Dash Harness Replacement Tips.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,703
Likes: 167
From: Western Washington
Don't over think it. When you get the harness you will find it lays out to where it is fairly easy to understand. I think the most important thing is to not eat right before doing the work under the dash.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
I don't remember the wiring on my 62 being particularly complex. Given that most wires are only long enough to reach their intended region, you don't have a lot of possible places to screw up. The biggest risk is under the dash at the instrument cluster, and I don't see there being room for 2 harnesses at the same time anyway.
- Label the old wires
- Take digital photos of the various routing locations
- Disconnect the old harness from the car
- Lay the old harness on the floor next to the new harness
- Label the wires on the new harness to match (do not transfer old labels or you'll get confused)
- Install the new harness
- Install beer
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
I don't remember the wiring on my 62 being particularly complex. Given that most wires are only long enough to reach their intended region, you don't have a lot of possible places to screw up. The biggest risk is under the dash at the instrument cluster, and I don't see there being room for 2 harnesses at the same time anyway.
- Label the old wires
- Take digital photos of the various routing locations
- Disconnect the old harness from the car
- Lay the old harness on the floor next to the new harness
- Label the wires on the new harness to match (do not transfer old labels or you'll get confused)
- Install the new harness
- Install beer
If you start wrestling with both harnesses under the dash you will have a snarly mess of old and new wiring....no offense to GCD1962 but I would not try it that way. All the cluster light bulbs are on gray wires anyway and that is a big chunk of the wiring so those are hard to screw up even if you swap holes on 1 or 2 at some point.
Not that tough a job Tim....you will be wondering why you thought it was such a big deal when you get finished...really.
Frank D.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Ponte Vedra, FL
Ordered the Lectric Limited harness today, along with new bulbs, tape, and Doc Rebuild wiring diagrams. Started the prep work tonight -- took seat out, steering wheel off, photographs, started labeling current harness wires.
Thanks to everyone for the advice!
Thanks to everyone for the advice!
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Bethlehem Pa
You already did all the hard work, the rest is easy.
Keep us advised of the progress.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Good man! Make sure you have a good battery isolator if you don't already. Makes it easier to cut power in the event of problems (like when you first power up the new harness) and stop the juice when you store the car for long periods; I personally prefer the blade type: http://www.jcwhitney.com/BATTERY_DIS...0;2006121;0;0#. The green **** .. screw-type take more time to activate and can corrode where you can't see it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Ponte Vedra, FL
While doing some more prep work under the dash, I noticed that on the ignition switch, one of the spades did not have a plug/wire coming to it. Is that normal? There are a lot of labels that someone else taped onto the wires but some of them I can't make out. Mostly the ones going to the ignition.
(by the way, check out the nice frayed red wire to the left. That supplies power to the cigarette lighter. It was taped, but still. Makes me glad I am doing this project!)
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(by the way, check out the nice frayed red wire to the left. That supplies power to the cigarette lighter. It was taped, but still. Makes me glad I am doing this project!)
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Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,984
Likes: 185
From: CT
There is an extra spade, can be used for an accesssory if needed. Switches were not unique to the Corvette and might have had an application on another car.
Looks like you have a lot of splices in the old harness. All wires on the new harness are color coded to what is shown on the wiring diagram. I would double check each of your tagged wires to match the diagram. With so many splices you have something might have been switched around or tapped into that could create a problem with the correct harness.
Looks like you have a lot of splices in the old harness. All wires on the new harness are color coded to what is shown on the wiring diagram. I would double check each of your tagged wires to match the diagram. With so many splices you have something might have been switched around or tapped into that could create a problem with the correct harness.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
This threw me too the first time I found the extra lug on my car....its correct (and unused)...Its good you are replacing the harness under there...seems to have been a lot of tom foolery going on....
The bends in the wires going into the ignition switch connector indicate they've been jerked out of the connector once or twice....for troubleshooting or repairs... The best part of the Dr. Rebuild schematics are that they are electrical schematics combined with pictures of the actual connectors, switches, etc. in the car. Things like the extra lug on the ignition switch are real apparent...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Ponte Vedra, FL
Need Help....
Received my new harness late yesterday and have labeled all the wires. Took the old harness out and am ready to install the new harness. One small issue -- the hole in the firewall is not big enough for the front lamp connectors to fit through (see photos). There is a rubber gasket on the engine compartment side that is in the hole, but that doesn't concern me. It's the actual size of the hole. It is too small for the connectors to fit through. The previous wiring all had butt connectors on the cockpit side of the firewall -- I now know why. Suggestions??
Hole in firewall....
Connectors that have to go through hole...
Rubber gasket in engine compartment side of hole...
Hole in firewall....
Connectors that have to go through hole...
Rubber gasket in engine compartment side of hole...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
The wires come out of those connectors I am pretty sure...then you can thread them through the firewall. If you put a VERY small screwdriver down behind the wire terminal from the front of the plastic connector you should be able to depress the small metal 'barb' on the back of the terminal that releases the wire from the rear of the plastic connector. Do this..then thread the wire through the firewall and when done....install the wires back into the plastic connector. Of course, carefully note which colored wires go where BEFORE you start removing them.
Are there no instructions with the harness ?
Are there no instructions with the harness ?
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Feb 3, 2010 at 08:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Ponte Vedra, FL
Amp Gauge Wiring Help...
Just double checking.....I am ready to attach the wires to the back of the Amp Gauge. The Doc Rebuild Fuse Box & Harness Chart shows two red wires that join together (one is the Cig. lighter conn.) goes to the Amp Gauge Pass. Side Stud. The Ignition Harness Chart shows another set of red wires going to the Amp Gauge Pass. Side Stud. Just want to make sure this is correct as this is not how the wires were when I took them off. The two red wires from the Fuse & Harness chart (the one with the cig. lighter) was connected to the Driver Side stud.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,474
Likes: 16
From: Houston Texas
St. Jude Donor '10-'12-'13
First of all I see you have the parking brake alarm switch to the left in the picture....great luck...used these go for $175 to $200 and there are no reproductions made.
The crimped butt connectors in your picture are well done but not original and the bundles should have been rewrapped after the crimping...if they aren't giving you trouble...leave them alone for now.
My harness goes through the firewall in one piece wrapped in electrical tape (no butt connectors). I don't see a bulkhead connector on the firewall...the harness appears to just come through a grommet into the engine compartment.
HOWEVER, I think the wires going into the engine compartment are not part of the fuse box harness (or certainly not all of them) but they are 'wrapped' together on installation into a single bundle.
The crimped butt connectors in your picture are well done but not original and the bundles should have been rewrapped after the crimping...if they aren't giving you trouble...leave them alone for now.
My harness goes through the firewall in one piece wrapped in electrical tape (no butt connectors). I don't see a bulkhead connector on the firewall...the harness appears to just come through a grommet into the engine compartment.
HOWEVER, I think the wires going into the engine compartment are not part of the fuse box harness (or certainly not all of them) but they are 'wrapped' together on installation into a single bundle.
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={869cbb18-b081-447b-bd7b-2938d1891b1a}&pname=63+Park+Brake+Warnin g+Switch&Referer=QUICK_SEARCH&Alias=1963 parking brake warning switch&ptct=BS-SR&CTitle=&
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Just double checking.....I am ready to attach the wires to the back of the Amp Gauge. The Doc Rebuild Fuse Box & Harness Chart shows two red wires that join together (one is the Cig. lighter conn.) goes to the Amp Gauge Pass. Side Stud. The Ignition Harness Chart shows another set of red wires going to the Amp Gauge Pass. Side Stud. Just want to make sure this is correct as this is not how the wires were when I took them off. The two red wires from the Fuse & Harness chart (the one with the cig. lighter) was connected to the Driver Side stud.
1sttexan: Zip has what for $75 ? Surely not the parking brake alarm switch...I haven't seen one for less than $125 in two years and I snapped that one up myself...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Ponte Vedra, FL
!!
Got everything hooked up except the front lamps. Someone painted everything up in the front end black, even the wires. And there is another hatchet job on those wires. I think I will take the engine hood off so I can have a little more room to work with so I need to wait for a helper. I decided to turn the power on and see what would happen. Success! 
Tail lamps, radio, dash lights all worked. However, I did discover while installing the new harness that the ignition harness has some frayed wires under the dash by the speaker. I can see several wires exposed. So I guess I will order a new ignition harness now, too. Always something!!
Thanks for everyone's assistance!
Tail lamps, radio, dash lights all worked. However, I did discover while installing the new harness that the ignition harness has some frayed wires under the dash by the speaker. I can see several wires exposed. So I guess I will order a new ignition harness now, too. Always something!!Thanks for everyone's assistance!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Often you can take something like the Ooops! product from Ace Hardware and wipe the wires down well and the paint will quickly come off (follow up by rewiping with water). I have removed my hood myself before but its best to have a helper. Scribe lines around the front hood hinges where they attach to the hood so you can relocate the hood easily on re-installation.
Unfortunately, I agree that if you have frayed ignition harness wires (more than 1 or 2 anyway) its best to replace the harness. Electrical wiring problems are the chief source of fires on these cars and so extra caution is needed in keeping this area up to snuff.
Unfortunately, I agree that if you have frayed ignition harness wires (more than 1 or 2 anyway) its best to replace the harness. Electrical wiring problems are the chief source of fires on these cars and so extra caution is needed in keeping this area up to snuff.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 2
From: Sandia Park NM
I don't think anyone mentioned this. I identified all the wires from the schematic ahead of time and labeled them using masking tape as to what they were for.
When your on your back in a tight place trying to ID what wire goes where having them identified before makes it a lot easier.
Dennis
When your on your back in a tight place trying to ID what wire goes where having them identified before makes it a lot easier.
Dennis