American Auto Wire Install??

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jonn6464

1970 Duster
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Hi FABO,

Just wondering if anyone has Installed the American Auto Wire kit for 67-75 A body cars?

I am about to start with mine on a 70 Duster, and just wanted to see if anyone had any tips or lessons learned from their install.

Specifically, any routing tips or issues that came up along the way.

Thanks for any replies.
 
Hi FABO,

Just wondering if anyone has Installed the American Auto Wire kit for 67-75 A body cars?

I am about to start with mine on a 70 Duster, and just wanted to see if anyone had any tips or lessons learned from their install.

Specifically, any routing tips or issues that came up along the way.

Thanks for any replies.
I've done a few American Auto wire kits. A Pontiac GTO a Chevelle and a Ford fairlane.
Almost every kit out there is based on a GM and they'll give you the GM steering column adapter to hack your wires into GM.. keep everything from your old windshield wiper circuit as you'll probably need most of it all the way out to the washer... They usually give you a few tests pieces to practice crimping the wires. You'll really want the correct wire crimpers which are about 150 bucks LOL... Do you like the instructions say and just do one part at a time...
Definitely no reason to get overwhelmed. Process of elimination is the key. Get all the wires that you know where they go gone and then just deal with what's left over...
 
I've done a few, no Mopars, but I've installed a few from American Autowire. Very high quality and you damn well pay for it.
 
Also don't be afraid to call their tech line I've had to call a few times and they talk you right through the couple to three simple problems you might have.
For example on the GTO we couldn't figure out why the electric fans were turning very slowly when we had the ignition on and come to find out we may have had the alternator Exciter wire connected incorrectly... A simple call to the people that made it cleared things up in just a few minutes and also the answer pretty quickly...
 
Lots of notes and plan out what you are doing. Most these harness have poor documentation so far as overall wiring diagram. Before you install it, get a meter/ continuity tester and find out where every wire end goes

Wire up a circuit, and power it up and test for shorts. Get yourself a large wattage bulb, like a headlight or an 1157 turn/ tail bulb and socket, and wire it with pigtails, to the shell and the two bulb contacts. Parallel the two wire pigtails so you have ground and then both filaments in the other terminal.

When you power it up for test, put the large bulb in series with the battery ground. That way IF there is a short, all that will happen is that your test bulb will light.

Continue to test each circuit as you go so you don't get a bunch of problems stacked up

Be aware most these harnesses don't fully address "Mopars." One problem is usually the IGN1/ IGN2 connections at the key switch. Originally IGN2 was a brown, that went out into the engine bay and connected to the coil+ side of the ballast resistor. IF YOU are not using an ignition with a ballast, you need to jumper those two switch contacts together.

Don't be afraid to add relays. I would use two relays for headlights--one for high, one for low, powered by the dimmer switch. I would use another relay powered by IGN1 by the key to supply underhood loads, and power it off a good big (fused) lead from the battery, at least no12 or no 10.
 
If at all possible, get yourself a sheet or to of 4X8 plywood, and put your stock harness on it, and build your new harness side by side with the old. Upgrade your wire gauge and connectors next to it. Just my opinion, but I wired 747's for over 22 years using this method. It's working on my 70 Swinger 340, with bigger wires, and the mods needed for a modern car. Just my .02.
 
If at all possible, get yourself a sheet or to of 4X8 plywood, and put your stock harness on it, and build your new harness side by side with the old. Upgrade your wire gauge and connectors next to it. Just my opinion, but I wired 747's for over 22 years using this method. It's working on my 70 Swinger 340, with bigger wires, and the mods needed for a modern car. Just my .02.
These American Auto wire kits are already pretty much pre-length and whatnot. They're already built..
I wouldn't throw away anything from the old one until the new one is running on the road but they do have a lot of plug and Play items already. They are pre wrapped they're not just a fuse box and a ton of wires sticking out of it...
For routing purposes and ease of installation for the headlights tail lights and Park lights they give you new bulb holders and plugs you just need to make the connection between the two. They even give male and female connectors for that as well. These kits are very expensive and pretty damn complete again except for the windshield wiper sometimes that's some stuff you want to make sure you keep...
 
The American Auto wire instructions are some of the best I've seen as far as applying custom stuff to your car. Again that's customer support is very very good. All of the instructions are sectioned out and especially under the dash they're very portioned to get you here to get you there to get on to the next step. All of the wires are color coded and labeled every 6 in. It's almost hard to miss a wire that says left rear turn signal every 6 in...
 
As I think about it there's some things like the rear Park light brown wire will be super super long as it needs to go to the driver side turn signal and double there in a connector and go over to the passenger side and maybe even double from there and go to the license plate light. Just like the backup light will be kind of long as it will go to one side and then double from the first side over to the second side. And there'll be extra wires like a third brake light maybe a trunk light and a fuel sending unit wire. I'm almost certain to have you mount the fuse box and do the rear first. It's simple and get you warmed up for getting under the hood and getting the underdash stuff done....
This is always a great time to look at the option of the new intellitronics digital dash setup. I just bought one of their generic setups for my truck build but they just did come out with a a body setup. It comes with its own sensors and whatnot.. you use your same dash bezel and it's all filled up with the latest in digital electronics along with cool stuff like 60 ft recall and quarter mile recall..
 
Why not buy an M&H harness from Year One and skip all the trouble. They are duplicates of originals & install without issue.
 
I am almost done with mine. I had the dash removed and that was much more pleasant to deal with. As said before, put the wires where you generally think they go and start following the instructions. I had a rolling shell to start and although I felt overwhelmed it is doable. The instructions are good and the phone service equally good. You need more emotional help than anything. chip away at it.
 
I am almost done with mine. I had the dash removed and that was much more pleasant to deal with. As said before, put the wires where you generally think they go and start following the instructions. I had a rolling shell to start and although I felt overwhelmed it is doable. The instructions are good and the phone service equally good. You need more emotional help than anything. chip away at it.
Emotional help... LOL...
I would say it's mostly time consuming cuz this is something you have to get absolutely spot on right..
The great part about our cars is the total lack of electronics... Almost everything is a simple fused wire coming from the fuse box to a switch that goes out to its function... And again process of elimination...
 
Lots of notes and plan out what you are doing. Most these harness have poor documentation so far as overall wiring diagram. Before you install it, get a meter/ continuity tester and find out where every wire end goes

Wire up a circuit, and power it up and test for shorts. Get yourself a large wattage bulb, like a headlight or an 1157 turn/ tail bulb and socket, and wire it with pigtails, to the shell and the two bulb contacts. Parallel the two wire pigtails so you have ground and then both filaments in the other terminal.

When you power it up for test, put the large bulb in series with the battery ground. That way IF there is a short, all that will happen is that your test bulb will light.

Continue to test each circuit as you go so you don't get a bunch of problems stacked up

Be aware most these harnesses don't fully address "Mopars." One problem is usually the IGN1/ IGN2 connections at the key switch. Originally IGN2 was a brown, that went out into the engine bay and connected to the coil+ side of the ballast resistor. IF YOU are not using an ignition with a ballast, you need to jumper those two switch contacts together.

Don't be afraid to add relays. I would use two relays for headlights--one for high, one for low, powered by the dimmer switch. I would use another relay powered by IGN1 by the key to supply underhood loads, and power it off a good big (fused) lead from the battery, at least no12 or no 10.
I'm doing a 20 circuit generic hot rod wiring kit in a truck right now and yes I've got to go through this exact process of testing everything, BUT without fail I've again put these American Auto wire kits not only in Chevys Pontiacs but Fords as well and yes they are GM based but their instructions are almost impeccable and their customer service is great. Every single time I've just wired them up exactly way the very detailed step by step instructions say to do it plug the battery in and everything works as it should....
Now my $88 Speedmaster 20 wire generic spaghetti is a little bit different story LOL..
 
I am almost done with mine. I had the dash removed and that was much more pleasant to deal with. As said before, put the wires where you generally think they go and start following the instructions. I had a rolling shell to start and although I felt overwhelmed it is doable. The instructions are good and the phone service equally good. You need more emotional help than anything. chip away at it.
ON THIS NOTE

It is possible to remove the dash without pulling the windshield, and put it back in the same way. You remove enough "stuff" and get up in there with a small die grinder/ dremel/ cheap horrid fright/ and saw through the screws and or clips. Then when out you reverse the clips so you can put screws in from the bottom
 
Thank you all for the replies. I'm just gonna dig into it and see how it goes. Here's what I'm starting with...
IMG_20211211_112349686.jpg
 
I integrated @crackedback headlight harness with rel
Thank you all for the replies. I'm just gonna dig into it and see how it goes. Here's what I'm starting with...
View attachment 1715834662
Great start! consider mocking up your dash with the gauges in it and attach the harness to the guages THEN putting it in the car. The bulkhead is an easy connection to make under dash vs the 'under dash time' of doing it when in the car.

something like this
20210417_184411.jpg
20210417_184416.jpg
 
I did end up dropping the cash for the AA crimpers. You can find them for half the cost other places. Its just knowing what to look for. Id say they are worth it.
 
Hi Fabo.
I saw your question and would like to say i am in the process of installing the complete wiring harness on my 1973 Dodge Dart Sport 340.
Excellent kit expensive but includes everything you need. Started with the engine harness so far. Take your time read and follow instructions. Good set of wire crimpers essential. If you have aftermarket gauges like i have , it takes about 5 hours for the wiring, if that helps. So far so good. Good luck.
 
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