The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 1954 Chevy 3100 front clip wiring

Within the next few weeks I’m hopefully going to be getting the front clip on the truck hopefully for the last time and I’m thinking about wiring. I did purchase a wiring kit for the entire truck from American Autowire and have been using that. I’m trying to keep the truck fairly stock looking except for the fact if you look under the hood there’s 8 cylinders instead of 6. Haha. But the feel of the truck is vintage to 54’.
My question is are there any pro’s or con’s in using the original factory headlamp terminal blocks on the fenders? Other than you see them. The alternative is just to run the wires without the blocks towards the headlamps and try and hide the connection wires in the wheel well or grill area. I’m running the wiring along the fenders, like factory, visible in the engine bay so I’m not trying to hide any wiring.
Any thoughts or pictures are welcomed. Thanks

Adam

When I rewired my truck's lighting, I installed a new terminal block. I think its better than making splices and wrapping them in tape. It also makes it easier for future repairs if necessary.

All the black tape wrapped stuff was the old wiring

I used the old terminal blocks ,like Otto shown ,I put a piece of rubber strip under it for good measure.

I bought new 4-position terminal blocks for the inner fender connections (they're used on the '54 trucks with the horn behind the grille and available from the usual vendors.) I added a wire to each side for turn signals (dual filament bulbs in the parking lights.) Since they were longer than the originals, I flattened and welded up the hump where the original was mounted and hammered in a new hump in the right location for the 4-position terminal block. Keeping the terminal block turned out to be a good move as I wound up removing the front clip shortly after completing the truck. All that was needed to disconnect the headlight and parking light wiring was to loosen the terminal screws and pull the main harness loose and drape it over the engine.

I did not use the terminal blocks. Wires run in flexible conduit along the frame to headlights, parking lights and horns. I did not use a kit; made up my own harness.

Your choice.

I replaced the original terminal blocks with reproductions and attempted to keep the wiring as close to original as possible. If you ever need to remove the front clip, you'll find "disconnecting" the wiring will be much simpler.

The terminal blocks were a bad idea to begin with. Extra terminations put in the open to corrode, get wet, volt drop, break....
Straight thru wiring is best anywhere. Splices are fine. Black tape or liquid tape covered and/or any type loom you like. I have never needed to remove a front clip after wiring. What reason would there be?
You wire down the left fender to left lights and cross over to right.
No reason to "hide" front wiring.

I agree. Straight thru wiring.

Thanks for the thoughts so far guys. For a bit there I thought most everyone was doing the factory setup. Unless they were doing some hidden high end setup. I didn’t think about ever needing to pull the front clip. Interesting thought about a good disconnect spot. I hope once I get mine back on that’s it for me. I was wondering about the chance of corrosion that got brought up. In my case mines a good weather part of the year driver so not as much of a chance. But then again just sitting they could corrode to a point. Good thoughts so far guys. Thanks for the posts.

Adam

They stop using terminal blocks in what year? at least 1958.

I don’t see big problem with the inner fender terminal blocks. I think they look cool.

It’s not like many of us are fording rivers with these trucks. Not a huge deal to keep them sealed and/or inspect/clean the connections once a year or so.

I dig all of the uninsulated wire connections on these old trucks. There are a ton of them under the dash.
Gives me a zest for life!

The one on my truck lasted 70+ years. No reason to change what works. It's easier than making splices, too.

If you are looking at 'fooling' people, you can use the fender terminal blocks with a modern harness as a connection point for easy front clip removal. Just unscrew the connectors, hang the cab side of the wires and not have to go all the way to the end connections like headlight sockets.
I'm working on finishing with a new 21 circuit harness, onto the fender connector blocks and into a headlight relay harness. That will be fed on the high current side with hidden 10 Ga from the passenger side to also feed the e-fan relay for future use. The markers/turns and fog lights will go onto the blocks. Will make a change easy to the blocks. Just use shrink tube on the crimp ends, cloth tape and it will look close to OEM.