37 Ford build--IE: old Header issues thread /37 Ford/5.0/GT40P heads

[randyr]

Randy,

If you are considering a wiring harness, take a look at American Auto Wire. The wires are not pre terminated which allows you plenty of routing latitude and keeps the wire bundle manageable without a snarled mess. Several these pre terminated others are very good though.


Later

Hey Dave,
Got a personal phone call from the American Autowire people this morning regarding my email inquiry of what they thought would be best for my car. He highly recommended the Highway 22 modular system. It sounds pretty impressive but it's definitely pricey at $429. Sometimes you get what you pay for with the cheaper units.....anyway, you think it's really worth the extra money?.....just trying to figure this stuff out.....thanks.

[Irelands child]

Hey Dave,
Got a personal phone call from the American Autowire people this morning regarding my email inquiry of what they thought would be best for my car. He highly recommended the Highway 22 modular system. It sounds pretty impressive but it's definitely pricey at $429. Sometimes you get what you pay for with the cheaper units.....anyway, you think it's really worth the extra money?.....just trying to figure this stuff out.....thanks.

Randy
Ya caught me eating lunch -

I have the predecessor to that kit and it is, for the roadster, way too much but may be just right for your car. You wont "fill" it up, but if you end up running air, power windows and doors and a few other accessories, you will have some expansion room without adding sub panels. Mine was about that price as well.

Just for the fun of it, I priced out a Ron Francis kit a while back and it came to over $600 for a comparable system - he charges extra for a lot of what American supplies with the kit. American and Ron Francis are at the big NSRA and Goodguy shows and will answer your questions and both have good customer service. Painless just blew me off at a show more than once and I have been told(don't know first hand), some customer service problems. They also seem to have ~one gauge lighter wire but that may be due to a different type of insulation. Regardless, it is, by others, a well respected product that I am not crazy about

I STILL (IMO only) dislike preterminated panels - but it looks like American now has a couple.

[Irelands child]

[QUOTE=Irelands child]Randy


This is what it looks like. There are a few more pieces like battery cables, wiring for the trunk lift, door solenoids and fan control but for the most part, this is it - and it's a lot of stuff.

[randyr]

Randy
Ya caught me eating lunch -

I have the predecessor to that kit and it is, for the roadster, way too much but may be just right for your car. You wont "fill" it up, but if you end up running air, power windows and doors and a few other accessories, you will have some expansion room without adding sub panels. Mine was about that price as well.

Just for the fun of it, I priced out a Ron Francis kit a while back and it came to over $600 for a comparable system - he charges extra for a lot of what American supplies with the kit. American and Ron Francis are at the big NSRA and Goodguy shows and will answer your questions and both have good customer service. Painless just blew me off at a show more than once and I have been told(don't know first hand), some customer service problems. They also seem to have ~one gauge lighter wire but that may be due to a different type of insulation. Regardless, it is, by others, a well respected product that I am not crazy about

I STILL (IMO only) dislike preterminated panels - but it looks like American now has a couple.

I had original asked the guy about the Power Plus 18 circuit unit, which is like $309. He said for $100 more there was no comparison for my kind of car. He explained the whole modular thing and separate packaging and instructions for each section, etc. My car already has power windows, it had AC & cruise before I ripped them out to eventually get better ones. It will eventually have shaved door handles with remote entry, etc. I would also like to upgrade the guages....I'm still running originals for the most part. So, basically, my goal is to upgrade my wire system to make it user friendly, installer friendly (I'm the installer), neat, organized and trouble free. I'm not sure what you mean by preterminated panels.....

I was talking to another fellow with a kit from EZ Wiring, $185, he said it worked well but the instructions were less than adequate.....I just want to make sure I'm not spending an extra $200+ for mostly packaging & instructions. If I'm going to spend that kinda money, I want their to be some major differences, you know?
Here I go rambling again.....you still in Burbank or back home now?

[Irelands child]

=you still in Burbank or back home now?

You need that level kit !!

Not sure about E-Z Wire though 'others' have said it is adequate.

Not heading to CA until Friday - then I'll probably be off here for 7-8 days.

[randyr]

Ok. Perhaps I'll suck it up and spring for the high-dollar kit....LOL!

So, on another note....do you weld? mig or tig? I'm looking for a decent used small welder so I can do much of this work myself. I don't think welding can be that hard with a little practice and the convenience of be able to weld when I need it would be worth a lot. I've read that tig is more difficult but there isn't as much slag and the joints are less brittle than mig. In either case, it has to be a small unit that runs on 110. No 220 is available to me.

Hopefully, we'll get a blast of warm weather while you're here.....but then I guess anything would seem warm to you about now, huh?

[Irelands child]

Ok. Perhaps I'll suck it up and spring for the high-dollar kit....LOL!

So, on another note....do you weld? mig or tig? I'm looking for a decent used small welder so I can do much of this work myself. I don't think welding can be that hard with a little practice and the convenience of be able to weld when I need it would be worth a lot. I've read that tig is more difficult but there isn't as much slag and the joints are less brittle than mig. In either case, it has to be a small unit that runs on 110. No 220 is available to me.

Hopefully, we'll get a blast of warm weather while you're here.....but then I guess anything would seem warm to you about now, huh?

I have a 110V Lincoln MIG with gas which does a very nice job. I have somewhere in the realm of $450 in it as far as price which includes a 40 cu ft bottle. For a comparable TIG, would probably be $1000 - $1400 which was my decision maker. If you use gas, there is no or very little slag or splatter with MIG. Without gas - don't bother - it is sloppy farmyard welding. It is very easy to weld with MIG though I did take a 3 night class to sharpen up on long wilted skills - I was a certified navy quality level stick welder way back. Stick with a good brand though - Lincoln, Hobart, Miller, ESAB or similar US made - no Harbor Freight crap - you'll never find parts if you need them.

Anything will be warmer we had +6, but Saranac Lake was -15 !!!!

[MikeB]

Randyr,

At the bottom of this page - http://www.clparts.com/faqwiring.html - you can download a sample of the EZ Wiring instructions.

[randyr]

Randyr,

At the bottom of this page - http://www.clparts.com/faqwiring.html - you can download a sample of the EZ Wiring instructions.

Thanks Mike. I'll check it out.

Randy

[Irelands child]

Tell me if I am wrong here but I don't see switches - ie, ignition, headlight, dimmer - only plugs. Looks like everything is extra above and beyond the panel, wires and a horn relay.

Brings the price up real quick to the fully comprehensive kits and panels such as American, Ron Francis and Painless.

[randyr]

Tell me if I am wrong here but I don't see switches - ie, ignition, headlight, dimmer - only plugs. Looks like everything is extra above and beyond the panel, wires and a horn relay.

Brings the price up real quick to the fully comprehensive kits and panels such as American, Ron Francis and Painless.

However, since I already have a headlight switch, dimmer switch and the ignition is in the steering column (older GM), do I really need those in the kit?
Just a thought.....

[Irelands child]

However, since I already have a headlight switch, dimmer switch and the ignition is in the steering column (older GM), do I really need those in the kit?
Just a thought.....

Good thought - but also consider their age. $150 - $200 can sway an opinion tho.
Take a look here:
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/wiri...wiring+systems

My $.02 is here too, but....I'm biased with what I have

[randyr]

Hey Dave,
You back from beautiful downtown Burbank yet?
I got my engine back Friday. Now I have to bolt all the extraneous stuff to it. I have my new firewall fitted but not welded yet.
Here's a quick pic of both.....

[Irelands child]

Hey Dave,
You back from beautiful downtown Burbank yet?
I got my engine back Friday. Now I have to bolt all the extraneous stuff to it. I have my new firewall fitted but not welded yet.
Here's a quick pic of both.....

Hi Randy,
Made it back safely from Beautiful Burbank - but am still about an hour off kilter as far as time.

The engine looks nice and clean - what rockers are you using? They don't look like my Crane Energizers. Time for a paint job on it - and that's always a bundle of fun.

The firewall sure looks a lot better than that piece of Swiss cheese you had originally. Fits up real nicely. Did you get the trans tunnel as well?

Gotta finish getting my taxes ready today for my accountant - so will be basically off-line for most of today.

[Deuce Don]

Interesting thread to anyone who has ever put a Ford in a Ford street rod. I am new to this site and hope you don't mind an unrelated question. I recently sold my 32 5 window (302/C4) and am in the market for my next project. I am thinking real hard about a Brookville 30/31 A on their 32 chassis with a 302 or 351/AOD combination. Brookville says that I do not need a recessed firewall with this combination but I would need to use the Motorsport short water pump. My 5 window was a Downs body and chassis combination and there were some clearance issues on the front of the engine and the fan shroud. Since you have experience with Brookville products, do you think a 302/AOD would fit without a recessed firewall (it will be on a 32 chassis)? I have had good luck with the Cooling Components electric fan and shroud combination (it gets hot down here) and I would like to use that on this car. Thanks.