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Re: wiring harness advice

To: Leigh Brooks <shifty@shiftco.com>
Subject: Re: wiring harness advice
From: "Patrick J. Horne" <horne@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 09:37:58 -0500 (CDT)
Leigh,

Since both harness are the same, you should be able to combine the two of
them into one good harness..as long as the same wire isn't bad in both
harnesses!

I would suggest that before you open up the harnesses, make a harness
board so that the final harness can be put together correctly. Get a
sheet of plywood and lay one of hte harnesses on it. Start on one end of
the harness and drive a nail into the plywood on each side of a connector.
Flatten the wires connected to that connecter out and add nails on each
side of the harness every few inches. Where the harness has a splitout,
drive nails at each branch so the wires will stay in place. Do this to the
full harness.

Once you are sure that the harness is flat, and you will be able to get
the splits in the correct locations, and the cable lengths correct, mark
the board at the end of each wire so you will know where they are to go
back in. I like to add the color code of each wire to the locations where
the wires end just to be sure things go back together correctly and not
missing a wire or two!

Finally, take the black plastic wrapping off of one of the harnesses. If
possible, leave the harness on the board while you work.

You may find black electrical tape under the harnes covering at each
branch, remove it also. You will also find some splices inside the
harness, they are normal.

Do you wire swapping now.

When you are satisfied with the wires, tape the harness at each branch
with electrical tape.

Finally, wrap the harness with harness tape. DON'T use electrical tape.
Harness tape looks just like electrical tape, but there is no adhesive on
it. Wrap the harness and tuck the end under a wrap or two to keep it from
coming loose.

That should do the trick.

Harness tape is not easy to find. Check with auto electrical shops, or it
can be ordered from Autosparks (www.autosparks.co.uk). They also have all
the wire colors needed to build a harness from scratch. (Not all the
colors are listed in their catalog(ue), but just ask, they had everything
I needed).

Let me know if I can help any further.

Peace,
Pat

- Support Habitat for Humanity, A "hand up", not a "hand out" -

Pat Horne, Network Manager, Shop Supervisor/Future planner, CS Dept,
University of Texas, 1 University Station C0500,Austin, Tx. 78712-1188 USA
voice (512)471-9730, fax (512)471-8885, horne@cs.utexas.edu

On Wed, 2 Jun 2004, Leigh Brooks wrote:

> I've been checking out the 2 dash harnesses I have for my '68 1600
> project. Neither are ideal. One has been hacked up, looks like thicker
> wires added. The other has some melted wires (headlight switch).
>
> I'm considering unwrapping them both and mixing and matching to make a
> complete harness. Any words of advice?
>
> Also I'm trying to figure out the hookups for an early 80's Hitachi
> A-1551 am/fm radio. It has 6 hookups, in 2 rows of 3. Two are bridged
> (I'm assuming they are the negative leads for the speakers). The 2
> above those might be the positive leads for the speakers. That leaves 2
> possibilities for positive power lead. The other may be for a power
> antenna. Any ideas on where would I look to find the wiring diagram?
>
> Is there a way to figure out which lead is which?
>
> Thanks,
> Leigh Brooks
> NWDE
> Seattle






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