WIRING HARNESS 52 CHAMPION

[jclary]

I have done several wiring harnesses over the years. I have all the professional tools and the little stick-on labeling books with the letters and numbers. However, when removing an old harness, I use these little tags with attaching strings you can purchase from any office supply store.
[img][/img]
I write on, both sides, the exact location of each wire in easy to understand language. I also label them "P" side for passenger side and "D" side for driver side. That way, there is no confusion regarding the old "left or right" issue. I use the wiring schematic for "Color Coding" the new harness along with colored "Heat Shrink" tubing at the terminal ends to match the colors called for on the schematic. I will also use the stick on letters like "RTS" at the terminal end to designate "Right Turn Signal" or "FOG" if I have added wires for fog lights. It can be tedious when building a harness from "scratch." I usually build the new harness by tacking the old harness to plywood and building the new one on top of it. Instead of wrapping the new harness in a messy electrical tape loom...I use appropriate sizes and lengths of heat shrink tubing and wait until all the wires are placed and completed to apply the heat to shrink the tubing. If you take your time, and place the wires appropriately, the end result will be as neat and clean as any you could purchase. The satisfaction for a job well done and money saved is priceless.


John Clary
Greer, SC

Life... is what happens as you are making plans.
SDC member since 1975

[Kurt]

Yeah, marking them is important. I did that, and also used the shop manual. My old cloth wires were all "grey" in color after 60 years. So marking them was very important.

66 Commander R1 Clone
51 Commander 4dr

[Lothar]

Starliner
Here's a tip related to replacing the wiring harness that worked well for me. I got some blue painters masking tape and a very fine pt. Sharpie and LABELED EVERY WIRE on the old harness and many on the new one by writing a description on the tape and sticking it to the wire just below the connector as I disconnected it. It was a pain to do at the time, but it helped a lot on the reinstallation! An experienced rebuilder or electrician probably wouldn't need to do this, but it really helped me.

1950 Champion
W-3 4 Dr. Sedan
Holdrege NE

[STARLINER]

THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. ORDERED FRONT/REAR HARNESS TODAY. THAT WAS EASY PART, LOOKING FORWARD TO REPLACEMENT PROCESS. IN LOOKING AT YOUR PAGES, CAN'T BELIEVE THE WORK THATS BEEN DONE, AND WILL BE DONE. GORGEOUS CARS ALL!! THANKS AGAIN, TERRY



A WISE MAN SAID:
" I KNOW YOU BELIEVE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU THINK I SAID, BUT I AM NOT SURE YOU REALIZE THAT WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU HEARD WAS NOT WHAT I MEANT"

[simplijm]

I bought a new harness from SI for my 1950 Commander Land cruiser. Alhtough I haven't been able to install it (too cold for my fingers to work for more than a few minutes at a time), it is well constructed and matches up to the original specs nicely.

Just started working on a Bullet-Nose!

[Lothar]

I installed a new harness in my 1950 Champion. It was a Studebakers West-made harness purchased from SI. It was a perfect match to the OEM wiring diagram! Nice quality, no surprises. It is modern plastic-coated wiring, not cloth covered, as were the originals. I've never used one, but a company called Rhode Island Wiring Service supposedly makes the best original-looking harnesses. You pay $700-900 for them, though.

1950 Champion
W-3 4 Dr. Sedan
Holdrege NE

[52 Ragtop]

Either Studebaker International or Studebakers west. I used a SW in my 52 Commander, excellent quality, I believe that SI gets theirs from SW.

Jim

[STARLINER]

HELLO TO ALL YOU STUDE PEOPLE. WE JUST GOT A 52 CHAMPION STARLINER, AND HAVE ALREADY REPLACED WIRE FOR LICENSE LIGHT AND PARK LIGHTS FROM SWITCH FORWARD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, ALL WIRES ARE BRITTLE/AND OR BARE. SEEMS A NEW HARNESS MAKES SENSE. ANYONE TRIED STUDE INTERNATIONAL'S HARNESS? ANY OTHER PLACES WITH GOOD COPIES? THANKS,TERRY