Hey Guys I have been looking around for a bit and decided to join the forum. I have already learned a bunch from searching old threads but I have run into a little bit of a snag.

I am rewiring a 49 F2 with an H code 226. An owner of the past decided to rewire sections of the car in only red wire and the remaining cloth covered wires are so old that you can not tell any colors. The gentleman the truck was purchased from had included a new cloth covered harness.

The old harness goes from the ignition to left headlight, The new one does not seem to lay in correctly. I see Macs lists two harness' one ignition to left headlight and one ignition to right headlight.

Are their any tell signs which one I have. I think I will need to purchase another harness but I would hate to spend $225.00 on a hunch.

 

Welcome to the forum! You know we want pictures, right?!

I'm confused when you say the wires go from the "ignition to the left headlight"? You must mean from the headlight switch, right? The headlight switch gets power from a circuit breaker behind the dash, the headlight wire goes from the switch to the dimmer switch, to the radiator panel on the left side where there is a splitter that feeds to the left and right headlights.

 

Welcome ADK!

Don't chase another harness. Even the correct ones usually treat the front and rear lights with additional cost crossover wiring.

There is a good reference from VanPelt that may be of use: Flathead Electrical Wiring Diagrams In addition, the Shop Manual and Owner's Manual have useful drawings.

The wiring on these trucks is very simple. If you haven't already done so, you'll want to remove the instrument cluster and the seat to improve your access to the dash. Don't be afraid to ask - getting back on the road with a safe, stock electrical system shouldn't be overly difficult.

Do you have turn signals and a steering column control?

DW

 

These are the harness' that I am talking about:

I think this is what the PO bought-Ford Pickup Truck Ignition Switch Harness - Ignition Switch To Right Headlight - 6 Cylinder | 8HC-14401-C - Macs Auto Parts

And this is what I would need-Ford - Ford Pickup Truck Ignition Switch Harness - Ignition Switch To Left Headlight - 6 Cylinder | 8HC-14401-A - Macs Auto Parts


Thanks for the advice. I do have the shop manual with the diagrams. I did give up looking at the old harness since it was so cobbled up. The cluster is out and the wiring does seem simple. I think I may end up just purchasing bulk wire and making my own harness instead of trying to use a pre made one. The truck does have turn signal added to the column but that shouldn't be an issue. I have rewired cars in the past, I am just not used to the old 6 volt electrical systems. It seems so simple it is confusing....


Here is an old pic right after my girlfriend bought the truck. It is in all primer right now waiting for me to shoot it with a midnight blue SS enamel.

 

Good looking truck.

The Mac's catalog descriptions are not helpful.

I wouldn't toss the harness you have in hand. My thought would be to lay out the harness and use the diagrams to understand (and mark) all the connections before trying to install. You're going to find that the harness doesn't have either of the light crossovers (front or rear) and may not be adequate for the signal system. This may mean you'll get to fab a few lines of your own. The harness will give you great under hood and dash connections - and the loom for the bundle.

Take a look at the column signal unit and count the wires. Some of the old versions are tough to wire dual filament sockets (if you are going in that direction). If you have less than seven - might not be enough. If seven or more, might be best to use a cheap terminal block (think Radio Shack) to simplify the under dash connections.

DW

 

If you're keeping it 6 volts, be sure you use the correct gauge wiring. You'll need some 10 gauge for the main power from the battery to the circuit breakers and alternator (and a few other places).

 

My understanding is that on some of the 6 cyl trucks the headlight switch is mounted in the dash to the right of the ignition switch instead of left of the ignition like the V8 trucks.
Mark

 

I can't imagine why they'd do that, Mark, except perhaps on some of the F-6+ trucks where other switches may need to go on the left (like a PTO ****, etc). Henry wouldn't go to that kind of extra cost.

#10 isn't adequate for most alternators, BTW. Most GM-based alternators are 65 amps minimum, most are 80+. #6 or #8 is appropriate.

 

That's good to know Ross. If I ever change over to an alternator, I'll have to remember that.

 

Ross, It makes no sense to me either but, according to the Dennis Carpenter, Mac's and NPD catalogs I have, there are two dash wiring harnesses for '48-'50 6 cyl trucks and one for '48-'50 V8 trucks. All V8 trucks and most 6 cyl trucks had the ignition switch to the right of the headlight switch. Apparently some 6 cyl trucks had the ignition switch to the left of the headlight switch. I don't know if the ignition and headlight switches just reversed positions or how they were mounted. I'm learning, as I work on my truck, that there were a lot more anomalies on the truck production lines and assembly plants than the cars. For instance, the '48-'51 F2 and larger trucks that I have seen from the Kansas City plant, did not use the foam rubber cowl to fender seal the other plants used. They used an extruded rubber cowl to fender seal, that was stapled to the fender flange, like the '42-'47 trucks.
Mark