Which custom wiring kit are you guys using and how much would it cost for a shop to install roughly? Would like to get a price range

 

I bought an American Autowire kit. It cost a bit more than the EZ wire, but I felt the quality warranted the price. I'd say do the wiring yourself. It's not hard at all if you take your time.

 

I prefer the Painless universal harnesses and have done several on a variety of vehicles. Cost to install depends on the shop. If they have experience using the particular kit you choose, it goes faster and saves you money so it might make sense to ask their preference. How many hours they need will depend a lot on how many electrical circuits you are using and whether you want the harnesses hidden as much as possible. A basic install similar to the original complexity could still take 12 hours or more.

 

I don't have the time or experience to do it myself which is why I would rather take it to a shop. At 12 hours, sounds like it can hit the $1k range? Am I right? I just want to know what kind of deal I'm getting when I start getting quotes

 

What model and year of truck do you have? Will it be stock, or have an alternator, 12v, accessories like A/C, stereo, PW, power seats, etc.?

If it is truly going back to stock, the Dennis Carpenter replacement harnesses are the way to go, IMO. They literally drop into place, that's the only hope for getting it done in 12 hours. If the guy has to create a wiring diagram and figure out all the routing, triple that.

 

I will be adding a stereo and perhaps a few other accessories. I got quoted at a place for $1k to install, not including the harness. Does that seem reasonable?

 

If that $1k for labor only is a fixed price and not just an estimate, and the shop has a good electrical reputation, I'd jump on it in a New York second. That's only ten hours of work @ $100/hr.
Personally, I would expect to pay twice that if I took it to a downtown auto-electric shop.

 

Unless you know all the accessories you want eventually, you'll end up cobbling in new wires later, so figure out exactly what you want first.

Buying a harness is tough if you are converting to 12v with an alternator. I don't know of any ready-to go harnesses that accommodate them. Depends also on what kind of alternator you get, 1-wire or 3-wire, and if it needs an idiot light. Also on the capacity of the alternator to get wire gauge correct. Need to incorporate a ballast resitor on the ignition. Then you have to allow for a voltage reducer for the gauges, so he would need that in hand. Like the Mixer Man says, it's going to take a good shop to get it all right the first time. The more forethought put into it, the better the result will be.

Note you still have some other 12v converting to do, heater fan, wipers?

 

Duplicate post...

 

what Ross said , you have to write down every thing you are going to need . I just got done putting a harness in a 69 nova , owner said simple nothing extra , I got a ez-wire 12 circuit . Then he wanted the battery in the trunk ,electric fuel pump back by the tank, mount the coil and ignition box inside of fire wall , need Ac wires , all new auto-wire gauges ,200r4 trans that needs electric lock up, gated floor shifter that had to have back up and neutral safety switch wired in , dome light and door switches ,2 electric fans for radiator , electric choke , plus lights , and 2 speed wipers . Job went from easy to hard real fast , and he paid me about $600 in labor and I only charge him $15 an hour. get it in writing before you make a deal

 

So that seems like my issue. I do not have the complete direction of where I want to take it and right now I just want it to be a simple driver with the basics. It has a mercury 410 in it right now that I may want to swap later on, years from now, but all I'd want now is a functional modern stereo and just good wires to run headlights and taillights/brakes. I'm in a rush to do the wiring now just bc the wires are very old, probably original, and there are a ton of them just dangling around, especially inside the cab and I have no brake lights. So it's more of a safety concern and legality of having brake lights.

 

Where are you in CA and are you running 12v or 6v?

 

I would also ask for customers that they've done it for before... Check the BBB to make sure they complete work... and what is the break down on how the payment is to be done... How long will they have the vehicle... What kits do they like/ have experience with... Are a few things I would check out and ask!


Also adding the items in the vehicle to be wired in if you can before you bring it to them... If not able to you can also use masking tape to the spot where it belongs

 

I just finished the wiring on my 54.
Car was converted to 12v before but using all old cloth wires.
Put in new sockets, new tail lights, both gauges and all senders are new.
I used midfifty's oem kit. Just colored wires, no fuse box. Kit can have just about any alternator, mine turns out to be a Chevy 3 wire.
Took me about 10-15 hours.
But I'm running a 292 and only conversion is the alternator.

All depends on what you want.

 

From what I know it's a 12v as are all 56s. I could be wrong though about that statement...The battery is old and most the labels are faded/gone but it looks like a 12v. For those who have done it themselves, were you experienced or you just take your time and learn as you go? Any specials tools for cutting etc?