Topic: Engine Harness Selection - Your opinions needed

[milly]

Rich, the painless kit would be the way to go it you were rewiring the whole car. Since you don't need to rewire the whole car can't you just slice in new wire where the bad peices are?? I've done that several times on many cars without any issues.

Like Rick said, we haven't had all that much snowfall in the central midwest the past few years that we've grown accustom to.

[rkellerjr]

I could splice wires in but I don't want to do that.  I want a new harness with new wiring with new connectors.  It's just easier this way and I'm assured that everything is right and tested.  All I have to do is run the wiring appropriately.

[rkellerjr]

After talking with Rick tonight on the phone I'm going for the following from M&H...

Engine Harness
Tach Wire
Engine to Firewall ground wire
Tranny to body ground wire (I already have)
Under hood light kit

I am not doing the headlight harnesses, there's nothing wrong with my headlight harnesses, no hack job on those.

Anything I'm missing that I shoudl consider?

[Rick]

I think you are on the right track, Rich, and I concur that there isn't any reason to worry with the headlight/turn signal harness.  Your engine harness sounds pretty hacked and I suspect the fusible link has been removed.  That's not good.

[milly]

If the harness is that hacked up, you're doing the right thing by replacing it, especially if the fusable links are missing/patched over.

[rkellerjr]

Ordered the engine harness and tac harness from H&M.  Unfortunately, it's an 8 week turn around time

Rick, is your ground strap from the engine to the firewall a copper strap?  When looking at ordering this I keep coming up with a battery cable at these electrical places. H&M does not sell them.  I just want to make sure it's a copper strap.  How about a pic?

[Rick]

Yes, it's a copper braided strap.  I'm not sure a pic of mine will come out very well, but I'll go take a look.

[Rick]

Here ya go, Rich...assuming this works...

The braided copper strap is the thingy just below the vacuum line to the heater/AC controls -- that's the line with the check valve in it.



You can see how it attaches to the passenger side head -- it's the line right over the paper tag.



I couldn't get a pic of where it attaches to the firewall, but it's via a internal tooth washer and screw -- you can see it in some of JasonDs pics over on TAC (if they're still there when it comes back).  I couldn't get the shot of that because the blue tubular thingy in the way on the firewall is my accusump oil reservoir.

These pics are courtesy of a new feature Brett's contemplating her on the site -- photobucket just isn't working this afternoon.

[rkellerjr]

I see, thanks.

[dblhh]

These pics are courtesy of a new feature Brett's contemplating her on the site -- photobucket just isn't working this afternoon.

Wow , nice pics there, Rick (especially the first ones ).

[Rick]

Hee-hee!  I wondered if anybody was going to notice those...

[rkellerjr]

I sent along an e-mail to a wiring company and got the response below.  Anyone know if this is the part number I'm looking for?

Richard Keller wrote:

> Hey Ray, hope things are going well. I am looking for what seems to be
> a hard to find part. I’m in need of the copper ground strap that hooks
> to the firewall and the passenger side head. This is for a ’75 Pontiac
> Trans Am. Thanks for your time.
>
> /---------------------------------------------// /
>
> /Richard Keller// - //www.crossroads.cc
> <blocked::http://www.crossroads.cc/>// /
>
> Click on pic to see car/ /
>
> <http://www.ttac.net/gallery/browseimages.php?c=3&userid=3>
>
Good morning, Rich

I do not have a 1975 Firebird factory assembly manual to review your ground strap info. I have a 1975 Camaro factory assembly manual which show a ground strap from the passenger side head to the firewall as you describe. Good chance its the same one. Our part number is 04245 and retails for $7.00. The GM part number is 02982929. If you have a factory assembly manual the ground strap location picture should be in section 12L.

Might be worth a shot.

Have a great day!

Ray

Ray Walder, Sales/Customer Service
American Autowire 150 Heller Place #17 West Bellmawr, New Jersey 08031
(856) 933-0801 – phone ext.26 (856) 933-0805 - fax Visit our new Website! www.americanautowire.com

[milly]

That strap sounds like it should work Rich.

[Rick]

Rich, FWIW, I know some people who have made their own strap.  It's not that hard -- just get a piece of appropriately-long copper braid and the right size internal toothed terminals and solder it up.  You can determine the size of the terminals by looking at the bolt in the head and the screw on the firewall.

[eroc022]

i think classic industries carries new harnesses...factory style