DIY Rewire engine bay wiring harness

[tparker]

I was thinking of redoing my wiring harness in the Engine bay. It doesn't seem to be two difficult. But I was curious to know if anyone knows where to source the wires from. I'd like to keep the same colors and stripes. Not sure if that is possible. Any ideas or thoughts on doing this?

[pschlosser]

I researched this about three months ago.  What is your goal?  To make it yourself?  To make a slightly modified harness that still looks factory?  Just to have any old functional harness?  Do you care if it looks OEM?

I wanted to make up to three harnesses for varying vehicles.  I wanted ones that looked OEM, and had nice molded connectors (not radio shack crimp-ons) at the ends.

Unless you're prepared to buy 100 or 500 foot spools in each of the colors, finding the correct gauge wire that looks correct is really hard to do.  Plus, making the connectors look factory is pretty hard unless you live with the heat shrink look over the crimped parts of the connectors.

In the end, I concluded it was best and more economical just to buy a hardness from some restoration company.  I very much like the ones made by Bill Evans.

http://www.evanswiring.com/catalog.htm

[RUNCHARGER]

I've restored lots of stock harnesses. What works for me is wiring harnesses from newer Dodge vans and trucks from PicNPull JY's. Then new terminal ends from Pico. The wiring harnesses will yield all the different colours of wires you will need and quite often usable junction blocks. It's pretty easy to inspect every wire and connector and replace wires with the same length, correct coloured wires. The terminal ends cost pennies each and will be brand new. The Pico terminals are available through our chain autoparts stores up here in Canada, probably the same in the USA.

https://www.picowiring.com/catalog.html

[tparker]

Yeah, basically just replace the wires. And terminals obviously. I pulled my harness and tried cleaning them up but there is lots of corrosion which might be causing resistance in the wire. The wires are pretty easy to get out of the connectors, so all I need to do is just replace the wire and add the spade connector to the ends. I already have a baggie of male and female connectors.

I am not interested in trying to pretend my car is 100% original, it is not. However I'd like the original colored wire so it still matches up with diagrams.

Yeah I don't want to by spools of each wire. I can typically go to electrical shops and buy wire by the foot but they won't have all the options I'm sure. I was hoping there were some places on line that specialize with this. Pick n Pull may be my best bet.

[Fern]

I got mine from year one. The colors were the same as originally. 

[dodj]

I made my own harnesses back in '87. I didn't get all the same colors,  but close. It's not a hard job at all. Get a hold of a bunch of the correct type connector, and buy a crimper. Clear the work bench and go one wire at a time.  If you are going to relocate anything.... now is a great time to determine the extra wire length needed.
I really like Sheldon's idea on getting wire.

[anlauto]

Why wouldn't you just buy new harnesses ?

[Rich G.]

Evens Wiring Harness. I probably used a dozen of his harness's. Wouldn't go any other way on a stock setup.

[dodj]

Evens Wiring Harness. I probably used a dozen of his harness's. Wouldn't go any other way on a stock setup.

Did a quick search for evan's harnesses. Curious what one cost. Didn't see dash harness listed - are they made aftermarket?

[anlauto]

Bill Evans doesn't do dash harnesses ... He'll likely be walking around Moparfest this weekend, maybe he'll deliver some stuff for you?

[tparker]

Why wouldn't you just buy new harnesses ?

Cost.

My connectors are fine. Just need to replace about 24 wires.