MATCH the Studebaker Wiring Diagram Color Codes at:

http://www.studebakerswest.net/

And this newer one:

http://www.larkworks.com/

Other Studebaker Parts Suppliers are at:

http://studebakervendors.com

[Bud]

I've used wiring harnesses from Studebakers West, their prices are reasonable and the harness will fit and work like the original. A truck is easy to wire as the back of the instrument panel is easily accessible. You should get a shop manual for the truck because they will have the wiring diagram which makes the harness replacement a bunch easier if you aren't familiar with wiring. Take your time if you do the work yourself, follow the wiring diagram and you will be good to go. Bud

[52-fan]

I like to copy and enlarge the wiring diagram when I am running circuits. On my home printer, I usually enlarge the page in sections and tape it all back together. It will be much easier to follow the individual wires. Sometimes I trace the wires I need with colored pencils. It makes things much easier when you get in the shop.

[jclary]

I have built two wiring harnesses and bought one. The ones you buy are a breeze! The ones I built were a challenge, but I enjoy a challenge. My method was to buy some small string attached labels from an office supply, write on each one where they attached, and then attach them to the wire. For me, a very tedious process, testing my patience. Once the labels were in place, I removed the wiring harness and placed it on a sheet of plywood. I used wire ties to keep the wires bundled when I removed the electrical tape bundling (AKA wire loom). Then, using correct color & gauge wire according to the manual's schematic, I began building the new harness over the old one.

Instead of an electrical tape wire loom, I used appropriately sized heat shrink tubing to run the wires through. Each time I completed a new wire, I transferred the label to the new wire. During the construct, the whole process turned out to be much easier that I had expected. Using heat shrink as a wire loom turned out to be very neat, and clean. You can leave the heat shrink tubing loose during the install and wait to have everything where connected, and then use your heat gun to tidy it up. I even added additional wires for future accessories (fog lights & turn signals) that were not in the original wiring.

Although it is not original (or even original looking), it fits perfect, and has not kept the vehicles from winning trophies at events. I really don't care. I'd rather take the points hit than lose the vehicle & barn in a fire.

Today, I would buy a ready made harness. At my age, the convenience is more important than the challenge.

[mkibler]

Wiring redux

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This is great information: very informative and very helpful. Like you, I enjoy a challenge (I have designed, built, programmed, tested and launched satellite prototypes), but where this is my first classic vehicle I really just want to get all the major components functional so I can enjoy driving it... without burning down the barn. I especially like your suggestion to lay the wire harness on a sheet of plywood, to use shrink tubing, and to add extra wires for later on.

With that said I will likely buy a ready-made wire harness and go from there. Would you be interested in helping me rewire my truck?

You have a real nice looking truck there~! Thanks for sharing the photo and please upload more photos if you have them.

Best regards,

Mark in Ohio

[jclary]

.
This is great information: very informative and very helpful. Like you, I enjoy a challenge (I have designed, built, programmed, tested and launched satellite prototypes), but where this is my first classic vehicle I really just want to get all the major components functional so I can enjoy driving it... without burning down the barn. I especially like your suggestion to lay the wire harness on a sheet of plywood, to use shrink tubing, and to add extra wires for later on.

With that said I will likely buy a ready-made wire harness and go from there. Would you be interested in helping me rewire my truck?

You have a real nice looking truck there~! Thanks for sharing the photo and please upload more photos if you have them.

Best regards,

Mark in Ohio

Well, with a "rocket science resumé" like yours, I'm sure building or installing a ready-made wiring harness is well within your capabilities. I do have one question though...is it New Hampshire, as listed under your identification to the left of your posts, or Ohio as in your signature? (Useful information if I wanted to show up for an afternoon of Squirrel hunting with my trusty Henry lever action .22 )

[DWBookout]

Wiring

Well, with a "rocket science resumé" like yours, I'm sure building or installing a ready-made wiring harness is well within your capabilities. I do have one question though...is it New Hampshire, as listed under your identification to the left of your posts, or Ohio as in your signature? (Useful information if I wanted to show up for an afternoon of Squirrel hunting with my trusty Henry lever action .22 )

I too would suggest buying a complete harness from one of the recommended suppliers. I did everything on my 1950 Champion and it was actually a lot of fun. It came with a complete set of detailed instructions and all of the correct connectors.

[Dads Baby]

I used a Lark Works harness for my Hawk. It was perfect right down to the last light bulb which they supplied too!

[mkibler]

Wiring

Well, with a "rocket science resumé" like yours, I'm sure building or installing a ready-made wiring harness is well within your capabilities. I do have one question though...is it New Hampshire, as listed under your identification to the left of your posts, or Ohio as in your signature? (Useful information if I wanted to show up for an afternoon of Squirrel hunting with my trusty Henry lever action .22 )

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John,

We recently (1-1/2 years ago) bought a farm in Ohio and we are still back and forth between here and NH, where we still own a home. We also own hunting property here in Ohio and I welcome you to come, hunt, and talk about old cars and trucks. I hunt squirrels, rabbits, and pheasants (at a local reserve where I'm a member.)

Thanks for your helpful information on the wiring harness. I'll likely go with a pre-made harness from one of the vendors.

[Greenstude]

A wiring harness from Studebakers West was installed in our 1947 Champion sedan a few years ago. Every wire was in the correct location, correct colour, correct gauge, with all the correct terminals. Excellent!

Here are a couple of tips to make installation easier. Before disconnecting the old harness, label every wire end with its location. After removing the old harness, lay it beside the new one and label the new one. Before removing the old one, take detailed pictures of where the wires run, so the new one goes in the correct route.

If you have overdrive, be sure to put the correct wire on the correct terminal. If they are reversed, the solenoid will try to move in the wrong direction. The friends who installed mine also removed the dimmer switch and the starter button on the floor, then accidentally re-installed each in the other's location. That didn't work, as one is an "on-off" switch and the other is a "constant run" switch.

[Studejohnn]

Try this: www.watsons-streetworks.com. Navigate to wiring, then other cool stuff. Excellent book for $8 on wiring autos/trucks. Easily understandable for novices (like me).