The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Connectors??

Hello all, I am now the owner of a 61 chevy c40 tow truck. The eletrical system is junk, and I plan to redo it. I can do all the wiring, but was wondering if there was anywhere I could ge the connectors? (ie - firewall, switches, etc.) The original ones are dirty and brittle, so I'd like to replace them. I don't have the money to buy a premade harness, so that's not an option. Besides, I'd rather be sure it's done right. Also, any ideas on where to get the proper colored wire? One more thing, I need a new fuse block.
Thanks - John

You might try the vendors http://www.chevyduty.com/ and the vendors link section here to find other that might carry those connectors. I've used this company in the past when I needed specific color coded wire http://www.waytekwire.com

Don't be too sure about not being able to afford the harness. The ones Chevy duty sells come with the proper colored wire, connectors, and instructions. The one for my '50 was cheaper than I could have bought all the parts for individually.

On an old Phord once, I removed harness as one-pc or as good as I could and cut the covering around the wires open, but left it around wires. I then used the wiring diagram and the wires themselves, pulled one out at a time and made a new wire of color I picked and size and made it same length. Sometimes had to leave a little extra if old one was broken or changing location of part it goes to. I used the crimp on connectors you can buy anywhere or you can buy the same that need soldering if you'ld rather. I have stripped the plastic off crimp ones, slight crimped and soldered too. Or use old car harness parts ( I save old harness's when junking) and use wires with connectors already on them in place of old harness wires. You get more color choices that way too. OR, you can use old junk harness wires and still new connectors for more colors.
By the time you get several rolls of wires, lots of connectors or assorts and good wire strippers and the corrugated tubing to put it all back into, (heck with wrapping with tape), you can have alot in it. A basic harness from somewhere may not be that far out of reach. And it may be easier as most are marked on each wire what they are for. AND, you don't have to run the fuse box and parts exactly as orig anyway. Can mount under seat, or in glove box or such. Ain't this FUN?

I purchased a wiring harness for my 1953 GMC from Chevy Duty for around $100. Instructions were easy to follow and everything seemed to fit good. This was not a bad option.

bigjohn83,
By connectors you mean the spade and push on that crimp to the end of wires, not the plastic housing itself. I've picked mine up at the local "Corvette Clinic", they charge more than they should for them. There's another source, but the min. quanity is 100 pc.s

Regards,
Larry

If you can mark the wires and remove the harness, then lay it out on a piece of 4x8 plywood, and using nails in the board and a marker you mark where the wires come out of the harness, and then label the wires on the board. Then you can lay in the new wire and use twist ties to hold temporary till you get all the wires in place. Its also best not to just crimp on the connectors, The water will cause major problems later, Best is to use heat shrink tubing and solder everything then coat the connection with dielectric grease to keep moisture and sait etc out.

No, what I need is the actual plastic shells. The spade terminals I can find pretty easily. I would definetly solder the wires, since I've had to fix too many crimp lugs. The crimp type of connectors last about a year before they start having problems, and I don't want bad connections. I have found a few places that I think I can get them, but I just haven't confirmed it yet. I still haven't gotten the truck home, either.
Thanks - John

John, you'll find that a set of harnesses for a '61 are much more expensive than for an AD. The good part is that you may be able to just get what you need instead of the whole shootin' match. The main underdash harness goes in the 2's($200.00+/-) underhood harness is sep. headlight harness is sep. tail light is sep, but you may have something completely different going on there.
Check these guys out. They seem to have the most original stuff out there but they are also doing alternator conversions and such. They may be the supplier for many, if not all the parts houses for these years. www.americanautowire.com .
The website does not list the 60-66 stuff, but it sells for $449.00 for the whole set up.

These guys used to have what you are looking for on their web site. I just tryed to find the individual connectors on the site, but had trouble navigating to the pages that they used to have there. The catalog is free. They also have wiring harnesses that were a lot lower than Painless on the ones I looked at.

Well, I've got most of it redone, or at least it's to the point where it'll work. The underdash harness seems to be in fairly good shape, it was just the electrical tape and some connections that were bad. There was also another harness that came with it that I was able to slavage parts from. The only thing I really need now is the firewall connector, and the fuse box. I've also got to figure out to hook up the guages, but that's more getting the senders than anything else. Basically, the only part that's stock is the underdash stuff, since the rear wiring is custom, and the front is different due to the alternator and 350. Also, I think my wiring job is better than factory. I make copious use of solder, instead of crimp lugs.
Thanks for the help, guys. ~ John