full wiring harness installation help.

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pachink13

pachink13

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29 palms, SoCal.
i have a full headlight to taillight painless wiring harness to install on my 318 74 dart sport.

i know i'll create problems down the road if i attempt on my own.
im inexperience when it comes to electrical.

im based in so cal (inland empire/san diego) so i decided i want to have reiss racing & restoration (escondido) do it for me as long as i can sit in and learn/know how to do, and know the car if something goes wrong down the road.

granted the wiring harness is provided, their qoute for labor and parts for anything i might be missing is gonna be $2,000. i only got 2,100 budget to get this on the road. and i still need to get a radiator and whatever other small stuff to get it on the road.

what do i do? the longer i wait, the less money i have.
i can't to afford to have problems down the road since it will be my daily driver.
and it being a daily driver i need it done right. (not by my me)

i've had the car for way too long for it not to be done already.
 
Other than inexperience, are there other reasons you cannot do the job? I think the kit would come with instructions. Run this wire from point A to point B...
C
 
Not sure what you fear. They don't teach such wiring, or even how to read wiring schematics, in engineering school. Anybody can do it. Put a pencil on a line in the diagram and trace it out, noting the color and size (gage). Our cars have simple diagrams. You can even get large cartoon ones that show just certain parts at a time. Try reading a schematic for a newer car with their gazillion wires and you will have more challenge, but people working on their own cars manage those too.
 
You can ask questions here. On this board. I believe Painless is one outfit that has the destructions posted on their webpage, so that means you and we can both look at the same "page" with questions

It does take some time, and some patience.

The big big keys to the "Painless experience" ------or any other wiring harness is

patience

blocking / listing what you have on your car for equipment, for additions and modifications.

EG are you going to eliminate the ammeter?

With Painless, a good idea to eliminate the bulkhead connector, and build a blocking plate with a rubber grommet

What pumps? fans? radio? efi? other? added equipment?

Download and read the Painless destructions first. Post back here and ask questions

You can download a 73 shop manual here:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970088617

Which is the latest we have. There are a few differences which you can eliminate, AKA the seat belt interlocks. It would be best to BUY a 74 factory manual, either reprint paper or "on CD" to have for your car regardless of wiring

More stuff here

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31

Including simplified, somewhat easier to follow electrical diagrams. These are NOT complete and don't show all options, and are sometimes incorrect, and do not show all the connectors


http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1974/74ValiantA.jpg

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1974/74ValiantB.jpg

READ this article on the pitfalls of the factory ammeter and bulkhead connector

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

and headlight relays

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/brighter-headlights.shtml

In my case, I adapted a junker Voyager relay box under the hood for relays and a good junction box



But Bussman and others do make new relay / fuse panels. Bussman's is highly configurable, you basically put it together the way you want......

http://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/img_1422web-jpg.492097/

http://www.concept-customs.com/web_images/Electrical_Products/Fuse Panels.jpg


I'm not a huge fan of Painless, but they do break things down into sections........and you should, too. "Block" things out. What has to go through the firewall?

Block out "front end" lighting..........headlights, ground, high, low, park, side marker, signal, left, right

Rear harness........trunk lamp? backkup, marker / tail, left, right, and so on..........

What? are you (you ARE GOING TO!!!) do for security??? You run an electric pump? Hide a switch in there to kill the pump power for anti--theft, etc
 
Another option and forgive me because Im not sure if its cheaper is to buy replacement harnesses from places like Classic Industries or those type of places.

I've rewired a couple of different vehicles and I just got done with my 71 Scamp. Like Bill said anyone can do it. Pick up a set of factory chassis and body manuals for your year car. They have all the schematics you needs, before you remove your old harnesses take pics and mark every connection with tape and even in a note book. Key is to take your time. Then you would truely know your wiring and where each wire terminates at.

I really dont believe a shop would appreciate you hanging around staring over there shoulder asking a bunch of questions when they are just trying to get the job done and collect there money. You may slow them down and they will be asking you for more money.
 
straightlinespeed said:
I really dont believe a shop would appreciate you hanging around staring over there shoulder asking a bunch of questions when they are just trying to get the job done and collect there money. You may slow them down and they will be asking you for more money.
Click to expand...

LMAO

wrjjol.jpg
 
The OP's avatar is KILLER! Well done!

Where is the car?

Which painless kit.
 
well i asked the shop and they said they encourage me being there, and that they understand me not wanting to "cheat" rather than take the opportunity to learn.

another factor is if i don't have the time at my own pace.
i need it done asap.

i live in san diego and i don't have a garage out here, and the car is in 29palms.

if the car is a radiator away from running then i can park it outside,

but i can't have it outside lookin dirty (sun-raped yellow) near my neighbors house for several months.

it'll bite me in the *** later down the road or stop me from making any further progress if i do myself, i know i'll do something wrong.

just the dash alone is gnarly. im not too afraid of the rest.

thanks @67dart273 for all the links and info.
i'll see what i can do i guess.
 
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