Picked up a cloth wiring replacement harness for my 48 F1.. Dash forward into the Engine bay...

I know I could just rip out all of it at once and then start replacing it.

But I figured I ask if anyone has suggestion from what they found doing the job. It is any easier to replace termnial by termnial (safer, LOL) and should I start under the Dash or under the hood.. ?

I know it shouldn't be that hard, just looking for a few options or suggestions.

thanks

BC

 

Welcome BC

I would suggest taking a one at a time approach. There aren't too many wires but not routing and terminations can be confused. Get your rear lighting set, then the front, the engine, and finish with the cab. It is much easier to work the dash with the seat removed. Go slow, take lots of pictures and have a stock wiring diagram handy.

DW

 

DW thanks for the suggestion.

Also.. I now notice that the male butt connectors sometime terminate into 4 port connector. Does anyone know where to purchase them ?

I also was thinking of taking the Dash panel out to start the under dash swap.. I have not done this before.. and have no manual.. anyone know how many and where the dash is secured to / by ?

Thanks.

BC

 

Suggest that you get a shop manual. They run about $30 and are the smartest money you'll spend. Look at Rhode Island Wiring for tbe connectors.

The dash cluster has three threaded studs that hold it to the dash. Two by the speedo and one by the breakers. Do an advanced search on this forum for pics.

 

Cloth wiring harness...that sounds like a stock reproduction. I have always removed the original and installed the replacement with a diagram that comes with the harness. Those diagrams are usually easier to read than the original stock diagrams, at least for me. There just is not enough wire and connections in these early trucks to be much of a problem. Unless you run into a major problem, four hours should have it installed and running. If your going to reroute and conceal wires from the stock location, add a lot more time. Installing a stock wire harness in other than the stock location will also open the door to a lot more headache.

 

Guys.. thanks for the help.. I have finished with replacing the Dash/engine harness.. I was able to take the Gauge unit, Ign Switch and Light switch out and swap over those to the new harness and install as a unit. That made it a lot easier than trying to reach under the dash.

Outlaw56... trying to keep everything stock as it would be, as everything is original or stock replacement. I am going to have to do some more wiring.. as my Uncle has repaired and modified some of the wiring. He put a turn signal unit it.. so, the Brake and Lighting system are somewhat a mess now. I am just thinking of ripping those modification out and return to stock and then reinstall the turn signal unit correctly. I did just follow the diagram that came with the harness, as the color coding help cause much of the original wire color were hard to read.

But now I should be able to try and restart the engine.

Thanks a lot guys for the suggestion and help.

BC