The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Who makes the best wiring harness for a '48?

I just fired the harness in my '48, and I need a good harness (6v) with idiot-proof instructions.

Can you recommend a vendor for such an item?

You can get them cheaper but for quality of materials, workmanship and support I use these guys.

I picked up a Painless Kit on E Bay - worked great / easy to understand even for a rookie.
My truck is rodded - if you want stock look, perhaps Jim carter ?

My truck is stock. I'm kind of leery about ebay for something this important. I don't have much experience with automobile electical systems, and the experiences I've had are generally bad, so I'll need really good instructions.

Do you want original looking wiring? This would mean braided-cloth covered wires (color-coded), rather than plastic covered wires (which first appeared in 1954).

YnZ\'s harnesses are just like the original and they supposedly supply excellent installation instructions.

Rhode Island Wiring Service also sells original-style harnesses but I thinbk that people have posted that they are expensive.

Tom,

This idea is probably at the end of your list, or not even on your list, but building your own harness is EXTREMELY simple, and fun!

If you take your wiring diagram and actually count the number of wires involved, you might be surprised...pleasantly that is.

When you identify a start point for a wire, and a destination point for that same wire, it is just a matter of going from "here" to "there".

You will learn how the system works as you do it.

Stuart

atomarc, it's an interesting idea, but I have trouble making connections, and the thought of adding all those spade connectors, plus the others, just makes me cringe. However, when I see the prices on the ready made ones....

Where would I get the original type wires?

Tom,

If you are trying to stay original, I think it will have to be a "reproduction" unit from one of the suppliers mentioned above.

Stuart

I like making my own harnesses. I usually start with an Enos black box. The box covers every application, is easy to understand and comes with a BIG manual. And when I say BIG, I mean big simple to read instructions with big pictures / diagrams.

The only thing I can add to what Stuart said, and this is optional, is when I make a harness, I add an extra wire or two. Just in case I want to add an extra feature in the future. And usually only to the harness that goes all the way to the back of the vehicle.

There is no "best harness for a '48". The harness for the guy who wants to show his at VCCA events won't do for the guy who has a V8, power windows, A/C, etc. What you need is probably somewhere in between.

The cloth covered wire is what you want if you are going for a 100 point restoration. But it seems to me you said in the other post you have a 12V system. Therefore there is no need for the extra expense of the cloth covered harness. If your truck is basically stock, not a bunch of accessories, I'd recommend the replacement harness from Classic Parts , formerly Chevy Duty. This harness is made to fit and has all the terminals installed.

If you have no experience at wiring you should shy away from building your own. If you need a harness with extra circuits use one of the after market harnesses. You'll have to cut to length and install terminals but it will be a good experience. I'd recommend Hod Rod Wires. They are less expensive than the others but are not cheap. The wires are heavier than stock. (8 ga. hot wire and alternator, 12 ga headlights, etc.) When you have a problem you can talk to the owner on the phone.

BOY is that a tough question
keeping it stock means a 12 volt harness may not work as well as one for 6v. wire resistance is a factor w/ 6v systems
what do you need and truely answer what it is you want from your bolt or will do to her is the question. then look for the system that fits.
is this a driver? stock? I've made my own harness, have 8 relays as well, all soldered, labeled and heat shrinked. mine is a 51 but a harness works w/ all years. the wires don't care... only you do.

TOM R, if you want a basic modern wiring diagram i can mail a copy to you. you can them ask more questions, learn, add, or subtract from that.
it's a start.

I have done both. I used a Painless wiring harness on my 59 because I wanted it modernized and reliable and of great quality. The harness is all of the above. Recommended.

On my 47 CJ2a I did my own wiring harness. It was very simple and very inexpensive. I bought a fuse block (not fused originally) and spade fuses at a swap meet for $8. I bought a bunch of wire at Harbor Freight for $14. And I bought of connectors from Harbor Freight for $3.99. That was it. Other than one minor mistake which made the thing keep running after the key was off, the wiring harness i created has worked just fine. I put it in a $4 plastic box with a printed card on it telling what fuse does what.

I bet your 48 truck doesn't have any more in it than my 47 jeep wiring-wise. Its easy to do if you just take your time and check off the wires as you do them. I even got those wiring looms at harbor freight for another $3 just to make it look pretty under the hood.

My truck is a six volt, and I'm trying to make it as original as possible without selling the furniture to do so. So far, the only non-original things are an oak bed and I didn't paint the steering column a different shade than the dash.

The wiring harness I burned up was a more modern one, and maybe it was a sign that I need an original type. I'm struggling with the expense, though.

I can empathize Tom. These old cars & trucks are called money pits for a reason.

I ordered a harness from YNZ a few minutes ago. Thanks, everybody, for your input.

Since just about everything else on the truck is original, I went for a braided harness.

In the interest of adding AC, power seats, etc., etc., I went with the EZ-Wire kit 3 years ago and am glad I did:
All Info Here

Next, I added terminal blocks in the engine area that supply a full 14 volts to everything ... I think the Delco 12si Alternator is the best way to go (here's how to wire it):
See Here

Putting Relays on the headlights make a big difference, too:
Here\'s How

Fusible Links are better than fuses or circuit breakers!
Read This

here is what I did you can get it for a 6 or 12 volt system http://www.classicparts.com/products.asp?dept=44&pagenumber=1&sort_on=&sort_by=

Just dont build your own like this:

http://jbarnhouse.photosite.com/36CornBinder/36CornBinder/DSC05527.html

I've heard good things about "painless" and I used a "stock" 12 volt replacement harness from Jim Carter or Chev's of the 40's.. forget which one.. and it was easy to install.