WIRING HARNESS ADVICE ???

[Blown_FC]

I'm just starting a new thread which is part of an old thread I posted a week or so.......but different ! ( confused ).

Anyway, in my search for a drop in wiring harness for my FC sedan, I'm torn between a rock and a hard place, and was hoping for some advice from you all which way to go ?

1. Vintage Wiring can make a bolt in wiring harness...that is, it's wrapped in black plastic just as the factory did, and not a box full of wires like the Painless wiring kits.  These are made to fit an FC and simply just slot in complete with all the pins and spades and connections already connected...very simple...looks good....and only costs $277.....BUT.....the catch is, that it's only the MAIN harness, from the dash forward, and does not include the rear lights, fuel tank or interior light.

2. Painless wiring kits do a 12 circuit generic box of spaghetti.   All wires are labelled, but no connections fitted ( although they are supplied ), not wrapped in plastic, and costs $550 almost double the other option...but it is COMPLETE !   With this option I may have to cut and shorten or lengthen wires accordingly and have to fit connections myself ect ect.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated......I'm no auto electrician and prefer a simple install if possible !

I bought one for my Mini cooper once ( can;t remember where from ), it was awesom....all wires wrapped in Black and Yellow cotton just like the factory, had all connections in the right place and at the right length, it was a 20 min install !

If only I can remember who they were ?

[Ed]

Blown FC,

If originality is your thing, or the original harness is OK, I would buy the original look harness then make one up for the rear lights... this is very easy, no real sparky skills required.

if u do not have many accessories then the painles kit is not worth your while.

I am still finishing up my wiring some 5 to 6 weekends later and it is really starting to annoy me.

Buy plenty of cable ties to bundle your harnesses, good wire strippers and the good crimpers.  Also a few lengths of heat shrink is very handy, 3.2mm and 5.0mm are the most used.

Cheers

Ed

[Fast_Eddie]

I have purchased the Vintage one, and it's a great reproduction.

If you are using the original dash and switches, it is an excellent choice.

The intermediate harness is very straighforward, and often intact. Do you have any need to replace your own?

From memory, it starts at the fuse box and runs up the windscreen pillar, inside the cant rail, down the C pillar, and connects up to the tail light harness adjacent to the drivers side tail light.

I think it is only the brown fuel tank sender cable which does not have a junction at this point, running all the way across the top of the fuel tank in the clear plastic sheath.

In an FC, you'll also find a green wire tucked up there somewhere which was run for the reverse light accessory.

I was contemplating sending an intermediate harness to Vintage when I purchased the main one, as they offered to copy it, however that section is quite difficult to run, and therefore I didn't bother stripping it out of the wagon.

I may still however get them to copy a tail light section which would include new bulb holders.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Ed

[Fast_Eddie]

There is a photo in the Restoration section.