1963 Wiring Suggestion Help Please

[Phalen409]

I am replacing every bit of wiring in my frame off 63 Impala SS. Headlights to taillights and everything in between. Can any of you fine forum members suggest a company that can do it all and that might actually label where the hell it all goes. I am a complete novice at most of this especially the wiring. American Auto Wire furnished the wiring harness for the engine compartment for the blue can in my avatar, and that was somewhat easy for me. The under dash and back really could screw me up. Any suggestions?

As always, I really thank ya'll for the help.

Dennis

 

[63 dream'n]

American Autowire has the entire 63 Impala wire kit #510063, it's $599.00.I have not used this kit but it looks to be user friendly.

 

[blkblk63ss]

I replaced all of my wiring with exact duplicate of original, fuse panel and all. If you saved the old harness that also help's{ if you removed it }to tell where it went, and you can compare wire color just in case . I was thinking it would be a challenge ,but was very easy.A service manual will help also .I saved my old wiring and also the tab's that mount the wire's and connector's . After i had all new installed, then i did cut all of the connector plug's off my old harness ,as i did need a special pin to go into the outer firewall connector to connect hot wire for my Hei. It was a pain to get pin out of old connector ,but finally figured it out. All those old connector plug's i will never throw away. I'm thinking i got mine from eckler's or classic industries.They do make harness's with more fuse option's and new spade fuse 's , but i stayed with original .

 

[bobs409]

This may be the only thing I won't be replacing on mine! :eek

 

[Phalen409]

I thought about keeping the wiring, but after going thru all the work doing the frame off, sandblasting, etc. I didn't want to be chasing electrical problems later. I may rethink that later....

 

[Phil Reed]

Since you are going to do this complete frame off.......why would you trust 51 year old wiring?????? Your cheapest insurance is the money you spend for ALL new wiring.

 

[BSL409]

Since you are going to do this complete frame off.......why would you trust 51 year old wiring?????? Your cheapest insurance is the money you spend for ALL new wiring.

 

[Phalen409]

Keeping the original wiring was a fleeting thought......This whole frame off is totally out of my comfort zone, but what the hell. Everyone has to jump off in the deep water once and a while. I'm up to my neck, and the thought of doing the wiring intimidates the hell out of me.... Actually it all does, but I have to relearn this stuff from many years ago. This is on the bucket list. There is so many with so much knowledge on this forum, I get a little embarrassed asking the questions I do.

 

[bobs409]

Since you are going to do this complete frame off.......why would you trust 51 year old wiring?????? Your cheapest insurance is the money you spend for ALL new wiring.

Not sure if your talking to me or the original poster but as for my car, my wiring is perfect. Why replace something that does not need to be replaced especially at the prices they want for these. :eek I'd say they are making a "little" profit on these harness's wouldn't you?

 

[blkblk63ss]

The reason i replaced all my wiring was beside's being cut and spliced under dash several place's, and mouse infested smell, and it had corrosion in plug connector's.The fire wall bulk connector's had corrosion in those also ,a common problem. I figured when car is apart is the best time to replace,and the easiest. I even found pinched wiring from factory build!!!! So why would you skimp the resto on wiring????

 

[Don Jacks]

With all the time and money it's taken to get this far,this is no place to "cheap out"!

 

[bobs409]

Sorry guys, there's no talking me into spending 600 dollars on something the car doesn't need. Now if it was all hacked up or damaged, maybe but that still would be a big pill to swallow. I don't know why these need to cost that much but I'm just a dumb country boy so what do I know.

I'd like to keep at least a few parts of the original car.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Bob ,we are not trying to convince you, just the guilty one's!!!!

 

[oldskydog]

I'm with Bob.
Unwrap it as necessary. If the insulation is good, clean it with lacquer thinner, clean all the contacts, replace broken plastic connectors with some salvaged from harnesses bought cheap or donated from those that like to spend hundred on a repro harness that may or may not be correct. Re wrap the harness with the correct non-sticky tape and it will be good as new.
That's why I have a pile of old harnesses for parts. Even entiire wires can be replaced if badly hacked up. Most of the wire you buy today is the wrong type and looks like crap when it kinks just form normal handling.

 

[CDNpontiac409guy]

What Cecil said... and I stress... the "reproduction" stuff is rarely accurate, or even of the quality of original.

 

[blkblk63ss]

All my new harness were exactly as original , connector's, wiring same guage wire,everything!!!!!!! I was 100% satisfied!!!!

 

[Phil Reed]

Sorry...............I stand by my statement. American Auto Wire has original GM Delco drawings and their harness are exact!!! With their under dash harness...you even get a new fuse box.
I've heard from about 3-4 customers in 30 years that have lost their cars to electrical fires from original wiring. I would never take that chance. Yes Bob, there is a "little" profit in those products...it's called Capitalism!!!! That profit pays for 1000's of "jigs" or whatever they use to build the harnesses, inventory the materials, the building to manufacture, wages for employees...you know...the whole shebang. $600-$700 wiring is cheap insurance in my book.
Sorry Bob..this isn't directed to you entirely but the mention of "little profit" rubbed me the wrong way. I'm glad you've never had an electrical wiring problem on your restorations but for me....if I can't budget money for new wiring, I'm thinking I shouldn't start it!! Now I'm talking higher end frame-offs.............daily driver condition............none of the above applies.

 

[k9hotrodder409]

The reason i replaced all my wiring was beside's being cut and spliced under dash several place's, and mouse infested smell, and it had corrosion in plug connector's.The fire wall bulk connector's had corrosion in those also ,a common problem. I figured when car is apart is the best time to replace,and the easiest. I even found pinched wiring from factory build!!!! So why would you skimp the resto on wiring????

All my wiring in the '57 was almost all purple wire. That's what I had laying around when the car needed a quick fix.All new wiring did the trick.

 

[Phalen409]

Didn't mean to start a controversy. But I'm a trouble maker by nature. You guys are great!

 

[oldskydog]

Sorry...............I stand by my statement. American Auto Wire has original GM Delco drawings and their harness are exact!!! With their under dash harness...you even get a new fuse box.
I've heard from about 3-4 customers in 30 years that have lost their cars to electrical fires from original wiring. I would never take that chance. Yes Bob, there is a "little" profit in those products...it's called Capitalism!!!! That profit pays for 1000's of "jigs" or whatever they use to build the harnesses, inventory the materials, the building to manufacture, wages for employees...you know...the whole shebang. $600-$700 wiring is cheap insurance in my book.
Sorry Bob..this isn't directed to you entirely but the mention of "little profit" rubbed me the wrong way. I'm glad you've never had an electrical wiring problem on your restorations but for me....if I can't budget money for new wiring, I'm thinking I shouldn't start it!! Now I'm talking higher end frame-offs.............daily driver condition............none of the above applies.

Innovation and finding less expensive ways to solve problems is also part of capitalism.
Think of all the money you could spend on other parts by cleaning up your old harness.........you can even buy them from our good ol' resident capitalist Mr. Philcheck.
Saaay,........ I wonder if Mr. Philcheck sells wiring harnesses?
just kidding

I had my first lesson on wiring harnesses back in 61 when I fried my main underdash harness and engine harness in my 58 DelRay. Went down to the dealer and bought new harnesses for probably about $40 which was a weeks pay back then, and installed them myself. Since then I've repaired and replaced wiring in everything from a 51 Cushman Eagle to a 1955 North American T-28, which BTW still has most of its wiring that was installed in 1955.
A new repro harness is no guarantee that you won't have an electrical fire.....neither is a carefully cleaned and inspected original but at least it is cleaned , inspected and repaired as necessary.