The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Basic Truck Wiring for Dummy (Me)

Here's the story: I have a rough project 1950 truck with bad wiring.

What I only really care about is having:

*ignition
*headlights & taillights
*working fuel gauge

I'd like to be able to build my own harness for this if it's not overly difficult. Is it? I forsee a new fuse box, and simple wires from that...

It was recommended that I buy the basic hot rod wiring harness from Speedway. But at $140 that seems excessive if I can learn to do it myself.

I just ordered Horner's "Automotive Electrical Handbook" as hopefully a good guide.

Am I delusional, or is DIY basic wiring of this type doable (as well as reasonable & safe)?

Thanks - Dickson

It is doable

The shop manual has the diagram
The factory assembly manual also has wiring details and shows runs and clip locations.

Just draw our each circuit on a piece of paper




Good luck.

the Handbook won't be a lot of help, the factory wiring diagram in the shop manual should do the job, along with some common sense and of course, this forum - print it out and spend some time studying it, has the colors and gauges shown

Bill

By the time you buy all the wires you need in the proper colors you will probably be better off buying a harness.

If you decide to do it all in one color, good luck with your troubleshooting later.

cletis is right, id buy the new one also and have everything. lay the harness out next to the truck and youll see how easy it is. the hardest part is springing with the cash for the harnesss. i did two harnesses and they came from jim carter. no fuss, no muss.

I agree with those above who doubt if you could make a plastic-coated color-coded (yes, you should have different colored wires), correct-gauge/ends wires, wiring harness of the the same quality and at as low a cost as the standard Jim Carter ($210) or Classic Parts ($150) harnesses. I use the Classic Parts harness and save about $60 (30%).

Dickson,

Yes, a new wiring harness would be easier and faster. That being said, I am in the process of rewiring my truck...... with 3 advantages, I have a good used wiring harness from a parts truck and have wire on hand. (Got lucky at an auction, 2 big boxes with differnt colored/sizes spools of wire) and I have a shop manual.

Still, you should be able to find a diagram online, and with a little luck the wire you need (on the cheap) somewhere. Also plan on connecters, solder and iron, shrink tube, ect.

Then take your time and wire in a system at a time, ask questions here if you run stuck (I have). Unless your in a hurry,
I believe you can accomplish the task for about half the cost of a new harness. If your are like me, I have more time than money!
JMHO GOOD LUCK!

If you are ever planning on selling that truck or don't care if you blow up an engine or get standed somewhere... I'd reconsider your effort and short cuts.

I agree, nice looking sells. No one wants a goofed up wiring job in anything. And it will cost you way more to try to create it yourself. The connectors, the wire, and most important the time to do it.

If you are interested I will give you my wire for wire designations that was from my 56 235 3100 chevy. Just pm me and i will email it to you. I just recommend do not use regular house hold wire you an automotive grade type. I know you truck is earlier than mine but you might take some ideas and incorporate them in yours. Good luck

here is the type of fuse box I added on my 50
...click...
I believe you can pick those up at NAPA

I have done both. American Auto Wire (AAW) and My own. I had the advantage of the very nice AAW Diagram sheets to look at and had done it with kits several times. I bought a fuse box from a 80's Chevy truck for $15. Took at lot of time figuring out all the circuits and which ones to use and which to abandon on that fuse box. I purchased the Packard connectors, contacts and 6 colors of automotive wire online. Had a marker machine that spit out adhesive backed tabs. Had left over terminals, Had to also buy wire ties, loom and loom clamps, fusible links, 8 and 10 ga wire, grounding braid, ford relay, Ign SW, headlight sw, alternator boot and connector. For the tools: I already had sleeving and heat gun, wire stripers, soldering iron, etc. It came out really nice and I was proud. These old trucks are not complicated to wire but: doing it all from scratch, gathering/buying all the parts, "splicing" into turn sig sw, making sure you have good light sockets and so on is kind of rewarding and kind of not. I saved a lot of money over a AAW Classic Kit but same price as the lower priced kits mentioned. But these are apples and oranges Kits regarding the amount of extras. If you are really the kind of guy who wants to do it yourself to learn and assemble the stuff, are good online, can read a schematic, can plan, figure and execute, then go ahead and do it. It will be great fun, But not sure how much $$ you will save. A little for sure and maybe a lot depending on what you and your truck already have regarding good electrical parts and tools.
These are Pix of DIY Harness:
As Received Fuse Box
Start Building Your Harness
Install and Reconnoiter
Mount an Adaptor Plate to Longer Hood Hinge Bolts
Don't Forget the Gauges

Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. Dickson

Here is a link to a universal unit. I bought one similar to this one for my 1948 & what a difference it made.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170677023911?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Thanks for the print out you put on the site.It will help me rewire the gas gauge and i will not get lost along the way.