The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors A Wire Loom for Power Windows and Locks

Fellow Stovebolters, I am seeking advice from those who have run wires into their doors for power windows and locks. I am looking at wire looms. I cannot decide where, on the hinge pillars, they should be located. I also cannot decide on what wire looms might work the best for a 1952 3100 with vent windows.
If I run the wire loom just below the VID tag, I fear it might jam against the inner-to-outer cowl panel (that curved piece between outer side cowl and inner kick plate or side cowl) when the door is closed. If I install the wire loom too high, I fear it may interfere with the inner constructs inside the door.
There are other options, such as the more modern "S boots", that do not protrude behind the hinge pillar when the door is closed, but I cannot visualize if these boots will fit in the space between the hinge pillar and the front edge of the door. For some reason, the nu-relic site says their S boots are for vehicles from 1958 and later.
It is not yet an option for me to just mount the door onto the cab body and find out for myself, as I cannot yet release all of the bracing I have done to keep the cab stable while replacing rusted sections of the cab.
Sooooo, if you have been down this path, please share your experiences with me.
Thanks

I can't find it now, but someone had a writeup about routing the wires through the hinges.

Fibonachu... g a picture of how they recommend running wires into the doorso to Nu-Relic's website. See the power window regulator #15180-2. Scroll down to "special Instructions", Click on "Special Instructions". Finally, click on "Running the wire harness thru the doors". There will be a picture and instructions of what they recommend for getting power wires into the doors.
Thanks

Thought I would share the solution I settled on for installing a door wire loom in the 1952 Chevy 3100. I am replacing all 3 pieces of each side cowl so while I had access to the back (inside) of the hinge pillar, I thought that this was the right time to enable for power to be run to the doors (future power windows, door locks, directionals in side mirror and door switch for dome light). I was aware of Nu-Relics recommendation to run the door wires through the hinge openings and I was prepared to do that, if all else failed.
Please refer to enclosed pictures.
Each of the 3 wire loom solutions that I tried worked as you might expect; one fixed end and one sliding end to accommodate the wires as the door is opended and closed. The user can select which end to attach to the hinge pillar and which end to attach to the part of the door that "kisses" the hinge pillar when the door is closed. On the 3100, if you wanted to install the wire loom above the top hinge, then either end of the wire loom could work being attached to the hinge pillar. If you wanted the wire loom to be installed just above the lower hinge however, space available with in the confines of the 3 side cowl pieces would necessitate attaching the FIXED end of the wire loom to the hinge pillar. I decided to go low.
Feeling a bit like Goldilocks, it took me 3 different door wire loom solutions before I found the one that was "just right" for me. My reason for sharing this adventure is the hope that my experience may help someone else embarking on the same journey.
Solution 1: Stainless and billet (see first picture). Nice stuff but it required the use of a mini hex key to lock the wire loom at each end. I would have to leave the wire loom permanently attached to the hinge pillar thoughout the months (maybe years) of cab restoration if I used this mini hex key aproach because getting at it once I closed up the side cowl space would be difficult, even though I created a removable panel in the driver side kick panel (inner cowl)... there is a picture of this removable panel in the set of pictures included.
Solution 2: Rubber tube with fixed grommet on one end and cicular, plastic clip on the sliding end. (see picture 2). This solution just did not seem to be at the level of my vision for this truck build.
Solution 3: Black aluminum threads with steel nuts. The light bulbs went on... if I could affix a nut to the inside (back) of the hinge pillar, then I could screw in the fixed end of the wire loom into that fixed nut, and remove the wire loom until final stages of thecab restoration. So I made a 2.5' x 2.5" plate, drilled a 3/4" hole in the plate to match the 3/4" hole that I drilled in the hinge pillar and once this plate (with nut welded to plate) is welded to the back of the hinge pillar, I have a solution that meets my needs.
Picures...

Good solution. Thanks for sharing.

Nice rotisserie bracket, BTW.

Once I weld in the 3 pieces of the driver's side cowl (only thing left to do on driver side is select a solution for a door switch for dome light), I will be on to the 3 cowl pieces on the passenger side. I am taking Carl52's advice to try to preserve the original "middle cowl piece" on the passenger side... that will save me a lot of time shaping that middle cowl piece... I already know I have to weld in a new bottom to that middle cowl piece but I can avoid the reshaping of the overall curve of the piece which took a lot of time on the driver's side. Once the passenger side cowl is welded in, I can make the world's best rotisserie brackets available to the next lucky Stovebolter.
There is still the bottoms of the doors to do. I have the replacement parts for the bottoms of the doors, but I am going to try to delegate that work to a real body shop. Months ago, I tried to delegate the door work but the body shop wisely said "not without fitting it all to the rest of the cab". I immediately saw the wisdom of that reply.
So, finish the side cowls and delegate the bottoms of the doors. Have the body shop return cab all primed and ready for mock up...
I know that is delegating some of my fun and learning new skills, but I would like to finish this project before I am too old to remember my way to the garage from the house.

LOL! Pat, I resemble that remark. I'm coming up on 9 years on my project, and the truck is still not on the road. But I have hopes for this spring.

Your body shop is a good one, since they insisted on having the cab and the doors together.

Looks like you're making good progress.

Nine years is nothing, I have had my 36 jimmy 50 years and still working on it. I am getting close, it's painted and I need to Finnish up the wiring and start it up.

Does that mean eating some lingonberries and smoked salmon while you're working?