Installing a wiring harness

Babyboomerboy

Babyboomerboy

Senior Member
I have a 1950 Ford 2 door Deluxe Sedan and want to have a new wiring harness installed in it. I found the Shoebox Ford 6 volt modern Universal wiring harness to be just what I need. However I am an old man and I don't twist and bend like I use to and would like to know what I should expect to pay to have this harness installed in the car for me? Thank you
 
Yes, remove the front seat and you can lay on your back easily to install the underdash wiring. If you want to keep it simple I would install and original type wire harness and not a modern "universal type". I subscribe to keeping it simple. But I'm a simple person.
 
I think it could get very expensive. Lots of variables involved. Can you find a shop that will take on the job? experience level of the shop and the mechanic assigned the task. Time and material ads up fast if they're trying to figure out how to do it and assign the apprentice to the job. Seth is right about keeping it simple and the car original.

If you're going to have it done, find the shop that will do it and ask them the question about how much.
 
I actually bought a NOS wiring harness. I removed the old harness and laidit out on a 4x8 plywood on two sawhorses. I took a bunch of pictures and had all the dash gauges out along with it. Then I discovered that some of the wires on the NOS harness had faded so the colors were "beige" instead of the correct color. I just traced the wires down 1 by 1, labeled and fixed any broken wires/terminals. Reassembled into the car and with a few touch ups, everything worked. The NOS harnes was about 20% the cost of a new harness
 
It's not that difficult to do it yourself. Get a good terminal crimper and a good variety of terminals. Mount the panel on the inside of the firewall in a place that is easy to get to in the event you need to change a fuse. Pull the appropriate wires out into the engine compartment and leave the rest inside the car. As others have said pull out the front seat. Hopefully you got a good instruction book with the harness. Take your time and don't cut any wires until you know where they need to connect.
 
I see you're in Kansas. If you were closer I'd install an original type wire harness for you. I'm younger, however it doesn't take me long. It's plug and play, so to speak.
 
I installed a universal harness in a '50 last year. A couple of issues that came up were the instructions didn't show hooking up a generator, regulator etc but was for an alternator. The wiring for the brake lights go up the A pillar, across above the doors and come out in the trunk; the wires supplied weren't long enough so I routed them under the floor mat. If you pull the old harness to the rear attach a string to the dome light wire so you can pull a new wire to it.
 
Buy an replacement original style wiring harness . It’s easy . Every wire has the correct connector and length . Almost impossible to screw up . I got mine from Tyre Harris . ? Spelling may be incorrect. Excellent service if any questions arise. It looks original but is made with modern wire .
 
The reason I was asking about the cost of having it done was not only that I can't move around very well but because I don't know what I would do if I got the seat removed, tear out the old harness and then not be able to put the new harness in. I seem to have a way with some projects that I do it once, then twice, then three times before I get someone to fix it the right way the first time. Since I have never replaced a wiring harness before I don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about this project. I have read that you guys say its not that hard to do, it only takes time. Well I have the time but I am not sure I have the skill. Is there anyone who has actually installed a Shoebox Ford 6 volt modern Universal wiring harness? Is there anything else I need to buy besides the kit in order to complete the job? Thank you
 
I would assume that each connector on a new harness would me labeled?
When you receive the harness lay it out and using a wiring diagram label each wire accordingly and go from there. Don't wait until you are on your back to decide which wire goes where.
I am 78 and if you were closer (Tucson, AZ) I would give you a hand. That way there would always be one of us upright to call the Fire Department to help the other guy get back up.
I completely wired a 52 F1 to 12 volt using a Ron Francis kit years ago. Each wire had its purpose actually printed on the wire. Much too involved for your needs, but can be done.
Go NOS if possible and focus on one wire at a time. Keep us posted. Chap
 
Most shops around here are time and materials on wiring. So assume a labor rate of at least $75 per hour and 20 hours you'd be at $1,500. I rewired my 42 Ford with a Carpenter kit and I'll have to say the instructions/diagrams were very easy to follow for a person with no experience. My brother used a custom kit for his 57 Chevy that had each wire labeled but not cut to length or with connections pre-installed. He wished he had bought a stock harness after he was done. The word Universal always scares me but I haven't seen your harness.
 
I think you guys are missing his point and not answering his real question. I don't know the O/P's actual age, but I do know it can be a real problem. When I was 78, I would have tackled removing the front seat and installing a new harness in my '51 without a second thought. Now, at 81, I wouldn't even consider it (and my doctor would freak out).

Although it may come at different ages, we all come to the point where we just can't (and shouldn't) try things that we are no longer suited to do.

All I can offer to the O/P is that it probably depends if there is someone local who does this sort of thing. Luckily, there are two guys withing 25 miles of my home, so there is at east a semblance of competition. Last summer I had the leaks (timing cover, valve covers, and oil pan) on my recently rebuilt engine in my Corvette fixed, the rear brakes repaired, and a couple of other things. I also had whole bottom of the car cleaned of the residue of these leaks. It took the guy two weeks and cost $2200, including parts.

Sorry, just missed the previous post by this much.
 
Are you a member of the EFV8 club?....Someone (or a couple people) may be able to help with the physical part and have some wiring experience......taking it to a shop may get quite expensive and they need to have experience with old cars and wiring......
Good Luck with your project......Mark
 
I sent him my phone # in Jan and offered to discuss it with him. I'm 80 and have done this before on shoebox Fords. If he got a Rebel harness from Shoebox Central it appears to have the wiring for the gen/regulator so that would be covered and I stand corrected on that.

I believe there is enough help on here that we can help him through this.
If as Tubman points out he can't physically do it then a different solution is required. If I lived closer I would help him as well. I enjoy getting these old Fords road worthy!
 
flatford8 brings up a good point about the V-8 Club. If the OP is a member he can use the roster to find someone near him to come by and guide/help him.
 
I want to thank everyone for their input on this subject. I am tossing around the idea that I might try to install the harness myself. I am planning to buy the Rebel Universal 6 volt 8 circuit wiring harness. I have a couple of questions before I commit. 1- I can take the front seat out but the interior has already been redone. Will I have to remove any more of the interior to get the wires to the back of the car for the taillights? 2- My car has a starter button on the dash and it doesn't look like the harness has wires for that component. How would I handle that wiring? 3- I will be doing this rewiring job by myself so I don't really want to remove the dash. Is this going to be much harder to rewire the instrument panel without taking the dash out? Thanks again for all the help and advice.
 
You would be much better off installing a correct harness from a reputable supplier.

Sorry.

Ken
 
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