The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 1965 Chevrolet C10 / wiring harness / trying to swap to internal reg. alt.

My Truck - 1965 Chevrolet C10
later model sbc v8/with factory gauges

I have the 1963 Chevy Truck shop manual and the 1965 Supplement for reference.


Howdy folks.

so, I am trying to swap to a internally regulated alternator on my 1965 Chevrolet C10 pickup.

It has a later model v8 and factory gauges. <- This gauges bit makes a difference in wiring harness land.

Also, I have no idea if my truck was a v8 originally or not, so many things were changed and swapped before I bought it.


This is the harness I have procured:

Front Light Harness — Altpi

PART #: 04715PI

FRONT LIGHT HARNESS — ALTPI, CHEVY PICKUP, with factory gauges

Note: Modified for passenger side 1983-85 and earlier “SI” series internal regulator alternator


I am trying to sort out which wires go where. Photos on the link below:

1965 Chevrolet C10 — FRONT LIGHT HARNESS - Woogeroo's site for his '65 c10

According to my 1965 Shop manual supplement(body and chassis electrical 12-6) the dark green wire with the flat black connector goes to the horn. My horn(s) are just wired straight to a dark green wire, so I guess that is where it goes.


Here is my thinking, which may be wrong, hence why I am here!

I think the big thick red single wire goes on the top connector of the horn relay, where the wire comes across the front of the truck from the battery.

The big wire with the smaller black & white wire goes on the bottom connector of the horn relay… I *think*.

However, I'm not sure... so, here I am.

Thanks folks!



-Woog

Woog,
I used an AAW Classic Update kit in my 1965. I have HEI and an internally regulated alternator. I’ll get back to you shortly about the horn, etc.
You might need to send me a reminder in a day or 2 if I forget.
Jay (Lugnutz)

I just examined my AAW engine bay wires installed in my 1965. One really large gauge red wire comes from the alternator and runs straight to the + battery lug on the starter.

A dark green wire runs straight to the horn. That means the horn relay must be part of the fuse box.

I don’t have any helpful answers yet. But I might if I pull out my AAW instructions.
Have you tried calling AAW tech? They have great customer service.

If you want your ammeter to be something other than a non-functioning hole-filler in the dash, there needs to be some way of monitoring the current flow in and out of the battery as the vehicle is running. If a heavy-gauge charging wire goes straight from the back of the alternator to the battery, the ammeter will be bypassed, and it won't function. I'd suggest finding an original-equipment wiring diagram for a 65 truck with gauges instead of idiot lights to use as a reference as to how the ammeter functions with the original remote-regulated alternator and figuring out how to adapt the circuit to accommodate the newer internal-regulated system.
Jerry

On the plug on the external regulator unplug it an find the hot wire; this is the "BAT" wire which you will need to run to the big threaded terminal on the back of the alternator. Run a short jumper from the #2 side spade terminal to the same terminal. The #1 side terminal will go to the idiot light or if gauges it can be used to excite the alternator upon starting. Run this wire from the ACCESSORY side of the ignition switch and NOT from the ignition side as the engine won't turn off. If charging current is flowing through the original "BAT" wire the gauge won't know if it's from a generator, alternator of any type, or a gerbil spinning a miniature turbine.

Thanks for the information coilover, I had it wired up already.

Great tech info. tho'.

Lugnutz,

yes I emailed AAW tech, they were helpful. The green wire is indeed for the horn.

The thick red wire goes on the top of the horn relay, ammeter shunt as they called it.

The thick red wire with the small black and white wire goes on the bottom.

Everything else is plug and play, except the one thick red wire on the alternator that screws in.

Thanks for the the photos and the reply!


I added more pics to the link above in the original post, if anyone is interested.

I think it is ready for the road now.

Thanks folks.

-Woog